Pastor Tommy & Barbara 'Willingham' Charlton;
40 YEARS - FULL GOSPEL CHURCH
Reverend Guy Willingham (in his later years Guy Willingham did not want to be refereed by Reverend but by Pastor, he found in the Bible where it said no one is Reverend except the Lord. Told to me by Charles Willingham, his son.) was born in 1910 in Oklahoma.
He pastored a Full Gospel Mission in Portales, New
Mexico then moved to Brawley, California in 1952. Following God's leading he began his Brawley ministry at his home in approximately 1955. The church started having Saturday night services in the home of brother and sister Willingham.
When the weather was nice services were held outside in their yard, the rest of the time they were held inside
the house.People used to come form all over the valley to attend these services.
In 1957 he purchased the property at 1465 Jones Street. It had a small house which was converted into a church and the "Full Gospel Mission" was born. In 1961 the small church was torn down and the sanctuary of the "Full Gospel Church" was built.Reverend Willingham was known for his messages of faith. He also had a special ministry in praying for the sick. His favorite scripture was Psalm 1, and he loved to quote it along with many other scriptures.
Brother Willingham loved to fellowship with other Christians. A song that was sung about every Saturday night was:"I care not what church you belong to just as long as for Calvary you stand, so tonight if your heart is as my heart you're my brother so give me your hand". Brother Willingham invited other ministers to share the pulpit on Saturday nights as he continued to do throughout his ministry. Several people sang "specials" in each service in those days.
The property for the church was purchased on March 7, 1957 by Guy & Edna Willingham and Chester & Esta Lee Lehmann. It had an old house on it and the inside walls were removed to make one room (approx. 25' X 40'). We had fifty plus in Sunday School many times, our goal has always been to have one hundred in attendance for Sunday School. The closest we have ever come was ninety-six.
The first and only wedding that Brother Willingham performed in the old church was for Thomas & Barbara Charlton (Barbara is Brother Willingham's daughter). We did not have inside plumbing in the old church. We had an old "outhouse". The benches we sat on occasionally left you with splinters and caused runs in the ladies nylons. We had a desert cooler for cooling which many times left you pouring with sweat, but you did not seem to notice because you were there to worship the Lord. It was common for our services to last until 10:00 p.m. and revivals usually no less than two weeks!
A five gallon cool-can was brought in for drinking water. We had an old building moved onto the property to be used for Sunday School rooms. We built the first phase of our new church building in 1961. Members of the church in Westmorland really helped us a lot. Brother John Cowan was the main one to oversee the construction. He told us he could start building at the beginning of one week, and we would be able to have services in it by the next Sunday. That is exactly what happened. We had bare concrete floors, and we used the old benches, but it was really great to have a much nicer building for worship. Brother Cowan also built a new pulpit and pews which we are still using in our church today.
We did not have any partitions in the new building at first. It was one big room - - 30' X 60'. A few years later Brother Harold Perry, put some partitions up for two Sunday School rooms. Two large window air conditioners were used to cool this building. They were pretty loud but much nicer than the desert coolers.
Yes, we still miss Brother Willingham's presence but he left us a great heritage. His son-in-law, Thomas Charlton, was his assistant pastor and was asked by members to step in as pastor at this time. One of the things Brother Willingham wanted to have for the church was a baptistery and about 1985 it was decided to have one put in. Well, the Lord blessed us not only with a baptistery but also with a nice fellowship hall complete with a kitchen, pantry, an office and two more bathrooms. Initially the city told us we did not have enough room to build, but they reconsidered and praise the Lord, it happened.
We are dedicating the baptistery in loving memory of Reverend Guy Willingham on this our 40th anniversary, as a church. The Lord also blessed us with padded pews several years ago and we have also been able to put in central air and heat. In 1995 the Lord blessed us with wall to wall carpeting. Sister Fern O'Neal was very supportive of Brother Charlton as pastor. She was always there with her prays, love and support. She always seemed to know how to help people that were going through hard times and needed encouragement. She had the right book or words to help lift them up. She rarely missed a service even though she had to travel by herself several miles to be with us. She also attended Ladies Prayer Meeting and helped with cleaning the church on Wednesday mornings. She was faithful until the Lord called her to her reward.
A few years later we added on to the church and built another Sunday School room, two bathrooms, a foyer and installed a drinking fountain.
Brother Willingham liked to tell the story about a couple of people looking in the window to see what was going on during testimony service. They couldn't figure out what it was, but they said it looked like each one sure dreaded it when it was their turn. He also liked to tell the story about a man cutting a turtle's head off. He said after the turtle's head was cut off, the turtle just got up on a log and walked off. He said, "Huh! Dead and don't know it!"
