Church History

       In September of 1948, after conducting highly successful revivals in adjacent cities, Dr. Alvin A. Childs, brilliant evangelist and successful pastor of Chicago, Illinois came to New York City at the incessant urging of friends to conduct revival meetings. People gathered nightly in great numbers to hear the dynamic sermons and to receive healing from divers afflictions and diseases. At each service, the multitudes gathered to be helped by the man of God. The fame of this prophet spread far and wide into every nook and corner of the City and it was insisted upon that this evangelist establish a church in the metropolitan area.

        The Faith Temple Church of God in Christ was founded and organized with a membership of 30 in the fall of 1948, under the leadership of Dr. Alvin A. Childs, along with his wife, Mrs. Mildred B. Childs. The newest and fastest growing church moved into Imperial Elks Hall on 129th Street, where evangelistic services were held at two-week intervals. The early stages of the church’s location were transitory, moving from one place to another until the summer of 1949. Dr. Childs brought a huge circus tent from Chicago and erected it on 124th and St. Nicholas Avenue where the people gathered nightly for eight weeks by the thousands. From the tent the church leased quarters at 236 W. 116th Street where services continued until a permanent location was secured. The Lido Theatre located at 1763 Amsterdam Avenue at the top of Sugar Hill became the permanent home of The Faith Temple Church of God in Christ for $175,000. On Mother’s Day, May 1952, a triumphant march was led by Bishop Alvin A. Childs, as the church moved to its new and present home.

        Faith Temple Church of God in Christ under the leadership of Bishop Alvin A. Childs became the faster growing Pentecostal Church in New York with over 3,000 members. Thousands of people received spiritual, financial and healing blessings under the dynamic ministry of Bishop Alvin A. Childs and the Faith Temple Church of God in Christ Family. Faith Temple was noted for its 11:00p.m. Radio broadcast where many people started gathering at 10:00p.m. to hear the radio choir, many outstanding artists, Preachers and the voice of the Bishop, whom was matchless as an orator and master pulpiteer. Thousands listened to the broadcasts over radio stations WJNR, WHOM, WADO and WTHE for twenty years. The Radio Choir under the direction renowned leaders such as: Professors James Francis, Solomon Herring, Herman Stevens, Willie Webb, Hampton Carlton, Rev. James Cleveland and many, many more stirred the people each Sunday Evening.      

In 1965, at the time of Malcolm X' death, none of   Harlem's  gaping Cathedrals would open the doors for his funeral. A fearless Bishop A. A. Childs dared to allow Malcolm X' slim body with bullet holes in the chest to be rolled into Faith Temple. Thousands of people lined the streets in front of the church as hundreds squeezed into the 600 seat Temple where actor Ossie Davis delivered the Eulogy . Faith Temple was a friend to all classes of people, Mayors and Governors, rich and poor and the rejected of society.

            On Saturday, August 11^th, 1973, death overtook Bishop Alvin Alexander Childs, a humble man of God, and an outstanding religious personality, leaving the world and a church community to mourn his passing.

Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase (Job 8:7).

        In October 1973, Bishop Norman N. Quick was installed as pastor of the Faith Temple Church of God in Christ, changing the name of the church in 1974 to Childs Memorial Temple Church of God in Christ in honor its founder.

        Under the leadership of Bishop Quick, Childs Memorial Temple continues to grow and serve the community known as "sugar hill", it appears that the sweetness has gone but the people are struggling to rebuild the area. Childs Memorial offers spiritual and compassionate support to the community through its religious services and social programs. The Childs Memorial Temple Bible Institute was founded in 1976 for the purpose of promoting they study of the Bible, training Christian Workers and carrying the Gospel to the unsaved. In 1982, Bishop and Sister Verline Quick established the Childs Memorial Temple Christian Academy, which has, and continues to provide a wholesome and religious education for hundreds of children in the community. The United Homeless Organization provides social services such as housing, job placement, and nutritious meals to individuals in need and rejected by society. Childs Memorial Temple houses Boy Scout and Girl Scout Troops that serve both the community and the church.

        Childs Memorial Temple continues to flourish under the leadership of Bishop and Sister Quick as a church in which the word of God is preached mightily, and ordinances are administered and the doctrines of sanctification and of holiness is emphasized as being essential to the salvation of mankind. Souls continue to be Blessed, Saved, Set Free, Delivered, and Healed in this ministry as the church rests on the sure foundation which is Christ the Lord, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 3:11)