Our church was born at a prayer meeting on January 2, 1991, with 16 people in attendance. Our first pastor was Rev. Charles A. Epperson.
The first service was held the next Sunday, January 6, 1991 at the Winter Park Seventh Day Adventist Church, with 39 present.
In February of 1991 we moved to the chapel of the Baldwin Fairchild Funeral Home on Lake Ivanhoe, in Orlando, Florida. We met there for almost 2 years expense free.
On Sunday, November 8, 1992, we began meeting at 1820 East End Avenue in Winter Park, after buying the property from Rev. Carroll Blakeslee and the Edgewood Congregational Church. We paid cash for the property, having accumulated enough funds in the two-year period at the funeral home. We officially organized as an autonomous church affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance on Sunday, February 3, 1993. Rev. Charles Epperson was the founding pastor. The name Maranatha Fellowship Church was chosen by Jonathan Whitlock, a charter member.
Rev. Epperson served as pastor until his death in June, 1996. Rev. Grady Mangham served as our interim pastor after the death of Rev. Epperson. Rev. Curtis L. Pace became our second pastor on Sunday, December 8, 1996. After Rev. Pace left in 2000, Rev. William Austin served as interim pastor until he was called as the full-time pastor of Maranatha in August, 2001. After his retirement in 2008, Rev. Barry Peterson was called to be our pastor in June of the same year.
Church Site and Building
Our church building located at 1820 East End Avenue was originally built in 1956. Under the leadership of Rev. Carroll Blakeslee, the people began construction on the church, which was first named Faith Chapel, in 1953 and completed the work three years later. What began then as a leap of faith, has touched the lives of multiple generations.
At that time it was the only church in the immediate area, serving the new community just north of Corrine Drive. There were very few businesses nearby, but there was a growing collection of small residences. In those early days, the church would have seemed to be located near the end of civilization in metropolitan Orlando. But the Lord had strategically arranged for them to be there to fulfill His purposes in the developing neighborhood.
For many years, the church was only a few blocks from an important military base. During the 40′s and 50′s, the Orlando Air Force Base operated a tactical missile training facility at the corner of Corrine Drive and Bennett Road. In 1968, that base would become the Orlando Naval Training Center which trained thousands of Navy service men and women until it closed in 1995. The Baldwin Park community now occupies the land where the base once belonged.
As you can see from our more recent pictures, several improvements have been made on the original church building. Although the original structure still stands, a steeple was added to enhance its overall appearance. In addition, we’ve completed a number of internal renovations to create more functional space. However, the church edifice remains a landmark of our community’s history.
Throughout all these years, the church has been preserved as a sanctuary of hope and as a tribute to the Lord’s faithfulness. It stands as a steady reminder of God’s grace, and it will continue to be used for His glory as long as His providence sustains us.