Everyone that knew Brother Willingham knew his favorite song was Amazing Grace. That song was sung many times in our services. Brother Willingham was born in to a family that did not have any regard for God and he really understood what the amazing grace of God meant in his life. His mother died when he was only five years old and he was just passed from one relative to another after his dad remarried because his stepmother did not want him. He only had a fourth grade education but he learned to read very well by studying the Bible. He could quote one scripture after another. He never felt like he was a great man but he was a great man to those that knew him and his walk with the Lord. He loved to preach on perfection.
Pastor Thomas Charlton was born in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1935. When he was 18 he enlisted in the United States Navy where he was a sonar operator. In 1956 at the age of 21 he met Sister Barbara Willingham. In 1959 they were married and later he began assisting Brother Willingham with pastoral duties. After the sudden passing of Brother Willingham, and at the request of the Full Gospel Church, Brother Charlton became pastor in 1978.
Pastor Charlton was saved in San Diego at the age of 18 while serving in the U.S. Navy. He first ministered on the U.S.S. Vance as Protestant worship leader.
His favorite scripture is John 10:10 and his favorite song is Pearly White City. The first message he preached under Brother Willingham's ministry was "Am I My Brother's Keeper".
Miss Edna Bacon was born in Clovis, New Mexico in 1920. She married Mr. Rollie Guy Willingham in 1935. They lived in New Mexico for a number of years then relocated to Brawley, California in 1952. She was instrumental in the formation of the "Full Gospel Mission" in 1957 which became the "Full Gospel Church" in 1961.
Sister Edna taught the adult Sunday School class for many years. Through her witnessing, Brother Ray Wright became a Christian and is our current adult Sunday School teacher. She did a lot of visitation for the church. She also cooked a lot of delicious meals for Sunday lunch and visiting evangelists. She took care of many other details such as ordering Sunday School literature, keeping records and other duties. Mrs. Edna Willingham married Reverend Ray Kelly. Sister Kelly continues to be a blessing to many people to this date in her writing of poems and cards.
*************************************
IN LOVING MEMORY: OUR GRANDAD 1910-1978
by Michell (Charlton) Fusi
Written at age 13 in 1978
He as very kind and loving
A very gentle man
To everyone a blessing
A good race, for Christ, he ran
He was full of patience
He never spoke in anger
He quoted from Genesis to Revelations
So dearly, he loved the baby in the manger
HE deserved to be in history books
He was a great man
He loved everyone, no matter what their looks
He said, "Never quit, if you try, you can"
He thought he was only a county preacher
He didn't think he fit into a crowd
He was a soul reacher
And to have been his relative, I am proud
We are sorry to lose him
He was such a joyful man
Some people won't the to see him again
But if you make to heave, you can
***********************************************
I FOUND IT
A testimonial of
Rollie Guy Willingham
I found it!
What did you find?
I found Jesus as my
personal savior.
I found it!
What did you find?
I found love, mercy
and grace.
I found it!
What did you find?
I found, joy and peace
and happiness in Jesus Christ.
I found it!
What did you find?
A brand new life.
Excitement and gladness
and peace.... "which
passeth all understanding..."
in Jesus Christ.
Philippians 4:7
*****************
By Charles Willingham, son of Rollie Guy Willingham:
Pastor Guy Willingham had a Pastor, Evangelist, Mentor and a Great Friend by the name of Guy Shields. He was several years older than my Dad and Dad had great respect for him. They both built churches from the ground up. Both were named Guy and they had great admiration for each other.
Guy Shields died preaching in the pulpit. Guy Willingham told his children that he thought if you had to die that would be the way to go and if given a choice that is how he would like to die also.
Several years later in the Sunday evening service he read his text for his sermon started to preach and dropped dead. God granted him his desire in the way and the place he would die.
******************
Wife: Edna Willingham
Father: Thomas Wakefield Willingham
Mother: Nancy A. Willingham
Uncle: Dallas Polk Willingham
Brother: Leon "Hoss"
Brother: Sam Willingham
Brother: Austin Alvin Willingham
Brother: John Booker Willingham
Granddaughter: Carylon Joyce Stidham Rouhotas
Grandfather:Lycurgus Willingham
Grandmother: Missouri Louise Williams Willingham
Wife of Cousin
John Booker "J.B.": Gladys N. Willingham
Wife of Brother Leon "Hoss": Thelma H. Willingham
40 YEARS - FULL GOSPEL CHURCH
Reverend Guy Willingham (in his later years Guy Willingham did not want to be refereed by Reverend but by Pastor, he found in the Bible where it said no one is Reverend except the Lord. Told to me by Charles Willingham, his son.) was born in 1910 in Oklahoma.
