History of Kezar Falls Assembly of God Church1935-1993
Co-Founders
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In November 1935 two young ladies, Dagmar Lindberg and Virginia Avery, came to Kezar Falls under the leading of the Lord. They started holding services in a second floor hall in the old post office block on Federal Road. The following summer they held tent meetings in Kezar Falls and the fellowship was formed.
After a convention in the fall of 1936, it was decided to erect a church on Mountain View Avenue in Kezar Falls on land donated by one of the ladies of the fellowship. The church was built in 1937 and dedicated at the Memorial Day convention in May of 1938. The church was called "The Kezar Falls Pentecostal Church". The Lord blessed this church so greatly that the building was soon outgrown and in 1942 a 14 foot extension was built on the front of the church. The church continued to grow under their leadersip and soon it was decided that the congregation required a larger building and they purchased land on Federal Road in Parsonsfield where the church is currently located.
Building this new church proved to have it's trials. A foundation was laid in 1951, but the snow and ice were so heavy that winter that the church foundation caved in. The following spring, the congregation agreed that building the new, bigger church was in God's will and they began again. They built a new and stronger foundation and the building was in progress again. Members of the congregation are quick to remind people that most of the "new church" was to built by faith. Families would buy a window, or a pew, or even an organ. Sunday School children would save their dimes to purchase tiles for the floor of their Sunday School room. This 74' X 42' church was completed and dedicated at services on Nov. 15, 1954. At about that time the Church affiliated with the New England District of the Assemblies of God and took as its new name "The Kezar Falls Assembly of God Church". It is interesting to point out that our current organist, Jerry Barney, was the organist in the church on Mt. View Avenue, and several of the current members remember marching in a parade which marched after the last Sunday service in the Mt. View Avenue church to the new church on Federal Road.
"The Pentecostal Girls" or simply "The Girls" as Rev. Avery and Rev. Lindberg were know to the community and members of their congregation always kept an outreach ministry in the area. They had special services in tents and in halls in surrounding villages as much as 50 miles away. (Brownfield, Hiram, East Hiram, South Hiram, Porter Village, North Parsonsfield, East Parsonsfield and Cornish is Maine and Eaton Center, Bartlett, Conway and Madison in New Hampshire are some of the sites members remembered.) The Church broadcast a radio show on WBNC in Conway NH for 19.5 years.
"The Girls" maintained this ministry for forty years when they retired and passed the leadership of the church to Rev. Clarence Reed. They lived for many years in Limington and Florida and continued an active ministry. Both Pastor Avery and Linberg have now been promoted to Glory.