Our Church History
Our Beginning
It was nearing the end of 1950 when Marvin Mahathy began hosting service meetings on his front porch for those that could not travel the distance to other local churches. Clarence Darrow Cauley of Pascagoula was the minister during these services. The group soon grew from a few to a group too large for the porch, so the services were then held under several trees in his yard. The group continued to grow and in 1952, an army medical tent was purchased and erected so that services could be held within a covered area.
In 1953, the need for a structural building was agreed upon and the purchasing of materials was started. Marvin Mahathy donated the land for which the church was to be built. The church was first named Forts Lake Pentecostal Holiness Church.
In 1954, a meeting was held to join the Assemblies of God denomination and in 1957 an official letter was received from the Assemblies of God General Council recognizing the church as one of the local assemblies in cooperative fellowship. The church name was then changed to Forts Lake Assembly of God.
The First Structures
Between the years of 1953 and 1957, the church structure (70’x37’) was completed, an upright piano was purchased, pews were ordered (replacing the hand-built ones), and a Sunday School area (8’x8’x16’) was added. The church continued to grow.
In 1959, a parsonage was constructed aside the church to house the pastor (C.D. Cauley) and family and became occupied in July of that year. Between the years of 1962 and 1976, a Hammond organ was purchased and donated to the church, a larger sanctuary was constructed to accommodate the increasing numbers, and the old sanctuary was converted into additional Sunday School rooms.
Outreach Ministries
Forts Lake Assembly of God began conducting Annual Camp Meetings on the church grounds beginning in 1977 and Kenny Morris conducted the first meeting. These meetings were held under a large tent until 1981 when an open-air tabernacle was built. This decision was made following previous years’ storms blowing the tent down. In 1978, a fellowship was built to host events, dinners, and other uses not held in the church.
In 1985, discussions were underway to pursue a vision of Pastor C. D. Cauley to start a youth camp. After agreeing to do so, and in 1986, the first Forts Lake Youth Camp was held for teens ages 12 – 18 years. In 1987, a Kids’ Camp was started as a mission to children ages 9-11 years. These camps have grown annually and eventually the Youth Camp was divided into two groups – ages 10-14 years (Junior Youth Camp) and ages 15-19 years (Senior Youth Camp) – to safely accommodate the growing number of participants. Lowering the age for the Junior Youth Camp consumed the Kids’ Camp participants, thus combining these two summer camps into one.
Passing of Leadership
In August of 1990, Pastor C. D. Cauley retired after nearly 40 years of pastoring and leadership was then transferred to his son, Pastor Timothy Cauley, by an overwhelming majority who continues to pastor today. Under the leadership of now Pastor Timothy Cauley, the Tabernacle has been enclosed (1991), a three-section dormitory was constructed (1991), the church was refurbished (1991), the parsonage was refurbished (1999), additional dormitory sections were added to the existing dormitory (2001), and the old Fellowship Hall was torn down and a new, larger Family Life Center was constructed consisting of a kitchen, dining area and stage, gym, youth room, and evangelistic quarters (2003-2004).