He pastored a Full Gospel Mission in Portales, New
Mexico then moved to Brawley, California in 1952. Following God's leading he began his Brawley ministry at his home in approximately 1955. The church started having Saturday night services in the home of brother and sister Willingham.
When the weather was nice services were held outside in their yard, the rest of the time they were held inside
the house.People used to come form all over the valley to attend these services.
In 1957 he purchased the property at 1465 Jones Street. It had a small house which was converted into a church and the "Full Gospel Mission" was born. In 1961 the small church was torn down and the sanctuary of the "Full Gospel Church" was built.Reverend Willingham was known for his messages of faith. He also had a special ministry in praying for the sick. His favorite scripture was Psalm 1, and he loved to quote it along with many other scriptures.
Brother Willingham loved to fellowship with other Christians. A song that was sung about every Saturday night was:"I care not what church you belong to just as long as for Calvary you stand, so tonight if your heart is as my heart you're my brother so give me your hand". Brother Willingham invited other ministers to share the pulpit on Saturday nights as he continued to do throughout his ministry. Several people sang "specials" in each service in those days.
The property for the church was purchased on March 7, 1957 by Guy & Edna Willingham and Chester & Esta Lee Lehmann. It had an old house on it and the inside walls were removed to make one room (approx. 25' X 40'). We had fifty plus in Sunday School many times, our goal has always been to have one hundred in attendance for Sunday School. The closest we have ever come was ninety-six.
The first and only wedding that Brother Willingham performed in the old church was for Thomas & Barbara Charlton (Barbara is Brother Willingham's daughter). We did not have inside plumbing in the old church. We had an old "outhouse". The benches we sat on occasionally left you with splinters and caused runs in the ladies nylons. We had a desert cooler for cooling which many times left you pouring with sweat, but you did not seem to notice because you were there to worship the Lord. It was common for our services to last until 10:00 p.m. and revivals usually no less than two weeks!
A five gallon cool-can was brought in for drinking water. We had an old building moved onto the property to be used for Sunday School rooms. We built the first phase of our new church building in 1961. Members of the church in Westmorland really helped us a lot. Brother John Cowan was the main one to oversee the construction. He told us he could start building at the beginning of one week, and we would be able to have services in it by the next Sunday. That is exactly what happened. We had bare concrete floors, and we used the old benches, but it was really great to have a much nicer building for worship. Brother Cowan also built a new pulpit and pews which we are still using in our church today.
We did not have any partitions in the new building at first. It was one big room - - 30' X 60'. A few years later Brother Harold Perry, put some partitions up for two Sunday School rooms. Two large window air conditioners were used to cool this building. They were pretty loud but much nicer than the desert coolers.
Yes, we still miss Brother Willingham's presence but he left us a great heritage. His son-in-law, Thomas Charlton, was his assistant pastor and was asked by members to step in as pastor at this time. One of the things Brother Willingham wanted to have for the church was a baptistery and about 1985 it was decided to have one put in. Well, the Lord blessed us not only with a baptistery but also with a nice fellowship hall complete with a kitchen, pantry, an office and two more bathrooms. Initially the city told us we did not have enough room to build, but they reconsidered and praise the Lord, it happened.
We are dedicating the baptistery in loving memory of Reverend Guy Willingham on this our 40th anniversary, as a church. The Lord also blessed us with padded pews several years ago and we have also been able to put in central air and heat. In 1995 the Lord blessed us with wall to wall carpeting. Sister Fern O'Neal was very supportive of Brother Charlton as pastor. She was always there with her prays, love and support. She always seemed to know how to help people that were going through hard times and needed encouragement. She had the right book or words to help lift them up. She rarely missed a service even though she had to travel by herself several miles to be with us. She also attended Ladies Prayer Meeting and helped with cleaning the church on Wednesday mornings. She was faithful until the Lord called her to her reward.
A few years later we added on to the church and built another Sunday School room, two bathrooms, a foyer and installed a drinking fountain.
Brother Willingham liked to tell the story about a couple of people looking in the window to see what was going on during testimony service. They couldn't figure out what it was, but they said it looked like each one sure dreaded it when it was their turn. He also liked to tell the story about a man cutting a turtle's head off. He said after the turtle's head was cut off, the turtle just got up on a log and walked off. He said, "Huh! Dead and don't know it!"
