And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build
my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
(Matthew 16:18 KJV)
The Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ was born in the summer of 1953 under the leadership of Bishop Lloyd E. Swaringer, Sr. on the Dargan Farm in Darlington County, South Carolina. The services began at the home of the late Deacon William Capers and the late Mother Charlotte Capers.
Bishop Swaringer preached the Word of God under the anointing and so powerfully that the crowd grew tremendously and the services had to be moved to another location. The late Deacon William and Mother Charlotte Capers organized that transition. Later, the Lord blessed us with the land to build a church. The church was built and opened on the first Sunday in March of 1954. It was chartered under The Apostolic Churches of Jesus Christ, Inc., and became the corporate headquarters in 1959.
The original church name was “The Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ”. In the late seventies, the name was changed to Gethsemane Apostolic Church. Later, being led of the Lord, Bishop Lloyd E. Swaringer changed the name of the church from Gethsemane Apostolic Church to Greater Gethsemane Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ.
The Lord has greatly endowed this church with blessings. Greater Gethsemane has been a haven for sin-sick souls to come and be healed.
The church was located at 2328 Old Pocket Road in Darlington, South Carolina for over forty-nine years. On Saturday, August 10, 2002, the Lord blessed us to move from our former location to our brand new edifice at 1532 East Old Marion Highway in Florence, South Carolina. On that day, we marched in and celebrated our Grand Opening and Dedication Service.
Greater Gethsemane, affectionately known as GGAC, is thankful for their rich history and for their founder and the great legacy that he left behind. In addition, they are grateful for their pastor and visionary, Bishop Kenneth J. Swaringer who continues to lead the church forward.
This is the Lord’s doing; it’s marvellous in our eyes. (Psalms 118:23 KJV)
