In the early 1930s, a group of brothers from the San Francisco Church, where Brother Pedro Nava was a Pastor, began to hold services in the city of Menlo Park, California. At that time, Mrs. Juana Silvestre, mother of our sister Rose Figueroa, was invited to attend those services. Her husband (Gonzalo) who was not converted did not allow her to attend.
Although Mr. Gonzalo was not a believer, he converted his garage, which he used for auto mechanics, into a temple.
The young Jayne Silvestre led the group of brothers who gathered in that humble temple in songs of praise and adoration to God.
Sister Rose tells that in that temple there was a tank that her father used to grease cars, which Pastor Lauro Cárdenas used to baptize all of the new believers in the Name of Jesus Christ.
Although this group was not affiliated with the Apostolic Assembly, God blessed them and gave them beautiful growth. Brethren from San Francisco, San Jose, Russell City and Sanger came to praise God with the brethren from Meno Park.
Passing the time with a lot of effort and sacrifice, Pastor Laura Cárdenas motivated these brothers to buy a place in Redwood City to praise God.
In 1953, a group of brothers separated from the congregation to form a new church in the same city of Redwood City under the pastorate of Brother Modesto Ortiz. At the beginning of the 1960s, this new congregation began to work under the umbrella of the Apostolic Assembly. Bishop Efraín Valverde was the delegate who received this congregation as a Church incorporated into the Apostolic Assembly.
Brothers from the First Church of San José and from other churches of the Apostolic Assembly began to visit this new congregation that had joined the Apostolic Assembly.
The group of dynamic young people began to attract the attention of other young people from the neighboring churches of the Apostolic Assembly. Among the youth was Sister Carmen Azcarate (Castillo) and Rose Silvestre (Figueroa).
A short time later Pastor Amaya of the First Church of San José began sending Deacon Elías Castillo to help Pastor Modesto Ortiz in Redwood City. It was there that his brother Elías Castillo met the young Carmen Azcarate. After courting for a while, in 1959, brother Elías married sister Carmen. They congregated at the Redwood City Church to support God's work under Pastor Modesto Ortiz.
On March 17, 1963, at the age of 90, Pastor Modesto Ortiz handed over the pastorate of the Redwood City Church to brother Elías Castillo.
Being a young pastor, Pastor Elías Castillo began to motivate the congregation to raise funds to buy a building. They found a property in the city of Redwood City with a building already built, which could be used as a temple. However, God directed Pastor Castillo to the city of East Palo Alto where they found the property located at 721 Donohoe Street.
Pastor Castillo was very interested in this property because the lot size was larger than the property they were considering in Redwood City.
Finally, Pastor Elías Castillo along with the congregation took the step of faith and purchased this property located on Donohoe Street for ten thousand dollars.
For a few years the brothers met in a small house which was located where the temple is now. Based on much sacrifice and effort, the brothers gathered enough money to begin the construction of a new temple.
Later the Figueroa family purchased the property attached to the church (casita) to ensure that the church could purchase it at a future time.
Finally, on June 2, 1973, the new sanctuary of the Church of East Palo Alto located at 721 Donohoe Street was dedicated. It was in that glorious church dedication service where God touched the heart of young Daniel Velásquez and he was baptized in the glorious name of Jesus!
Although Mr. Gonzalo was not a believer, he converted his garage, which he used for auto mechanics, into a temple.
The young Jayne Silvestre led the group of brothers who gathered in that humble temple in songs of praise and adoration to God.
Sister Rose tells that in that temple there was a tank that her father used to grease cars, which Pastor Lauro Cárdenas used to baptize all of the new believers in the Name of Jesus Christ.
Although this group was not affiliated with the Apostolic Assembly, God blessed them and gave them beautiful growth. Brethren from San Francisco, San Jose, Russell City and Sanger came to praise God with the brethren from Meno Park.
Passing the time with a lot of effort and sacrifice, Pastor Laura Cárdenas motivated these brothers to buy a place in Redwood City to praise God.
In 1953, a group of brothers separated from the congregation to form a new church in the same city of Redwood City under the pastorate of Brother Modesto Ortiz. At the beginning of the 1960s, this new congregation began to work under the umbrella of the Apostolic Assembly. Bishop Efraín Valverde was the delegate who received this congregation as a Church incorporated into the Apostolic Assembly.
Brothers from the First Church of San José and from other churches of the Apostolic Assembly began to visit this new congregation that had joined the Apostolic Assembly.
The group of dynamic young people began to attract the attention of other young people from the neighboring churches of the Apostolic Assembly. Among the youth was Sister Carmen Azcarate (Castillo) and Rose Silvestre (Figueroa).
A short time later Pastor Amaya of the First Church of San José began sending Deacon Elías Castillo to help Pastor Modesto Ortiz in Redwood City. It was there that his brother Elías Castillo met the young Carmen Azcarate. After courting for a while, in 1959, brother Elías married sister Carmen. They congregated at the Redwood City Church to support God's work under Pastor Modesto Ortiz.
On March 17, 1963, at the age of 90, Pastor Modesto Ortiz handed over the pastorate of the Redwood City Church to brother Elías Castillo.
Being a young pastor, Pastor Elías Castillo began to motivate the congregation to raise funds to buy a building. They found a property in the city of Redwood City with a building already built, which could be used as a temple. However, God directed Pastor Castillo to the city of East Palo Alto where they found the property located at 721 Donohoe Street.
Pastor Castillo was very interested in this property because the lot size was larger than the property they were considering in Redwood City.
Finally, Pastor Elías Castillo along with the congregation took the step of faith and purchased this property located on Donohoe Street for ten thousand dollars.
For a few years the brothers met in a small house which was located where the temple is now. Based on much sacrifice and effort, the brothers gathered enough money to begin the construction of a new temple.
Later the Figueroa family purchased the property attached to the church (casita) to ensure that the church could purchase it at a future time.
Finally, on June 2, 1973, the new sanctuary of the Church of East Palo Alto located at 721 Donohoe Street was dedicated. It was in that glorious church dedication service where God touched the heart of young Daniel Velásquez and he was baptized in the glorious name of Jesus!