How it all started...
The Wapak Church now residing on Fox Ranch Road was was founded by two women; Alta Culpepper of McLeansboro, Illinois and Rosemary Schultz of Bronson, Michigan. Prior to coming to Wapakoneta they had studied at Central Bible College in Springfield Missouri.
In 1955, they became acquainted with Rev. and Mrs. Earl E. Hart, pastors of the Assemblies of God church in Lima, Ohio. Rev. Hart informed the ladies of several cities in the area that did not have a Full Gospel Church. As they drove into the city of Wapakoneta, they felt in their heart that Wapakoneta was the city the Lord would have them minister in.
They began ministering to the people and sharing the gospel. The first meetings in Wapakoneta were in a family’s home who were attending Rev. Hart’s Lima church . Miss Culpepper began visitations. She shared Christ and informed area residents of the need for a Full Gospel Church in their town. Within the first month she had made 475 home visits.
Saturday nights found the ladies, along with volunteers, conducting street meetings in front of the downtown Bank.
As the congregation grew they moved into a storefront in the downtown area. As the necessity to get a larger facility presented itself, the ladies became aware of the St. Marks Lutheran church undergoing a new building program. The ladies inquired about purchasing their former building on Auglaize Street and completed negotiations in 1956.
In 1955, they became acquainted with Rev. and Mrs. Earl E. Hart, pastors of the Assemblies of God church in Lima, Ohio. Rev. Hart informed the ladies of several cities in the area that did not have a Full Gospel Church. As they drove into the city of Wapakoneta, they felt in their heart that Wapakoneta was the city the Lord would have them minister in.
They began ministering to the people and sharing the gospel. The first meetings in Wapakoneta were in a family’s home who were attending Rev. Hart’s Lima church . Miss Culpepper began visitations. She shared Christ and informed area residents of the need for a Full Gospel Church in their town. Within the first month she had made 475 home visits.
Saturday nights found the ladies, along with volunteers, conducting street meetings in front of the downtown Bank.
As the congregation grew they moved into a storefront in the downtown area. As the necessity to get a larger facility presented itself, the ladies became aware of the St. Marks Lutheran church undergoing a new building program. The ladies inquired about purchasing their former building on Auglaize Street and completed negotiations in 1956.
The First building
In April of 1865, some members from the original New Measure Lutheran Church of Wapakoneta, seceded and then organized as the St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. St. Mark’s congregation first organized and met in the court house. Their desire to build a church took form on the 26th day of August,1865. On this day the cornerstone was laid for the The Wapak Church’s first building.
The start of the building remained unfinished until another flourishing and new Evangelical Lutheran church purchased it in 1868. This congregation known as the Evangelical Lutheran St. John’s church, was comprised of several conservative Lutherans who had once been part of the St. Paul’s Lutheran church. One of the notable members at that time was Christian Schnell, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient from the Civil War. The current building was purchased and finished at a cost of $2,100 and the first service was held in March of 1869. The first regular pastor was Rev. E. Buchholtz.
In 1890 the congregation decided to change the name back to St. Mark’s as it was so generally known to most in the community. The church remained a Lutheran church until 1956 when St. Mark’s Lutheran church moved to a building on East Pearl Street. Alta Culpepper and Rosemary Shultz purchased the former building, giving the The Wapak Church its first building in 1956.
The start of the building remained unfinished until another flourishing and new Evangelical Lutheran church purchased it in 1868. This congregation known as the Evangelical Lutheran St. John’s church, was comprised of several conservative Lutherans who had once been part of the St. Paul’s Lutheran church. One of the notable members at that time was Christian Schnell, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient from the Civil War. The current building was purchased and finished at a cost of $2,100 and the first service was held in March of 1869. The first regular pastor was Rev. E. Buchholtz.
In 1890 the congregation decided to change the name back to St. Mark’s as it was so generally known to most in the community. The church remained a Lutheran church until 1956 when St. Mark’s Lutheran church moved to a building on East Pearl Street. Alta Culpepper and Rosemary Shultz purchased the former building, giving the The Wapak Church its first building in 1956.
The Fox Ranch Campus
The congregation has undergone several name changes throughout the years; beginning with First Assembly of God, then Maranatha Assembly of God, to it’s present Wapakoneta Community Worship Center, which has been shortened to “The Wapak Church,” but the mission has remained the same—reaching the Wapakoneta community for Christ.
The day we closed on buying the property on Fox Ranch Road in December of 2008, Pastor Dan Holbrook attended a Miracle Meal at the Auglaize County Fair Grounds.
“At that meal I had two women walk up and approach me after I had spoken. They said they heard that we had just purchased a new property to build a church and wanted to know exactly where it was located. They identified themselves as prayer warriors in the community who had ten years previously walked Fox Ranch Road with other people of faith. They said that specific parcel of ground was the same place that they asked GOD to send revival to Wapakoneta. They chose that location because it was the “Gateway” to the western entrance to the city and because they believed it to be one of the two highest locations elevation wise in Auglaize county. The highest being the Christian campground located on Route 67 between Uniopolis and Waynesfield.”
Just before the groundbreaking of Fox Ranch Campus there was a word of prophecy which confirmed the words the women had spoken to Pastor Dan and what the official said at the groundbreaking.
The day we closed on buying the property on Fox Ranch Road in December of 2008, Pastor Dan Holbrook attended a Miracle Meal at the Auglaize County Fair Grounds.
“At that meal I had two women walk up and approach me after I had spoken. They said they heard that we had just purchased a new property to build a church and wanted to know exactly where it was located. They identified themselves as prayer warriors in the community who had ten years previously walked Fox Ranch Road with other people of faith. They said that specific parcel of ground was the same place that they asked GOD to send revival to Wapakoneta. They chose that location because it was the “Gateway” to the western entrance to the city and because they believed it to be one of the two highest locations elevation wise in Auglaize county. The highest being the Christian campground located on Route 67 between Uniopolis and Waynesfield.”
Just before the groundbreaking of Fox Ranch Campus there was a word of prophecy which confirmed the words the women had spoken to Pastor Dan and what the official said at the groundbreaking.