Everyone that knew Brother Willingham knew his favorite song was Amazing Grace. That song was sung many times in our services. Brother Willingham was born in to a family that did not have any regard for God and he really understood what the amazing grace of God meant in his life. His mother died when he was only five years old and he was just passed from one relative to another after his dad remarried because his stepmother did not want him. He only had a fourth grade education but he learned to read very well by studying the Bible. He could quote one scripture after another. He never felt like he was a great man but he was a great man to those that knew him and his walk with the Lord. He loved to preach on perfection.
Pastor Thomas Charlton was born in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1935. When he was 18 he enlisted in the United States Navy where he was a sonar operator. In 1956 at the age of 21 he met Sister Barbara Willingham. In 1959 they were married and later he began assisting Brother Willingham with pastoral duties. After the sudden passing of Brother Willingham, and at the request of the Full Gospel Church, Brother Charlton became pastor in 1978.
Pastor Charlton was saved in San Diego at the age of 18 while serving in the U.S. Navy. He first ministered on the U.S.S. Vance as Protestant worship leader.
His favorite scripture is John 10:10 and his favorite song is Pearly White City. The first message he preached under Brother Willingham's ministry was "Am I My Brother's Keeper".
Miss Edna Bacon was born in Clovis, New Mexico in 1920. She married Mr. Rollie Guy Willingham in 1935. They lived in New Mexico for a number of years then relocated to Brawley, California in 1952. She was instrumental in the formation of the "Full Gospel Mission" in 1957 which became the "Full Gospel Church" in 1961.
Sister Edna taught the adult Sunday School class for many years. Through her witnessing, Brother Ray Wright became a Christian and is our current adult Sunday School teacher. She did a lot of visitation for the church. She also cooked a lot of delicious meals for Sunday lunch and visiting evangelists. She took care of many other details such as ordering Sunday School literature, keeping records and other duties. Mrs. Edna Willingham married Reverend Ray Kelly. Sister Kelly continues to be a blessing to many people to this date in her writing of poems and cards.
*************************************
IN LOVING MEMORY: OUR GRANDAD 1910-1978
by Michell (Charlton) Fusi
Written at age 13 in 1978
He as very kind and loving
A very gentle man
To everyone a blessing
A good race, for Christ, he ran
He was full of patience
He never spoke in anger
He quoted from Genesis to Revelations
So dearly, he loved the baby in the manger
HE deserved to be in history books
He was a great man
He loved everyone, no matter what their looks
He said, "Never quit, if you try, you can"
He thought he was only a county preacher
He didn't think he fit into a crowd
He was a soul reacher
And to have been his relative, I am proud
We are sorry to lose him
He was such a joyful man
Some people won't the to see him again
But if you make to heave, you can
***********************************************
I FOUND IT
A testimonial of
Rollie Guy Willingham
I found it!
What did you find?
I found Jesus as my
personal savior.
I found it!
What did you find?
I found love, mercy
and grace.
I found it!
What did you find?
I found, joy and peace
and happiness in Jesus Christ.
I found it!
What did you find?
A brand new life.
Excitement and gladness
and peace.... "which
passeth all understanding..."
in Jesus Christ.
Philippians 4:7
*****************
By Charles Willingham, son of Rollie Guy Willingham:
Pastor Guy Willingham had a Pastor, Evangelist, Mentor and a Great Friend by the name of Guy Shields. He was several years older than my Dad and Dad had great respect for him. They both built churches from the ground up. Both were named Guy and they had great admiration for each other.
Guy Shields died preaching in the pulpit. Guy Willingham told his children that he thought if you had to die that would be the way to go and if given a choice that is how he would like to die also.
Several years later in the Sunday evening service he read his text for his sermon started to preach and dropped dead. God granted him his desire in the way and the place he would die.
******************
Wife: Edna Willingham
Father: Thomas Wakefield Willingham
Mother: Nancy A. Willingham
Uncle: Dallas Polk Willingham
Brother: Leon "Hoss"
Brother: Sam Willingham
Brother: Austin Alvin Willingham
Brother: John Booker Willingham
Granddaughter: Carylon Joyce Stidham Rouhotas
Grandfather:Lycurgus Willingham
Grandmother: Missouri Louise Williams Willingham
Wife of Cousin
John Booker "J.B.": Gladys N. Willingham
Wife of Brother Leon "Hoss": Thelma H. Willingham
Pastor Tommy & Barbara 'Willingham' Charlton;
40 YEARS - FULL GOSPEL CHURCH
Reverend Guy Willingham (in his later years Guy Willingham did not want to be refereed by Reverend but by Pastor, he found in the Bible where it said no one is Reverend except the Lord. Told to me by Charles Willingham, his son.) was born in 1910 in Oklahoma.
