TLCF's History

The genesis of True Light Christian Fellowship is now etched in history.

In October of 1996, four families and a couple of interested saints began to gather together and discuss what everyone felt the Holy Spirit of God seemed to be indicating to them- the time to organize a new fellowship had come, and the time to step out in faith was upon them. The group began to pray and seek God, not wanting to move in their own strength. After all, anyone could "start" a church, and declare God's blessing upon it without even hearing from Him. This group didn't want to make that mistake, so they moved cautiously and prayerfully.

In January of 1997, the group of saints unanimously decided that their undershepherd should be Ronson C. Hall, and Jodie E. McGarity, Sr. his assistant. They also agreed that the name of the church would be True Light Christian Fellowship, finding the name's biblical base in the book of John, the first chapter and the ninth verse referring to the person of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ:

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (John 1:9, King James Version)

They continued to plan and pray, and then agreed it would be fitting that the first official worship service be Palm Sunday, March 23rd. Along the way, Brothers Hall and McGarity sought out and received helpful and blessed instruction & counsel from Rev. Jim O'Neil and Rev. Dick Dickson from Alamo City Christian Fellowship, Rev. John Kyle, Minister Jack Jennings, Rev. Louis & Beverly Kaupp of Covenant Church, and Rev. Charles McIntyre of Pool of Siloam Baptist Church.

The church successfully reached an agreement with Ella Austin Community Center to use their auditorium each Sunday, and shortly thereafter began to have Bible Study in various members' homes on Wednesday nights. True Light Christian Fellowship's "charter members" were: Pastor Ronson C. and Cathy Hall and their four daughters; Assistant Pastor Jodie E. McGarity, Sr., his wife Vanessa and their four children; Brother Chris & Joann Knox and their two children; Sister RosaLinda Draker & her husband, Mark, and brother David & Lisa Schoellhorn and their two children.

Under the leadership of Pastor Hall and the hard work and diligence of the members, the church continued to grow in love and in attendance! The agreement between TLCF and Ella Austin expired, and after talking to a gentleman named Anthony Nicholas, Rev. Jodie found a potential new home for True Light -in a building where Mr. Nicholas' family ran their barbecue restaurant! The church members agreed to the location, and Lubaby's Barbecue at 335 Austin Rd. behind Ft. Sam Houston found a "warm spot" in the hearts of True Light. TLCF held Sunday Worship in this location from June 23, 1997 until the restaurant closed in February of 1999.

The church had experienced steady, strong growth and after spending one Sunday at the Copernicus Recreation Center on Lord Rd., God mightily blessed TLCF to reach an agreement with Pastor Jim Grant and the members of Beacon Hill Baptist Church to take up occupancy in the "Educational Wing" of their campus. After some reasonable amounts of hard work, repairs, old-fashioned "elbow grease" and a lot of love, TLCF held their first service in the facility on February 21, 1999. For the first time, the church enjoyed enough room in a facility to hold all its activities in one building, and remains in the facility to this day.

True Light Christian Fellowship, under the anointing of God and the direction of the Holy Spirit continues to thrive, seeing men, women, boys and girls come to a saving knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Through clear, direct preaching and teaching, and our array of outreach ministries and the sweet fellowship of the saints, TLCF holds our years of existence up to the Lord to thank Him for his many blessings toward us. We humbly and earnestly resolve as a part of the "called out assembly" to continue to "Illuminate the soul by rightly dividing the Word!

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