Golden Triangle Christian Fellowship Church History
Led of the Lord to return to the Golden Triangle area of Texas (which includes the cities, Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange,Texas.) Dr. & Mrs. Reuben I. And Linda M. Sampson founded Golden Triangle Christian Fellowship Church on May 24, 1999. On June 18, 1999 Dr. Reuben I. Sampson, Sr. organized the Church with 6 families at Holiday Inn Park Central Hotel in Port Arthur, Texas. Our first Worship was held on June 20, 1999 at the Holiday Inn Park Central Hotel. By the grace of God we met at the Holiday Inn for two years (Sunday, June 20, 1999 until Sunday, June 17, 2001).
In August, 1999 the Lord gave us favor to start airing our first Television Commercials. Minister R. I. Sampson, Jr. was appointed Assistant Pastor on October 29, 1999. August, 1999 Sister Linda M. Sampson founded the Virtue Impact Fellowship that focuses on putting women in touch with Jesus to receive wholeness. Virtue Impact Fellowship is an evangelistic outreach of GTCFC. September 1999 Joy Junction(children ministry) began with a bang. The first Champions of God Fellowship was held in October, 1999.
In October of 1999 Champions of God Fellowship held its first meeting hosted by Dr. Sampson. Dr. & Mrs. Sampson hosted the first Family F.O.C.U.S. Conference in January, 2000 at the Park Central Hotel. The first of its kind, the total family was ministered to as they were joined by their son and daughter in the leading of the Conference. Fellowship Bible and Ministry Institute FBMI held its first Minister's Conference hosted by its President and Vice President Dr. Reuben I. Sampson, Sr. and Sister Linda M. Sampson respectively, in May 2000.
By the grace of God we began meeting at the Port Arthur Adult Day Activity Center 3948 Procter in Port Arthur, Texas on Wednesday, June 20, 2001 and continued to meet there until November 23, 2003. Minister Lenzia Sampson was licensed to preach the Gospel on November 20, 2002. Teen Connxion' led by Pastor R. I. Sampson, Jr. held its first meeting in August, 2002. Ministers Gayle White, Peggy McGee and Jimmie Floyd were licensed to preach the Gospel on our Founding Pastor's Birthday August 27, 2003. In October, 2003 we aired our first Television Broadcast on KBMT Channel 12 in Beaumont, Texas at 12:35 a.m.
Rev. C. L. Jackson and Rev. S. L. Jackson who are Pastors of Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church partnered with GTCFC and agreed to lease their Church property at 1180 Washington Blvd. in Beaumont, Texas to us on November 19, 2003. We are ever grateful to Pastor C. L. Jackson, Pastor S. L. Jackson and the Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church for the generosity in leasing the building to us and sowing generous financial seeds in helping us to pay the lease. November 23, 2003 we motored to 1180 Washington Boulevard in Beaumont Texas to see the building God had blessed us with. The Fellowship had her first meeting at 1180 Washington Boulevard in Beaumont, Texas on November 30, 2003. Sister Linda M. Sampson led the Temple Keepers in renovation and a total face lift on the entire facility. Every square inch of the building and grounds were touched by her hands and the hands of those volunteers.
May 2004 Sister Linda Sampson led Virtue Impact fellowship in its first Mother's Day Brunch. The Conference Center at 1180 Washington was totally transformed for this event and Mothers and daughters from all over the Golden Triangle were blessed by this capacity event. Sister Linda M. Sampson hosted the first Virtue Impact Fellowship Women's Conference in May, 2005.
In September of 2005 Hurricane Rita hit Beaumont, Texas. We had to evacuate and could not return to Beaumont until October. We held Worship at Sheraton Hotel North in Houston, Texas on the first Sunday in October and received the Holy Communion there. Our Television broadcast schedule was changed from late night Sunday to 8:00 a.m. Sunday Morning in KBMT Channel 12 Beaumont, Texas in October 2005.
In April 2006 to the glory of God, we had the auditorium totally restored. Services were held in the Conference Center for a month while the work was being done.
Sister Linda Sampson held her first VIF Rest From Your Stress R.E.T.R.E.A.T. in May, 2000 at Clear Lake, Texas which became an annual Retreat. Her last Retreat was taken in May, 2006. The ladies motored there in Hummer and Navigator Limousines and fared sumptuously in luxury which climaxed with a spectacular "White Supper Night" that will never be forgotten. On the morning of January 11, 2007 our beloved Sister Linda M. Sampson went to be with the Lord. Her Celebration was held on a cold winter morning. January 20, 2007 and people were turned away because there was no room left to stand anywhere in our entire facility. She rests from her labor and her works do follow her.
The Mortgage Note of the property at 1180 Washington Blvd. was purchased in January, 2007 from Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Rev. C. L. Jackson and S. L. Jackson Pastors who again were very generous in helping us to secure financing to purchase the property appraised at $674,000.00. We are also grateful to Pastor Dalbert Mack and the Cathedral of Faith Baptist Church for their generosity in helping us to secure the remaining part of the campus adjacent to 1180 Washington (parking lots and Annex). Through Pastor Mack and Cathedral of Faith's help we were able to purchase 1170 Washington Blvd and 2995 Victoria with one note, and it is paid in full.
Sister Lenzia Granger held her first Virtue Impact Fellowship meeting as Interim Director in February 2007 with the God given mandate to continue her Mother's Legacy. April of 2007, Pastor R. I. Sampson, Jr. held the first Empowerment Bible Study at Lamar University Campus. Pastor Sampson has also held annual Crusades on The Lamar University Campus.
Sister Lenzia Granger hosted her first VIF Women's Conference. Capacity crowds attended each evening. We experienced awesome evangelistic harvests each evening. Sis. Lenzia Sampson was ordained at the Conference and was appointed Director of Virtue Impact Fellowship and Assistant Pastor at Golden Triangle Christian Fellowship Church by her father, Dr. Reuben I. Sampson, Sr. our Founding Pastor.
Assistant Pastor R. I. Sampson, Jr. was appointed as Pastor of Golden Triangle Christian Fellowship Church, Inc. by unanimous decision of the Board of Directors in October, 2007. His service and compassion among us is celebrated and appreciated as he serves alongside his father, our Founding Pastor. His first Appreciation Service as Pastor was held in October, 2008.
The week after Pastor R. I. Sampson, Jr.'s Appreciation, Hurricane Ike hit Beaumont, Texas and the main Sanctuary was nearly destroyed. All contents of the buildings were a total loss because of the winds and water. Stained glass windows were blown out. Thank God the exterior of the Sanctuary was not damaged and the Children's wing was usable. The first, second, and third floors had to be renovated. Services were held in the Children's Wing until the work was finished. In the process Asbestos was discovered and removed from all buildings. By the grace of God and Dr. Sampson (our Founding Pastor) working as General Contractor the Buildings were totally renovated and we returned to holding worship in the Sanctuary on Resurrection Sunday, 2010.
In 2011, Assistant Pastor Lenzia Granger renamed the Women's Ministry at The Fellowship - Destiny Momentum. Her vocation relocated her to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Yet she remained faithful to her commitment to the women of the Fellowship and to GTCFC. She has sponsored Retreats annually and has continued the wonderful legacy of her Mother, Sister Linda M. Sampson. We are grateful that Assistant Pastor Lenzia Granger's vocation brought her back to Texas, glory to God.
We excitedly look forward to the future as God continues to do that among us that no man can explain or take credit for.
