Elder Cox would later give up the church and the members then started fellowshipping at other churches. Around 1972, Mother Ethel Rush then began attending the Meriden Bible Way Church in addition to having bible study in her home. Mother Ethel Rush was a field missionary who would stand in the gap during any transitional period the church was going through. She made sure the day to day operations of the church continued without interruption. She was a mother indeed, who not only spoke into the lives of people, but also sewed into the life of every single convert who came through the doors. She truly had a love for winning souls for the body of Christ. When she became weary of traveling the highways to Meriden, she then opened up the church previously closed by Elder Cox, and renamed it Way of the Cross Bible Way Incorporated in 1979.

There have been several pastors along the way, Elder Michael Donaldson, Elder James Rowson, Elder William Weaver, Elder Bernard Garrett, Elder Franklin L. Fountain, Bishop Franklin D. Fountain, and Elder Donarell B. Elder.

 

In 2000 Way of the Cross Bible Way Church moved from the store front church to the stand alone space across the street at 530 George St under the leadership of Elder Franklin L. Fountain at that time. When he relocated out of state with his family, Mother Ethel Rush, Minister Cora Hunt, and Mother Gloria V. Ammons stood in the gap again under the leadership of Bishop Franklin D. Fountain. After the passing of Bishop Franklin D. Fountain in 2005 and Minister Cora Hunt in 2006 the Lord sent Elder Donarell B. Elder as the Pastor Pro-Temp, and later installed as Pastor of Way of the Cross. Mother Ethel Rush then passed on in 2009.

 

Throughout the years the Lord has blessed the church both spiritually and financially. The church has seen many come and go through its doors over the years, and those that remain have been committed to the cause of Christ, and the Lord as saw fit to keep the doors of the church open. The church may be small in numbers, but stands on Act 2:47 “… And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” 

 

The Lord continues to bless the ministry to be a help to the surrounding community through various outreach efforts; donating food baskets during the holidays, offering vacation Bible school during the summer months, annual men’s and women’s conferences, the prison ministry team that delivers God’s word at Niantic, noon day prayer, and an after-hours prayer line where two or three can feel free to gather in his name. In all things WOTC says, “To God be the Glory!”

 

“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.” Matt 16:18 KJV