04/12/2021
The RIACOOLJC Church Family Celebrate Our Co-Founder Mother Mary Groover-Demps
One Woman & Her Vision & Her Lord
Mother Mary Groover Demps mention that one day the Lord laid upon her heart to start a work in Monticello, Florida. After telling her pastor ,Pastor Lucius Edwards,(Refuge COOLJC in Greenville FL. ) what was laid upon her heart, he gave her his blessing to follow the Word of the Lord. Refuge Church of our Lord conception in the year of our Lord 1976. Their beginning was Street Meeting Services & and Tent Revivals. They began to search for a Church Home while searching they heard about a Mother's Testimony, Mother Mary Fishburn. In the Following two weeks Elder Eddie Demps & Mother Mary Demps visited Mother Mary Fishburn ,and enlisted her help to find a building. Thereafter, they all searched for a place of worship while searching they came in contact with the late Mother Irene Nealy who told them of a vacant family church called "Mt. Olive Baptist Church" Located in Capps, Florida also known as Wildwood. The First Revival in our First Home that was called Refuge C.O.O.L.J.C. in Jefferson County was on a Thursday Night which included Elder E. & Mother M. Demps, Mother E, Hadley, Mother M. Fishburn, and Many seekers. The Spirit was so much in the place that after only two nights of Pentecostal Power in revival a total of six souls where filled with the Precious Gift of the Holy Ghost. In the coming days & months many more souls began to pour in, and experience the Pentecost Power in Wildwood. With in two years the saints began to outgrow their current facility and the Journey began to find a larger place of worship, and about that time the Lord Fulfilled a Prophecy to Mother Evelyn Hadley "That more will be saved and baptized in Jesus Name". God power moved so much in our First Home in Capps Fl. from 1981 to 1983 but after much prayer, powerful praise and mighty worship services in our First Home, God said it's to move and moved us to our Second Home in 1984 @ 63 Tinnell Road in the city Where Mother Mary Demps heart was at Monticello ,Florida and the Lord Blessed there but then the Lord Took Refuge thru a Period grief When He took Our First Pastor for 26 Years Elder Eddie Demps home to be with him in the year of February 2002. Even in that the Lord still blessed. After This the saints of Refuge needed a Gentle Shepherd so the Lord Gave us Apostle Dr. Gentle L. Groover (Mother Demps' Brother) for a Period 0f 5 graceful years yet again the Lord Blessed. In 2007 The Lord sent us a New Pastor through his Divine wisdom and power He sent District Elder Tony Lane and Elect Lady Yvonne Lane through his leadership the church trived and yet again the Lord Blessed. In the the year of 2015 the Lord said it is time to do a New Thing and God gave us a Miracle Building adjacent to the Second Home which is Now Called "The Elder Eddie Demps & Mother Mary Demps Fellowship Hall" We Dedicated our new home on Saturday, March 14th 2015 @ 12 noon with A Mighty Word From our Second Pastor and As Our Second Pastor always Says "It's Getting Better All the Time. Now Through the Extraordinary Leadership the Lord Is Shaking the House
Apostle Dr. Gentle Groover & Region X celebrates his sister, Mother Mary Demps on her 91st Birthday! Praise God for such a beautiful example of holiness over the years. We love you Mother Demps! 91 & Getting Better All The Time!