He pastored a Full Gospel Mission in Portales, New
Mexico then moved to Brawley, California in 1952. Following God's leading he began his Brawley ministry at his home in approximately 1955. The church started having Saturday night services in the home of brother and sister Willingham.
When the weather was nice services were held outside in their yard, the rest of the time they were held inside
the house.People used to come form all over the valley to attend these services.
In 1957 he purchased the property at 1465 Jones Street. It had a small house which was converted into a church and the "Full Gospel Mission" was born. In 1961 the small church was torn down and the sanctuary of the "Full Gospel Church" was built.Reverend Willingham was known for his messages of faith. He also had a special ministry in praying for the sick. His favorite scripture was Psalm 1, and he loved to quote it along with many other scriptures.
Brother Willingham loved to fellowship with other Christians. A song that was sung about every Saturday night was:"I care not what church you belong to just as long as for Calvary you stand, so tonight if your heart is as my heart you're my brother so give me your hand". Brother Willingham invited other ministers to share the pulpit on Saturday nights as he continued to do throughout his ministry. Several people sang "specials" in each service in those days.
The property for the church was purchased on March 7, 1957 by Guy & Edna Willingham and Chester & Esta Lee Lehmann. It had an old house on it and the inside walls were removed to make one room (approx. 25' X 40'). We had fifty plus in Sunday School many times, our goal has always been to have one hundred in attendance for Sunday School. The closest we have ever come was ninety-six.
The first and only wedding that Brother Willingham performed in the old church was for Thomas & Barbara Charlton (Barbara is Brother Willingham's daughter). We did not have inside plumbing in the old church. We had an old "outhouse". The benches we sat on occasionally left you with splinters and caused runs in the ladies nylons. We had a desert cooler for cooling which many times left you pouring with sweat, but you did not seem to notice because you were there to worship the Lord. It was common for our services to last until 10:00 p.m. and revivals usually no less than two weeks!
A five gallon cool-can was brought in for drinking water. We had an old building moved onto the property to be used for Sunday School rooms. We built the first phase of our new church building in 1961. Members of the church in Westmorland really helped us a lot. Brother John Cowan was the main one to oversee the construction. He told us he could start building at the beginning of one week, and we would be able to have services in it by the next Sunday. That is exactly what happened. We had bare concrete floors, and we used the old benches, but it was really great to have a much nicer building for worship. Brother Cowan also built a new pulpit and pews which we are still using in our church today.
We did not have any partitions in the new building at first. It was one big room - - 30' X 60'. A few years later Brother Harold Perry, put some partitions up for two Sunday School rooms. Two large window air conditioners were used to cool this building. They were pretty loud but much nicer than the desert coolers.
Yes, we still miss Brother Willingham's presence but he left us a great heritage. His son-in-law, Thomas Charlton, was his assistant pastor and was asked by members to step in as pastor at this time. One of the things Brother Willingham wanted to have for the church was a baptistery and about 1985 it was decided to have one put in. Well, the Lord blessed us not only with a baptistery but also with a nice fellowship hall complete with a kitchen, pantry, an office and two more bathrooms. Initially the city told us we did not have enough room to build, but they reconsidered and praise the Lord, it happened.
We are dedicating the baptistery in loving memory of Reverend Guy Willingham on this our 40th anniversary, as a church. The Lord also blessed us with padded pews several years ago and we have also been able to put in central air and heat. In 1995 the Lord blessed us with wall to wall carpeting. Sister Fern O'Neal was very supportive of Brother Charlton as pastor. She was always there with her prays, love and support. She always seemed to know how to help people that were going through hard times and needed encouragement. She had the right book or words to help lift them up. She rarely missed a service even though she had to travel by herself several miles to be with us. She also attended Ladies Prayer Meeting and helped with cleaning the church on Wednesday mornings. She was faithful until the Lord called her to her reward.
A few years later we added on to the church and built another Sunday School room, two bathrooms, a foyer and installed a drinking fountain.
Brother Willingham liked to tell the story about a couple of people looking in the window to see what was going on during testimony service. They couldn't figure out what it was, but they said it looked like each one sure dreaded it when it was their turn. He also liked to tell the story about a man cutting a turtle's head off. He said after the turtle's head was cut off, the turtle just got up on a log and walked off. He said, "Huh! Dead and don't know it!"
