OUR STORY

In 1971, the Lord led Pastor Green and his wife, Betty to minister to East Orange County and the Christmas, Florida community. He tried to rent the community building in Christmas but it was $50 each time he needed the facility. Through the kindness of Ms. Tucker, he was allowed to rent the building for $200 a month and use it any time he needed it. The Greens would use one-third of Sister Betty’s income to pay for it during the next year. That year the Christmas Church of God was founded.

The church remained at the community center for the next two years. During that time Pastor Green found the property that would be where he would build the current church. They bought the land for around $13,000. Not long afterwards, they broke ground and began to build the church.

The Church of God State Overseer donated $15,000 and the church borrowed $47,000 from the state office. That was all paid back within the year with no interest. They had about 70+ people attending the church at the time and they had help building the church from so many. Sunny Strickland did the block-work. Brother Ernest Moody, Amos Futch, and Albert Key lead the woodwork carpentry. The Alt’s, the Stergill’s and the Ellenburg’s came in and did the drywall for no charge whatsoever. When it was done, there was about $39,000 or $40,000 in the account and the church was completely built with pews, pulpit, altar benches, chairs, sound, etc.

Three years after building the church, they built “Solomon’s Porch”. They named the porch that because it needed to have “Biblical Significance”. Long time member, Linda Bright’s brother-in-law, Proll put the roof and everything on “Solomon’s Porch” at no cost. The only cost for the porch was the materials.

The Greens would pastor the church from 1971 - 1978. They returned to the church after God laid it on Pastor Green’s heart to come back to the church he founded. They led the church for another 13 years and they remain members to this day where Pastor Green serves as Pastor Emeritus and Pastor Simmon’s friend and council.

In 2016, JD and Vikki Simmons came to pastor the church. Over the years, they have brought a new vision to the church that is very similar to the vision that was started 20 years prior. The facilities have been remodeled and upgraded. New ministries have been created and the church continues to minister to the East Orange Community.

In 2018, the church was renamed Redemption Church.

As Pastor Green said “It will always be God’s church…the most important thing is the fact that we’re ministering in the community and converting people and changing lives. I’m seeing a fulfilling of a vision that I had in 1972. Pastor Simmons and Ms. Vikki coming seemed like a new day for us. The poor are being fed and clothed. The children are being taken off the street and they’re being educated, they’re being counseled, they’re being schooled. We furnished them with food, shoes, clothes, whatever the community needs. We try to take care of each and every individual whether they’re members or not. This is what I feel like God laid upon my heart to do years ago.

In 2021, JD and Vikki Simmons retired as pastors. The church has grown so much with their dedication and hard work.

We are excited for this next chapter of our story with Lead Pastors Kenwin and Andrese Hunte!