1952 -
PRESENT
The Legacy
Begins
In 1946, Superintendent and Mother
Wood moved to Augusta, GA and joined Mason Chapel COGIC. While
at Mason Chapel, Superintendent Wood served as assistant pastor to
Bishop R. D. Fields, during his time of illness.
Superintendent Wood served faithfully and diligently under the
leadership of Bishop Fields until 1952 when the Lord led
Superintendent and Mother Wood to start Bible services in their home
at 1128 Davis Street. In 1953, as their membership began to
grow, they moved to Lewis Street Hall for approximately a year,
then to Goodwill COGIC, located on Florence Street. In
the latter 1960s, it was becoming difficult for Superintendent Wood
to establish a permanent place of worship, so he decided to
fellowship with Sister Hart at the House of the Lord
Pentecostal Church, on 10th Street. During Bible
study one evening, at House of the Lord, a visiting Prophetess,
Mother Jackson, shared a vision the Lord had given her for
Superintendent Wood. She said that God was going to
bless Elder Wood with a church that would become one of
the biggest COGIC in the area and because the members were always
friendly and loving, God gave her the name "Friendly" for the church
to be named. Mother Jackson wrote the name Friendly on a sign
and gave it to Superintendent Wood to confirm her prophesy from God
to name his church "Friendly COGIC".
The Church on Gomers
Lane
Mother Anna Glenn found a house on
Gomers Lane which Superintendent Wood purchased and converted to a
church that was officially named Friendly COGIC. Amongst the
founding members of Friendly were: Mother Anna Glenn and son, Mother
Callie Fryer, Mother Ablisha White, Deacon and Sister Mark Walden
and family, Mother Fannie Thompson, Sister Georgene Middleton,
Sister Johnnie Mae Brown, Sister Deavidene Mays, Deacon Charlie
Smith, Sister Bertha Fitts, Brother and Sister Cobb, Deacon Wilson
DAntignac, Elder Glenn, Mother Martha Walker, Sister Elizabeth
Walker, Sister Matilda Walker and family. The fruition of this
group has yielded Bishop Mark Walden, the bishop of N. GA II
Jurisdiction and Supervisor Bertha Fitts, the State Supervisor of
the Women's Department of Northern GA II Jurisdiction.
1123 Carrie
Street
The membership at Gomers Lane
continued to grow and in 1965, Superintendent Wood purchased the
Unity Baptist Church, from Elder Tanksley, at 1123 Carrie
Street. While at 1123 Carrie Street, Friendly's membership
grew to be approximately 200 members. For years, Friendly
COGIC was the main place that saints new to the Augusta area came to
worship. Friendly became a Godly haven for military families,
college students, and other professionals who, for whatever reasons,
moved to Augusta, GA. Superintendent Wood graciously welcomed
all visitors with his kindhearted spirit. Though the church
was a humble building, God's blessing was upon the church and those
who worshipped there.
1115 Carrie
Street
In Sept. of 1979, 0.46 acres of
property, located next to Friendly, at 1115 Carrie Street was
purchased. In the following year of 1980, Elder Leroy James was
appointed assistant pastor as he worked faithfully to assist
Superintendent Wood in his legacy. On July 4, 1982, Bishop
Howard Dell dedicated the new Friendly COGIC at 1115 Carrie Street,
which had a seating capacity of 450-500, baptismal pool, Pastor's
study, church office, and other modern facilities. Elder Leroy
James was appointed Pastor of Friendly in 1984 after Superintendent
Wood was called from labor to reward. Friendly added on an
educational wing in 1992 which included classrooms, lounges,
kitchen, offices and a fellowship hall dedicated the C. W. Wood
Fellowship Hall.
The Legacy
Continues
Today, Friendly COGIC is alive and
well with a congregation that loves God. This year
marks twenty years that Superintendent Leroy James has served
this community as pastor of Friendly COGIC. Twenty years
of vision, progress and conquests of both the natural and spiritual
obstacles. Both Pastor James and Friendly realize that
progress could not have been made without "Unity" among the Friendly
Family. It is the "Power of Oneness" that has brought to
fruition a Soup Kitchen, numerous Outreach Ministries and TV/Radio
Ministries.
Under the leadership of Superintendent
James, God has indeed enlarged Friendly's coast as numerous area
properties were purchased in 1999, thereby developing the "Friendly
Block". Like Superintendent Wood, God also sent a messenger to
Superintendent James with a vision that Friendly would not be
parking at 1115 Carrie Street to grow but would be moving to higher
ground. In April of 2001, Friendly laid claim on 26.43 acres
of new land on Dyess Parkway, and the vision continues to
flourish.
The legacy of Friendly COGIC and its
founder, Superintendent Cleveland William Wood, Sr., is simply
profound! Superintendent Wood preached a gospel which was
simple, yet profound; kind, yet powerful; tight, but right.
His legacy will live on through Bishops, Pastors, State Supervisors,
Missionaries and the many saints who accepted Christ at Friendly
COGIC.