Everyone that knew Brother Willingham knew his favorite song was Amazing Grace. That song was sung many times in our services. Brother Willingham was born in to a family that did not have any regard for God and he really understood what the amazing grace of God meant in his life. His mother died when he was only five years old and he was just passed from one relative to another after his dad remarried because his stepmother did not want him. He only had a fourth grade education but he learned to read very well by studying the Bible. He could quote one scripture after another. He never felt like he was a great man but he was a great man to those that knew him and his walk with the Lord. He loved to preach on perfection.
Pastor Thomas Charlton was born in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1935. When he was 18 he enlisted in the United States Navy where he was a sonar operator. In 1956 at the age of 21 he met Sister Barbara Willingham. In 1959 they were married and later he began assisting Brother Willingham with pastoral duties. After the sudden passing of Brother Willingham, and at the request of the Full Gospel Church, Brother Charlton became pastor in 1978.
Pastor Charlton was saved in San Diego at the age of 18 while serving in the U.S. Navy. He first ministered on the U.S.S. Vance as Protestant worship leader.
His favorite scripture is John 10:10 and his favorite song is Pearly White City. The first message he preached under Brother Willingham's ministry was "Am I My Brother's Keeper".
Miss Edna Bacon was born in Clovis, New Mexico in 1920. She married Mr. Rollie Guy Willingham in 1935. They lived in New Mexico for a number of years then relocated to Brawley, California in 1952. She was instrumental in the formation of the "Full Gospel Mission" in 1957 which became the "Full Gospel Church" in 1961.
Sister Edna taught the adult Sunday School class for many years. Through her witnessing, Brother Ray Wright became a Christian and is our current adult Sunday School teacher. She did a lot of visitation for the church. She also cooked a lot of delicious meals for Sunday lunch and visiting evangelists. She took care of many other details such as ordering Sunday School literature, keeping records and other duties. Mrs. Edna Willingham married Reverend Ray Kelly. Sister Kelly continues to be a blessing to many people to this date in her writing of poems and cards.
*************************************
IN LOVING MEMORY: OUR GRANDAD 1910-1978
by Michell (Charlton) Fusi
Written at age 13 in 1978
He as very kind and loving
A very gentle man
To everyone a blessing
A good race, for Christ, he ran
He was full of patience
He never spoke in anger
He quoted from Genesis to Revelations
So dearly, he loved the baby in the manger
HE deserved to be in history books
He was a great man
He loved everyone, no matter what their looks
He said, "Never quit, if you try, you can"
He thought he was only a county preacher
He didn't think he fit into a crowd
He was a soul reacher
And to have been his relative, I am proud
We are sorry to lose him
He was such a joyful man
Some people won't the to see him again
But if you make to heave, you can
***********************************************
I FOUND IT
A testimonial of
Rollie Guy Willingham
I found it!
What did you find?
I found Jesus as my
personal savior.
I found it!
What did you find?
I found love, mercy
and grace.
I found it!
What did you find?
I found, joy and peace
and happiness in Jesus Christ.
I found it!
What did you find?
A brand new life.
Excitement and gladness
and peace.... "which
passeth all understanding..."
in Jesus Christ.
Philippians 4:7
*****************
By Charles Willingham, son of Rollie Guy Willingham:
Pastor Guy Willingham had a Pastor, Evangelist, Mentor and a Great Friend by the name of Guy Shields. He was several years older than my Dad and Dad had great respect for him. They both built churches from the ground up. Both were named Guy and they had great admiration for each other.
Guy Shields died preaching in the pulpit. Guy Willingham told his children that he thought if you had to die that would be the way to go and if given a choice that is how he would like to die also.
Several years later in the Sunday evening service he read his text for his sermon started to preach and dropped dead. God granted him his desire in the way and the place he would die.
******************
Wife: Edna Willingham
Father: Thomas Wakefield Willingham
Mother: Nancy A. Willingham
Uncle: Dallas Polk Willingham
Brother: Leon "Hoss"
Brother: Sam Willingham
Brother: Austin Alvin Willingham
Brother: John Booker Willingham
Granddaughter: Carylon Joyce Stidham Rouhotas
Grandfather:Lycurgus Willingham
Grandmother: Missouri Louise Williams Willingham
Wife of Cousin
John Booker "J.B.": Gladys N. Willingham
Wife of Brother Leon "Hoss": Thelma H. Willingham
40 YEARS - FULL GOSPEL CHURCH
Reverend Guy Willingham (in his later years Guy Willingham did not want to be refereed by Reverend but by Pastor, he found in the Bible where it said no one is Reverend except the Lord. Told to me by Charles Willingham, his son.) was born in 1910 in Oklahoma.
