History
It all started when…
After various attempts by several individuals to start a Pentecostal church in Arthur, Mrs. Lucille Sparks began holding services in her home in 1947. Mrs. Sparks was a minister licensed by the United Pentecostal Church with its headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri.
On July 4th, 1947, she moved the home services to East Illinois Street in Arthur, Illinois, thus founding the United Pentecostal Church of Arthur. God blessed, and many people came to God in the 24 years she led the church. The church was brought into Section Seven of the Illinois District of the UPCI. Poor health forced Rev. Sparks to retire from active pastorate.
Rev. Gawain Bevis became the new pastor on August 25, 1971. He was a graduate of the Apostolic Bible Institute in St. Paul, Minnesota. His wife became a teacher at Arthur Elementary School.
As the church grew, they bought a small house behind the church and renovated it for an Education Building to hold classes and Children’s Church. A bus ministry brought in many children and teens. Church was full of excitement. Skits, dramas, contests, and other exciting events kept people coming from all over town. But the most important part of all was that God’s power moved in the church services. Eventually the church and education annex became too small for the growing congregation.
Around 1987, the church bought land and began to build a new fellowship hall at the end of Surrey Lane. It was used for wedding receptions, showers, banquets, and all kinds of other events. Still, there was a desperate need for more sanctuary seating. In 1997, the church began to build a new sanctuary with classrooms and offices next to the fellowship hall.
In February of 1998, the new building was dedicated and renamed First Apostolic Church of Arthur (UPCI). The congregation had worked hard to have this beautiful place to worship and welcome others to come.
In June of 2017, the First Apostolic Church celebrated 70 years as a lighthouse of God’s word and truth. Rev. Gawain Bevis retired from a 44 year pastorate in Arthur on December 31, 2017. After a 3 month sabbatical, Rev. Bevis returned as Pastor Emeritus.