After much prayer and supplication, Rev. L. E. Thompson was led to organize the Greater Fellowship MBC. Our first meeting was held on the 1st Sunday in November 1971, at the home of Deacon and Mrs. David Brosier (Lillian). The first officers of the Church were as follows: Rev. L. E. Thompson, Pastor; Deacon R. L. Jenkins, Chairman of the Deacon Board and Trustees; Sis. Gladys Price was Church Secretary. Sis. Lillian Brosier also served as Mission Department President and Deacon David Brosier was Superintendent of the Sunday School Department. We were on our way to our first worship service held at the home of Pastor L.E. and Sis. Rosie Lee Thompson, 5050 Reynolds, here in the City of San Diego. Our 1st Wednesday night prayer meeting was held in the home of Deacon Jenkins, also on Reynolds.
A temporary place of worship on Sundays and Wednesdays was made available to us in the 3700 block of Oceanview Blvd. Pastor Thompson, Deacon Brosier and several other men would arrive early and clean up the items left from the "Saturday night crowd." This lasted approximately six (6) months. During that time, we welcomed many families from that neighborhood and surrounding areas. Families such as the Mitchells, Youngbloods, and countless others.
In May 1972 we were offered the property at 4355 Logan Ave. The house was converted into a Sanctuary, a place of worship for God's people. Many souls were added to the church by baptism or Christian Experience and after just two (2) years, we began to outgrow our sanctuary.
Once again, the Lord gave our pastor a vision for His church and His people. We sold dinners on Saturdays, had special Sunday programs and experienced the blessings of tithing. The children of the church had the responsibility of clearing out the rocks on the lot, the men worked from sunup to sundown and the women prepared hot meals for the workers. All of God's people "had a mind to work" and work we did. Rev. Blackmon and Rev. Waltower poured concrete, the walls went up and in August of 1978, we the members of the Greater Fellowship MBC marched into our new sanctuary located at 4351 Logan Ave. Our former place of worship was utilized as our fellowship hall. What a time, what a time, Oh, what a time!
Dr. L. E. Thompson faithfully pastored GFMBC for 34 fruitful years. He retired in 2005 and Rev. Donnell Kelly became our pastor in December of that same year. Pastor Thompson passed away in 2009. During Pastor Kelly's tenure, we celebrated our Mortgage Burning Ceremony in February 2014.
After a year without a pastor, the Lord once again showed favor to us and on the 2nd Sunday in June 2016, we welcomed our new pastor, Dr. R. L. Edwards, Sr. Once again, GFMBC is on the move. Several new ministries have been implemented, many have united with the church by re-dedication, Christian Experience and by baptism. Our church has experienced tremendous growth; numerically, financially and most importantly, spiritually!
God has kept His promise as stated in Heb. 13:5b "to never leave us nor forsake us" and we are once again "A Fellowship Of Love!"