He pastored a Full Gospel Mission in Portales, New
Mexico then moved to Brawley, California in 1952. Following God's leading he began his Brawley ministry at his home in approximately 1955. The church started having Saturday night services in the home of brother and sister Willingham.
When the weather was nice services were held outside in their yard, the rest of the time they were held inside
the house.People used to come form all over the valley to attend these services.
In 1957 he purchased the property at 1465 Jones Street. It had a small house which was converted into a church and the "Full Gospel Mission" was born. In 1961 the small church was torn down and the sanctuary of the "Full Gospel Church" was built.Reverend Willingham was known for his messages of faith. He also had a special ministry in praying for the sick. His favorite scripture was Psalm 1, and he loved to quote it along with many other scriptures.
Brother Willingham loved to fellowship with other Christians. A song that was sung about every Saturday night was:"I care not what church you belong to just as long as for Calvary you stand, so tonight if your heart is as my heart you're my brother so give me your hand". Brother Willingham invited other ministers to share the pulpit on Saturday nights as he continued to do throughout his ministry. Several people sang "specials" in each service in those days.
The property for the church was purchased on March 7, 1957 by Guy & Edna Willingham and Chester & Esta Lee Lehmann. It had an old house on it and the inside walls were removed to make one room (approx. 25' X 40'). We had fifty plus in Sunday School many times, our goal has always been to have one hundred in attendance for Sunday School. The closest we have ever come was ninety-six.
The first and only wedding that Brother Willingham performed in the old church was for Thomas & Barbara Charlton (Barbara is Brother Willingham's daughter). We did not have inside plumbing in the old church. We had an old "outhouse". The benches we sat on occasionally left you with splinters and caused runs in the ladies nylons. We had a desert cooler for cooling which many times left you pouring with sweat, but you did not seem to notice because you were there to worship the Lord. It was common for our services to last until 10:00 p.m. and revivals usually no less than two weeks!
A five gallon cool-can was brought in for drinking water. We had an old building moved onto the property to be used for Sunday School rooms. We built the first phase of our new church building in 1961. Members of the church in Westmorland really helped us a lot. Brother John Cowan was the main one to oversee the construction. He told us he could start building at the beginning of one week, and we would be able to have services in it by the next Sunday. That is exactly what happened. We had bare concrete floors, and we used the old benches, but it was really great to have a much nicer building for worship. Brother Cowan also built a new pulpit and pews which we are still using in our church today.
We did not have any partitions in the new building at first. It was one big room - - 30' X 60'. A few years later Brother Harold Perry, put some partitions up for two Sunday School rooms. Two large window air conditioners were used to cool this building. They were pretty loud but much nicer than the desert coolers.
Yes, we still miss Brother Willingham's presence but he left us a great heritage. His son-in-law, Thomas Charlton, was his assistant pastor and was asked by members to step in as pastor at this time. One of the things Brother Willingham wanted to have for the church was a baptistery and about 1985 it was decided to have one put in. Well, the Lord blessed us not only with a baptistery but also with a nice fellowship hall complete with a kitchen, pantry, an office and two more bathrooms. Initially the city told us we did not have enough room to build, but they reconsidered and praise the Lord, it happened.
We are dedicating the baptistery in loving memory of Reverend Guy Willingham on this our 40th anniversary, as a church. The Lord also blessed us with padded pews several years ago and we have also been able to put in central air and heat. In 1995 the Lord blessed us with wall to wall carpeting. Sister Fern O'Neal was very supportive of Brother Charlton as pastor. She was always there with her prays, love and support. She always seemed to know how to help people that were going through hard times and needed encouragement. She had the right book or words to help lift them up. She rarely missed a service even though she had to travel by herself several miles to be with us. She also attended Ladies Prayer Meeting and helped with cleaning the church on Wednesday mornings. She was faithful until the Lord called her to her reward.
A few years later we added on to the church and built another Sunday School room, two bathrooms, a foyer and installed a drinking fountain.
Brother Willingham liked to tell the story about a couple of people looking in the window to see what was going on during testimony service. They couldn't figure out what it was, but they said it looked like each one sure dreaded it when it was their turn. He also liked to tell the story about a man cutting a turtle's head off. He said after the turtle's head was cut off, the turtle just got up on a log and walked off. He said, "Huh! Dead and don't know it!"
