History

While attending a ministers' conference at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Rev. William H. Butler answered the call of God in February, 1982 to establish a non-denominational church for all people in the City of Paterson, NJ. 

Grace Gospel Church was founded the 1st Sunday in May, 1982.  Like most churches, we faced many trials and disappointments. 

The original members to join the church included: 

Yvoma Butler  

Michael Butler

Hope Caldwell & The Newark Saints

Willa Mae Hayer & Family

Phyllis M. Jackson & Family

Timothy Alexander & Family

Dennis DuBois

The first service took place at the YMCA in Paterson, and we continued worshipping there for 2 months, paying a weekly rent of $50 for one hour of worship time. 

From the YMCA, Grace Gospel Church moved to a firehouse on the corner of 17th Ave. & East 26th St., and remained there for 4 months.  We had hoped that somehow we would be able to purchase that building.  This two-story building with its spacious rooms was ideal for Sunday School and Bible classes, and it seemed to re-assure all of us that this was the place we would call home.  The creation of a section for the choir behind the pulpit and the donation of a rug to cover the fire engine tracks in the center of the floor of the sanctuary just added to our feeling of permanency.  The Lord added members and talents such as were needed. 

We remained in that building for 4 months.  Since the City owned the property, it was rent-free until it came up for auction.  When the property did go up for auction, we were outbid by a Seventh Day Adventist Church which was financially well-supported by their state headquarters.  They bid $70,000 for the property. 

We were told by them on Saturday that we would have to be out of the building by the following Tuesday.  With God's guidance, we were out by Monday, and we've never missed a worship service since we began.  The saints wept as we left this building we had named and claimed to be ours.  Again we were without a church "home". 

Sister Yvoma Butler was reading a newspaper and found in the real estate section a factory at 40 Pearl St. that was available for purchase; and so we came. 

We wept again when we first saw what was to be our new home.  It was such an undesirable sight then.  It was unsightly and appeared to have been abandoned even by the community.  How would we ever bring life to this building?  The steel machines were still fixed in the ceiling; and the floor was rotting in sections. 

We rolled up our sleeves and the clean-up of the factory began.  The building gradually took on (I can't say new) another look.  Our first worship service took place on the 2nd Sunday in September, 1982.