Oak Hill Community Church of God

The local congregation got its start in Washington, D.C., during World War II. Several individuals from the Maurertown and Fort Valley churches of Virginia had moved to take jobs in Washington during the war and wanted to continue their worship and study meetings. Pastors from the Maurertown and Fort Valley area such as J. R. LeCrone, John Mercer and Alva G. Huffer would travel to the D.C. area to lead services and Bible study meetings, often held in private homes.

By 1953 the congregation was comprised of Baltimore and D.C. area members and was meeting in the old YMCA building at 17th and G Streets. Joseph Fletcher, a newly graduated minister of Oregon Bible College moved to this area with his bride, Shirley, to be the first full time Pastor. Joseph was originally from the Church in Fonthill, Ontario, Canada. From 1956 to 1959, Joe took a sabbatical to further his education. During his absence, the congregation was pastored by Curtis Simpson who had been actively involved with the growing congregation in Baltimore and Pennsylvania. Soon after Pastor Fletcher and his growing family returned to the D.C. area, the congregation looked into building or moving their church.

In 1960 the congregation moved the worship services to Falls Church, Virginia. They rented space in the cafeteria of the Culmore Elementary School. It was during this time that Joseph Fletcher began teaching in the Fairfax County School System.

In 1968, the church purchased the building at their present location on West Ox Road from the local Presbyterian Church. They had just constructed a new facility nearby on Route 50. For the first time, our church had a permanent home. At about the same time, the local congregation changed its name to the Eternal Hope Church of God, Abrahamic Faith.

In 1972, Pastor Fletcher received a promotion to Assistant School Principal and resigned as the full time minister. He and his family remained in the area and continued to support and play an active role in the church. The church then hired Ron Macy, who along with his wife Terry, led the congregation.

In 1976, upon the resignation of Pastor Macy, the church hired Dale Ward as the new Pastor, who along with his wife Marie, led our congregation. In 1981, Pastor Ward retired and the local church was without a Pastor for about nine months.

In June 1982, Gary Burnham, a newly graduated minister from Oregon Bible College, moved to the area with his wife, Janice, and became the new pastor. In 1986, the congregation chose to rename the church as the Fair Oaks Community Church due to confusion that developed regarding other denominations which are active in Virginia and operate under the general Church of God name. To more accurately reflect its location, the congregation changed its name again in 2006 to Oak Hill Community Church of God - Abrahamic Faith.

In February 1989, an unknown arsonist set fire to the building and succeeded in destroying the facility although the structure was not completely consumed. Subsequently the building was completely rebuilt, refurbished and brought up to the then current building codes and rededicated in 1990.

In 1995, Pastor Burnham resigned from our local church to accept the position of Comptroller of the Church of God General Conference and Atlanta Bible College.

For about ten years the church continued on without the services of a fulltime Pastor. Pastor Dennis Baldwin of our sister church in Front Royal, Virginia served as our interim Pastor driving from Front Royal on the first Sunday of each month to hold afternoon services and Communion. This after holding morning services at his church. Oak Hill Community Church is deeply grateful for the many years of faithful service of Pastor Dennis and his wife Rachael.

In June of 2005, we hired Thomas J. Fischhaber, Jr., as our new Pastor. Tom decided, in the summer of 2006, to withdraw from active pastoral ministry to contemplate his future role in the Church of God. Pastor Dennis Baldwin has agreed to once again serve as our spiritual leader and Pastor.

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Find out how our denomination began by reading the History of the Church of God.