THE Grace Temple Assemblies of God Church in New Amsterdam last week officially commenced celebrating 50 years of Pentecostal service in the Ancient County with a parade through the main thoroughfare of New Amsterdam, which began in the vicinity of the State House at the junction of Vryheid Street and Esplanade Road and ended at the church’s two-storey edifice in Pope Street.

Despite the rainfall, scores of colourfully dressed members sporting specially designed tee shirts marched to the beat of the New Amsterdam Boys Brigade under various categories of the church’s organisational structure; and current pastor, Rev Doreen Henry, took the salute at Main and Pope Streets, a stone’s throw from where the church is located.
Present in the parade was the church’s longest serving pastor, Reverend Bishop Calvin Marshall, who had shepherded the flock for twenty-two years.
Another clergyman, Reverend Dr. Errol Bhola and Mrs Claudette Bhola, were also among the enthusiastic marchers. In 1963, the Bholas answered the call to preach the Gospel in New Amsterdam, braving the famous 80-day industrial strike that had then gripped Guyana. During their six-year stint, they were instrumental in purchasing the land, and had constructed the first part of the church building.
Other pastors who served at one of the fastest growing churches is Guyana were Reverends Lybron Cumberbatch, Alexander, David Guenther, Bisnauth and the late Burton Ross.
In 1963, the religious body previously referred to as “the clap hand church” and the Guiana Pentecostal Fellowship of New Amsterdam came under the umbrella of the Assemblies of God [AOG] Fellowship, and commenced services at Main and Pilot Streets before moving to New Street, then to Pope Street, where it has been permanently located since 1968.