Our History

 

The Founder Bishop Charles H. McCoy

Pentecostal Temple - Church History

Pentecostal Temple has a vibrant history in the City of Buffalo. A charter member of the Churches of God in Christ, headquartered in Memphis, Tenn. The church has been a standard bearer of holiness with a Pentecostal message with apostolic order and Episcopal structure. The Pentecostal Temple Church has evolved with the City of Buffalo and the Western New York Church.

Bishop Charles Henry McCoy the founder of the Pentecostal Temple Church has proven to be a progressive visionary, administrator, prophet, priest and leader of the Church in Western New York. The church as it is known, and appears today had humble beginnings in 1924, started by the late Elder Emmett Lowther. Elder John L. Lewis succeeded the late Elder Lowther and named the church Zion Church of God in Christ on August 31, 1948. Elder McCoy, who succeeded Rev. Lewis, renamed the church Pentecostal Temple on September 15, 1958.

Pentecostal Temple before renovation

Pentecostal Temple moved from 512 Jefferson to its present location at 618-620 Jefferson Avenue in 1962 . The "Temple" location was a trucking garage renovated into a stately sanctuary by Elder Charles McCoy and eight members of the church. The "faithful few" diligently followed their present day visionary. Many days and months of hard work produced a church that would eventually host jurisdictional meetings for years. Elder McCoy and the members of the church were proud that the Lord had blessed them with the skill to renovate what appeared to be a useless facility into a sound structure that would house HIS glory for decades to come.

In 1968 Elder McCoy was consecrated to the office of JURISDICTIONAL BISHOP of Western New York Second. This great honored was accompanied by his conference of a Doctor of Divinity Degree from Trinity Hall College and Seminary in 1971. An astute spiritual leader and devout saint of God, Bishop McCoy continued to dream for the saints of his local church and the people of his fifty-five churches within his jurisdiction. In 1977, Bishop McCoy began to desire a building or structure large enough to host the jurisdictional conventions and serve the community through various ministries of the church. Premier downtown land became available (a city square block), Bishop McCoy and others worked with the late Alice Hill to secure the downtown block of Clinton, Adam, Eagle and Watson streets.

Presently, the C. H. McCoy Convention Center has completed Phase I of the development. Bishop McCoy worked tirelessly to assure "the saints would have a place to worship the Lord".

Pentecostal Temple today continues the economic strategy of our beloved Pastor and Bishop by initiating our Temple Community Development Corporation, Temple Federal Credit Union (application), In His Face Productions (audio & video production), Temple Resource Center and Pentecostal Temple Bible Institute.

Our churches International ministry includes partnership and support of three ministries in Monte go Bay, Jamaica. The church currently is working with six faith based businesses and sourcing contracts and real estate for the massive development proposed on the eastside of Buffalo, New York, while providing mortgage opportunities for home ownership to its members.

The "Temple" is reflective of urban contemporary ministry positioning itself for the end time harvest. Television, radio, prints and internet venues are utilized to reach fallen and lost humanity. Presently the church has grown from fifty active members in 1996 to over three hundred members in four years under the dynamic leadership of Elder Matthew L. Brown, Pastor-Teacher.