Pastor Steven Lee is carrying on his late father’s mission in a new home.
Lee is a son of longtime Apostolic pastor and community advocate Bishop Clarence Lee who died in May. Lee and members of the One Way Pentecostal Apostolic Church recently celebrated the dedication of their new home at 711 Curtis St.
The Aug. 26 celebration also included Lee receiving the title of bishop — like his father who started the church in 1987.
The service included praise and worship and congratulatory comments from family members and other church officials as well as Crawfordsville Mayor Todd Barton and Assistant Police Chief Bob Rivers.
“I want to first and foremost say congratulations,” Barton said. “When a church outgrows its facility, something is going right.”
In 2020, after years of worshiping downtown in a former Wesleyan church on South Green Street, the church purchased the former Milligan Memorial Presbyterian Church on Mill Street. In short order, they grew again and bought the former Church of God building on Curtis Street.
The mayor thanked the congregation for being a beacon of light and hope in the community.
“Our nation, our world, our community faces challenges, every community does, and every person in our community is fighting battles every day ... but you are making a difference in people’s lives,” he said.
Barton praised Lee for continuing his father’s legacy.
“A community is not made great by its buildings, or even its leaders, a community is made great by its people and what you are doing here is making our community a great place,” Barton said.
Rivers grew up with the Lee family and witnessed first-hand their commitment to their faith and their community.
“They have done a lot of good for this community and what a testament to Pastor Steve and what he’s doing ... to have outgrown your church just shows what he and his family have done and continue to do for this community.”
Lee and his wife Tamara serve the local congregation, which totals about 100 members. They are assisted by associate pastor Marcus Ellis and his wife Sharon and several associate pastors and ministers that make up the worship team.
Worship services are conducted at 7 p.m. Wednesday and 2 p.m. Sunday. More information is available on the church Facebook page.
