Guiding Light Community Church celebrates first service at new area landmark
On Sunday, the congregation of Guiding Light Community Church celebrated a special day. The first service at the church’s new location was held after months of building repairs and preparation.
While Lee County officials still are in the process of approving their new sign, you can still see the large North Fort Myers Church of God sign from N. Cleveland Avenue. That church moved to a Bayshore Road location several months ago.
Pastor Bennie E. Anthony said he believes there have been churches there for at least 50 years, starting as a Baptist church and most recently, the North Fort Myers Church of God.
Members of the congregation are thrilled with the new permanent location, many saying the felt like “nomads” from the church moving around in the past to different locations.
“This is home,” said Doris Mapes. “It was like wandering in the wilderness.”
She said her favorite part of the new church home is the beautiful sanctuary.
“I think it is wonderful,” said church member Don Miles of the new location. His wife Nada is the assistant minister of music for the church, and will play a donated organ at services, assisting Minister of Music Peggy Kroh.
The very well-liked Pastor Anthony said he likes everything about the new location. “My wife, Cyndi Anthony, is my right arm and is secretary for the church.
“We formally started this church in May 4 of 2008,” he said. “There was about 30 of us then. My dear friend Pastor Colleen Sammons secured the Noah Masonic Lodge for us, on Willis Road.”
They didn’t even have an offering basket their first service. “We used a metal tea pitcher from the kitchen,” he said.
In coming up with the name, there was an illuminated letter G on a sign there. “We thought that beautiful letter G, that could stand for God. One of our members, Charlie Hendry, said let’s call it Guiding Light Community Church and that’s how it started.”
Anthony noted Hendry, who is now chairman of their board, and Andre Lemieux, who serves as the president of their corporation, were instrumental in securing the new church.
He said their own new sign, provided with help from NPR Graphics of Lehigh Acres, should be up soon.
For now activities will include a 9 a.m. Bible Study and a 10:15 a.m. worship service on Sundays. In November, there will be a full dedication when many northern church members return, and expanded services.
The pastor is many times on his phone, helping members who need help, and coordinating move activities. A self-confessed big fan of the comic book hero Superman, he has a big vintage print in his office of that hero. “If you can stretch it, you can compare Superman to Jesus Christ; they were both strange visitors from another world who came to earth with powerful abilities beyond mortal man.”
Of the congregation, the pastor said, “I’ve been at many churches over the last 20 years, but this is probably the most giving church I have ever been involved with.”
For example, he said, they needed tables and chairs for the Fellowship Hall. “We had our Ladies Meeting where we announced the best prices were at BJ’s. In 10 minutes every table was bought. They bought them themselves. If we need anything, it is there.”
They take a percentage of offerings for local mission funds, supporting The Salvation Army, the Harry Chapin Food Bank, CCMI, Visually Impaired Persons Center and more.
The new address of Guiding Light Community Church is 1360 Touchstone Rd. and the phone number is 997-0333.