Everyone that knew Brother Willingham knew his favorite song was Amazing Grace. That song was sung many times in our services. Brother Willingham was born in to a family that did not have any regard for God and he really understood what the amazing grace of God meant in his life. His mother died when he was only five years old and he was just passed from one relative to another after his dad remarried because his stepmother did not want him. He only had a fourth grade education but he learned to read very well by studying the Bible. He could quote one scripture after another. He never felt like he was a great man but he was a great man to those that knew him and his walk with the Lord. He loved to preach on perfection.
Pastor Thomas Charlton was born in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1935. When he was 18 he enlisted in the United States Navy where he was a sonar operator. In 1956 at the age of 21 he met Sister Barbara Willingham. In 1959 they were married and later he began assisting Brother Willingham with pastoral duties. After the sudden passing of Brother Willingham, and at the request of the Full Gospel Church, Brother Charlton became pastor in 1978.
Pastor Charlton was saved in San Diego at the age of 18 while serving in the U.S. Navy. He first ministered on the U.S.S. Vance as Protestant worship leader.
His favorite scripture is John 10:10 and his favorite song is Pearly White City. The first message he preached under Brother Willingham's ministry was "Am I My Brother's Keeper".
Miss Edna Bacon was born in Clovis, New Mexico in 1920. She married Mr. Rollie Guy Willingham in 1935. They lived in New Mexico for a number of years then relocated to Brawley, California in 1952. She was instrumental in the formation of the "Full Gospel Mission" in 1957 which became the "Full Gospel Church" in 1961.
Sister Edna taught the adult Sunday School class for many years. Through her witnessing, Brother Ray Wright became a Christian and is our current adult Sunday School teacher. She did a lot of visitation for the church. She also cooked a lot of delicious meals for Sunday lunch and visiting evangelists. She took care of many other details such as ordering Sunday School literature, keeping records and other duties. Mrs. Edna Willingham married Reverend Ray Kelly. Sister Kelly continues to be a blessing to many people to this date in her writing of poems and cards.
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IN LOVING MEMORY: OUR GRANDAD 1910-1978
by Michell (Charlton) Fusi
Written at age 13 in 1978
He as very kind and loving
A very gentle man
To everyone a blessing
A good race, for Christ, he ran
He was full of patience
He never spoke in anger
He quoted from Genesis to Revelations
So dearly, he loved the baby in the manger
HE deserved to be in history books
He was a great man
He loved everyone, no matter what their looks
He said, "Never quit, if you try, you can"
He thought he was only a county preacher
He didn't think he fit into a crowd
He was a soul reacher
And to have been his relative, I am proud
We are sorry to lose him
He was such a joyful man
Some people won't the to see him again
But if you make to heave, you can
***********************************************
I FOUND IT
A testimonial of
Rollie Guy Willingham
I found it!
What did you find?
I found Jesus as my
personal savior.
I found it!
What did you find?
I found love, mercy
and grace.
I found it!
What did you find?
I found, joy and peace
and happiness in Jesus Christ.
I found it!
What did you find?
A brand new life.
Excitement and gladness
and peace.... "which
passeth all understanding..."
in Jesus Christ.
Philippians 4:7
*****************
By Charles Willingham, son of Rollie Guy Willingham:
Pastor Guy Willingham had a Pastor, Evangelist, Mentor and a Great Friend by the name of Guy Shields. He was several years older than my Dad and Dad had great respect for him. They both built churches from the ground up. Both were named Guy and they had great admiration for each other.
Guy Shields died preaching in the pulpit. Guy Willingham told his children that he thought if you had to die that would be the way to go and if given a choice that is how he would like to die also.
Several years later in the Sunday evening service he read his text for his sermon started to preach and dropped dead. God granted him his desire in the way and the place he would die.
******************
Wife: Edna Willingham
Father: Thomas Wakefield Willingham
Mother: Nancy A. Willingham
Uncle: Dallas Polk Willingham
Brother: Leon "Hoss"
Brother: Sam Willingham
Brother: Austin Alvin Willingham
Brother: John Booker Willingham
Granddaughter: Carylon Joyce Stidham Rouhotas
Grandfather:Lycurgus Willingham
Grandmother: Missouri Louise Williams Willingham
Wife of Cousin
John Booker "J.B.": Gladys N. Willingham
Wife of Brother Leon "Hoss": Thelma H. Willingham
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
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