Gethsemane Church of God in Christ was organized under the leadership of Elder A.L. Scott in the Spring of March 1966.  Elder A. L. Scott served as an associate minister with the Elder J.W. Wright.  While serving At Wright’s Temple he felt the strong leading of the Lord to launch out in the pastoral ministry.  Being obedient he consulted with his pastor who endorsed him with his blessings, and recommended he go to Bishop V.M. Barker.  After prayer in Bishop Barker’s home, Elder A.L. Scott was instructed by Bishop Barker to prioritize his life, which meant putting God first.  He did just that.  He knew that the Lord would provide for his real needs, and he trusted in God’s Word.  He leaned daily, upon God’s promises; and expected them to be fulfilled.  As a believer, he was blessed.

 

With many prayer meetings and the assistance of Evangelist Taylor, our first church was started in the home of Rev. and Mrs. A.L. Scott, located at 3717 Benton.  The Lord wonderfully blessed.  The church later moved into the basement of the home of Brother and Sister King, located at 3506 Benton Blvd., in Kansas City, Missouri.  Evangelist Ward and others followed with revivals and many souls were saved.  Thirteen (13) members were added to the church, mostly relatives.  The Lord blessed Elder Scott to be there for eighteen (18) months.  On October 1, 1968, the church moved to a new location at 2605 Prospect Ave., Kansas City, Missouri.  At this time, the; membership was up to 60 members.

​

Elder Scott knew that to organize and purchase a church requires faith, courage, and sacrificial giving, but that was the spirit in which Gethsemane Church Of God In Christ was built. It is in that same spirit that it continues to grow.

 

With God already in his life, and his steady faith, God continually endowed Elder Scott with blessings.  Many well-wishers in the church, as well as the community, helped to encourage its growth.  Among these included the late Mr. Leon Jordan, whose donation of over $3,500 helped in extending the church’s mission.  During that time Gethsemane was continually growing and the ministry of Elder Scott was richly blessed.

 

In April of 1980, Elder Scott set his heart to paying off the building by year-end.  At that time we needed a total of $7,900 to complete the purchase.  Gethsemane members began to work, pray and believe that we could meet that goal.  Within six months we achieved our goal.  Effective Tuesday, December 16, 1980, Gethsemane Church of God in Christ was PAID IN FULL…. and had a membership of 150 saints.

 

The Lord really blessed Elder Scott because he was an obedient believer, and full of faith in God.

 

Gethsemane prospered at this location many years. Souls were saved and the ministry flourished.

 

In the winter of 1995, God showed Elder Scott a new church building where Gethsemane could continue to grow and expand.  The members caught the vision.  With sacrificial giving and God’s blessings, we moved to our current location – 2700 East 75th Street.  We had our first service in March of 1996, on Palm Sunday.  In September of 2000, the Lord blessed Gethsemane to pay off the mortgage, and on September 10, 2000. We burned the mortgage.

 

Pastor Scott’s health failed.  On December 18, 2001, he left this earthly home to be with the Lord.  Prior to his passing he requested that the new Pastor of Gethsemane be his nephew, Daryl Randolph.  On November 24, 2002, the Jurisdictional Bishop, W. B. Henderson, officially installed Elder Daryl Randolph as Pastor of Gethsemane.

 

Center of Hope Ministries continues to be a striving, growing, loving church.