photo by Denny Patterson
Granite City’s First Assembly of God’s co-lead pastors Stacey Wilson and Rich Smallie
This year marks a milestone for Granite City’s First Assembly of God.
The church at 2317 Madison Ave. is celebrating 100 years of serving the Granite City community. It’s one of the longest-running churches in town.
“This is the 100-year anniversary of our charter with the Assemblies of God,” Co-Lead Pastor Stacey Wilson said. “We celebrated on June 9 with a celebration service and dinner, but we will continue to celebrate and talk about it because it’s a big deal. What this church has done for the people and the community is a big deal.”
Granite City’s First Assembly of God was officially chartered in 1919 under the leadership of Rev. Carl O’Guin. Since then, the church has made a positive impact, Co-Lead Pastor Rich Smallie said.
“Our church has resulted in several other Assemblies of God churches to be spawned,” he said. “As a whole, Assemblies of God is a missionary organization. All the churches are connected, and we have missionaries all over the globe. Granite City’s greatest impact, which is a priority for us, is teaching and training other ministers. Hundred of ministers and missionaries have come from our church. One of the pastors of Granite City’s church was the national leader for the Assemblies of God for quite some time. He pastored here for two and a half years, T.F. Zimmerman. We have also had regional leaders come out of this church who went on to be district superintendents overseeing all the church in Illinois.”
Wilson and Smallie started co-pastoring in December 2018. Their biggest goal for the church is to maintain a strong relationship with the Granite City community.
“We want community impact to continue,” Wilson said. “We are involved with volunteering at Prather Elementary School. We serve the teacher lunches during half days, and we have people who go and volunteer before school to help the little ones. Also, twice a week during the school year, we offer homework help. So, we have retired teachers and other church volunteers do tutoring sessions.
“Our relationship with the community means a lot to us,” Smallie added.
“Ultimately, our goal is to be the hands and feet of Jesus and show people the extension of his love,” Wilson concluded.
Ken Spalding of Granite City, born in 1939, has attended Granite City’s First Assembly of God since he was a toddler.
“My father and mother were instrumental to the church,” he said. “My father served on the board during his time here and my mother taught Sunday school. So, I have been coming here all my life. I have a biological family and a church family. My church family, they are my support. This is my support team. They and the Lord are the ones that keep me going.”
Both Spalding and Smallie say a team attitude and dedication are reasons for the church’s success.
“People are dedicated,” Smallie said. “It’s not just my church, or his church, or her church, it’s our church. It’s about building a team and willing to commit to the mission of God. Our mission is to reach people with the gospel, and we are dedicated to that call. That helps a church stand the test of time. If you lose your focus on what you are here for, we will crumble. For years, our mission is loving God and loving people. We want the community to have the same opportunity to love God as we do.”
“We want people to really know the Lord and have the Lord in their soul and mind,” Spalding added.
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(From left) Granite City’s First Assembly of God’s Co-Lead Pastor Rich Smallie, congregation member Ken Spalding, Associate Pastor/Senior Adult Minister Byron Wampler and Co-Lead Pastor Stacey Wilson