When The Church of the Living God, Full Gospel Ministries was initially established in Hyattsville, MD, many of its members were Virginia residents. These faithful members who regularly traveled many miles to Maryland found within themselves a growing need to establish a branch in Virginia. To begin with, a prayer cell group was established in Woodbridge, VA and the group met at the residence of a former deacon, Philip Frempong. Nevertheless, the attempt to organize an affiliated branch in Virginia was not realized until 1996.
In 1995, a Virginian pastor, Rev. Kwame Frempong began a prayer cell group in Alexandria in the house of Deacon Amos Toe. This particular cell group included some members of The Church the Living God. The prayer group later became a church called Rhema Bible Church and upon the recommendation of the Church of the Living God’s members who were part of the initial prayer group, the young church was accepted as a part of The Church of the Living God Full Gospel Ministries. Hence, on June 22, 1996, this branch was established as The Church of the Living God, Alexandria.
The new church began worshipping at the Howard Johnson Hotel on Rt. 1 in Alexandria, VA. At its inaugural service, eight members from the Hyattsville branch transferred to the new church and Rev. Kwame Frempong served as the church’s pastor within that year. In 1997, Rev. Kwasi Obeng Gyimah, who was then serving as Associate Pastor of the Hyattsville branch, was then appointed to serve as the full-time pastor of the Alexandria branch. In 1999, the church relocated from Van Dorn Street to the ABC auditorium and then at Minnie Howard School. It then relocated from there and found a home at 6632 Electronic Drive, Springfield, VA. in February 2000.
After securing the various rental spaces mentioned above, the Lord saw it fit to bless the church with its own sanctuary in October 2004 at Little Ox Road in Fairfax, Virginia. The two-level sanctuary holds about 350 people, has about 8 classrooms, an adjoining sanctuary which holds 40 people, and a parsonage. The purchase of this property prompted a renaming of the ministry. Thus, our new name is The Church of the Living God Full Gospel Ministries of Northern Virginia.
Presently, the church comprises significant auxiliary groups such as the Men’s Fellowship, Women’s Fellowship, Youth Group, Ladies of Virtue, Children’s Ministry, Usher Board, Credit Union Committee, a formidable Choir, Visitation Committee, and Prayer Warriors. To date, we have more than doubled our size with a total adult membership of 120, 30 youth, 20 teens, 30 primaries, 28 toddlers with an average monthly attendance of our various services now standing quite over 960 people.
In addition, within the Adult group, our Men’s Fellowship has a membership of over 50, while the Women’s Fellowship stands at about 70. Both Men’s and Women’s Fellowship attend retreats twice a year in search of a closer relationship with the Lord. The Youth group as well participates in a 4-day retreat each July. The Visitation Group has been very effective, working behind the scenes with the following up of converts. Regular Bible Studies and Prayer meetings are held every Tuesday and Thursday respectively, Intercessory prayer is held at noon on Wednesdays and an all-night prayer takes place the last Friday of each month.
Under the humble yet able stewardship of our pastor, the church has reached various milestones. In addition to the purchasing of our present worship place, in 2002, the church established its official organ: Greater Works Banner: a Magazine of the Church of the Living God, Alexandria. The church has received approval to establish its own credit union. The ministry has further established additional committees to serve its new and promising phase. They are Public Relations, Social Activities, Finance, Food Service, Building and Maintenance, Healthcare, Worship, Church Fleet, Greeters, Parking Lot, Follow Up, and Development committees.
Mindful of its foundation as a cell group, the Northern Virginia church continues to honor the significance of cells as it has established cell groups in the various major areas where its members reside. Cell groups meet the third Sunday night of each month to break bread and fellowship with one another. It is now a practice that individual cell groups are granted the opportunity to conduct a congregational Sunday evening service so that they may illustrate their growth and the Lord’s work in their lives.
This is our history thus far. We pray that you are encouraged by it and that you take time to visit one of our services. May the Lord richly bless you.