Spirit Filled Ministries
CHURCH HISTORY
It was a typical, but cloudy summer Saturday. Woman 2 Woman, the women’s fellowship ministry, began by Evangelist Thomasyne Faulkner, was in session. We met at the Salvation Army every 1st Saturday at 10:00am for two hours. As we neared the meeting’s closing Sister Charlotte Johnson asked if there were any burning testimonies.
Pastor Veda Foson who was sitting near the back or the room stood up and began talking. As she talked, she walked to the front of the room. She began praying for and anointing the women in attendance. Pastor Foson then began to speak into the life of Evangelist Faulkner. She told her she was not walking in her calling. She said the Lord had called the Evangelist to be a Pastor. After hearing these works Evangelist Faulkner fell to the floor under the anointing of the Holy Ghost.
The Evangelist laid on the floor meditating on the words that had been spoken to her and Pastor Foson continued to pray for and anoint the remaining women in the room. The anointing was very heavy and the Lord’s presence was evident as Evangelist Faulkner tried to regain her footing. She had fallen an additional two times before she was able to remain standing.
The prayer was intense and as usual when God is in the building there will be some who don’t want to leave. We had gone over the time allotted for our room’s reservation so we moved all lingering members outside.
As we retired to the parking lot there remained seven (7) ladies. One of which was Pastor Thresia Williams, a guest of Sister Emily Davis, who was a very close friend of Evangelist Faulkner. Sister Davis said that there was a great urge in her spirit to make sure that her guest was in attendance at this fellowship. There was also still present Sister Charlotte Johnson, Sister Rhonda Edwards, Sister Lois Cowan, and me, Cheryl Sutton.
As we seven (7) stood in the parking lot preparing to leave, Pastor Williams began to prophesy to Evangelist Faulkner. She told her the reason she had to come to the meeting was to tell her what she should be doing. Pastor Williams said she had had something else in mind to do that day, but that God had wanted her at the Salvation Army to confirm to Evangelist Faulkner what was indeed her calling.
None of this was foreign to Evangelist Faulkner, because she knew God had called her to be a Pastor. She fathomed in her mind, “What might others think or say?” She had been running from this very call. But she wasn’t happy where she was currently and she was not being used in her full spiritual capacity.
As all this was taking place, we noticed that the clouds that had foreshadowed the morning began to fade away and the SUN came out. It shown brightly and we had service again, but this time in the parking lot. Pastor Williams anointed Evangelist Faulkner and then asked her what was going to be the name of her church. She said emphatically and without missing a beat, “SPIRIT FILLED MINISTRIES”.
Pastor Williams extended her hospitality and offered to allow Spirit Filled Ministries to hold services at her church until we located one. She told me that I was to be the writer and to keep the history. I said, “So much has happened, I can’t remember it all.” She said, “The Holy Spirit will bring it back to your remembrance.”
Meanwhile there was another group holding also service at the Salvation Army. As they exited the building the Pastor; Pastor Grimmit came over to us. He said that God had told him something was going on in the parking lot. We eagerly explained to him what had just happened and how Evangelist Thomasyne Faulkner had just accepted her calling to be Pastor Thomasyne Faulkner.
And the testimony stands of how seven women on the seventh day of the seventh month were praising God. Enlightened with this information Pastor Grimmit informed us that his coming out and joining us made the number present, eight. Seven is God’s number for completion but eight is God’s number for a new beginning. Pastor Grimmit also anointed Evangelist Faulkner and prayed with us.
As the group departed, Sister Emily Davis and her guest, Pastor Thresia Williams left. The rest of us went to the home of Sister Charlotte Johnson. We just had to talk about what had just happened. We decided that we would all go and visit Pastor Williams’ church the next day, which was Sunday.
The next morning we met outside of Pastor Thresia Williams’ church. Joining us was Sister Carlyce Johnson, Sister Renata Bryant, Sister Cheree Pullem, Brother Desmon Bryant, Brother Brian Petty, and Reshawn Bryant. Pastor Williams was surprised and very happy to see us. She shared the parking lot experience with her congregation.
We convened the following Thursday to prepare our Vision and Mission Statements. We determined that we would hold our services in the basement of Evangelist Faulkner’s home until we could find a church of our own.
Approximately one week later sister Renata Bryant informed Evangelist Faulkner of a place she had seen for rent on Plymouth Road. Being the leader that she is, Evangelist Faulkner said the decision was not hers to make alone. She viewed the building and sent some of the other members to view it as well.
We determined that it would be a nice place to start. We knew it would not be our permanent home. We believed the Lord would make a way and we voted to assume rental of the building. God blessed us and with tithes and offering we paid for the first and last month’s rent, purchased carpeting, tile, blinds, office supplies, and a sound system. God gave us favor with Target Stores and they donated enough chairs to fill our sanctuary. Lewis Johnson Jr. donated an air conditioner and Cheryl Sutton donated a refrigerator.
On Sunday, July 22, 2001 we had our first service in the basement of Evangelist Faulkner. On Sunday, July 29, 2001, the members of Spirit Filled Ministries traveled to Jackson, Michigan for the Ordination Service of Pastor Thomasyne Petty Faulkner by Pastor Gwendolyn Johnson of Monument of Faith Christian Worship Center, C.O.G.I.C. On Sunday August 5, 2001 we celebrated our 1st service and Communion in our new church at 22721 Plymouth Road, Detroit, Michigan.
Since that day we have been a very busy church. We have had many family get togethers, and the Woman 2 Woman continues to meet on the 1st Saturday of the month. We thank God for our Pastor and for her vision and dream manifestation. She is a great teacher and leader. We’ve grown since that day in the parking lot. We have the love and support of many pastors, prophets, and churches.
