Fifty years ago, in 1975, God planted a dream in the hearts of Rev. Charles and Gwyneth Lee. Having served as missionaries to Nigeria, where they preached the Gospel and planted churches, they returned home with a passion to see a Spirit-filled congregation established in South Huntsville. With humble beginnings in a hotel on South
Parkway, and later a borrowed building, South Huntsville Christian Center was born. Soon after, through a miraculous provision of God, land was purchased on Weatherly Road, and a permanent home for this church family began to rise — a house built not only with hands, but with faith.

As the years unfolded, this congregation became a living testimony of God’s promise in Psalm 100:5: “For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” From the first gathering to this moment, we can trace His faithfulness in every season, every leader, and every life changed by the power of Jesus Christ.

In 1988, after years of faithful ministry, the Lees retired, and the church welcomed Rev. John and Christine Gustafson as pastors. Under their leadership, the name was changed to Weatherly Road Assembly of God, and a new addition was built — the kitchen, foyer, fellowship hall, and office complex that still serve as the heartbeat of our building today. When Pastor John and Christine later followed God’s call to missions, they carried the same passion that began here, planting churches in Austria and Germany and reaching many for Christ.

Then, in 1992, Rev. Jerry and Pat Sims began their long and fruitful ministry. Under their leadership, Weatherly experienced seasons of growth, salvations, and a deepening sense of family. Their steady faith and genuine love for people shaped the heart of this church in ways that are still felt today. It was during those years that many lives were transformed — including that of a young boy named Nick Martinez, who began attending Weatherly in 1989 at just eight years old. Through the guidance and investment of faithful leaders, especially Pastor Jerry, God began to stir in him a call to ministry that would one day come full circle.

After graduating in 1999, Nick and his wife Rebecca followed that call to Clearwater, Florida, where they served as youth pastors at Clearwater First Assembly of God from 2001 to 2013. Meanwhile, Pastor Jerry and Pat, after more than two decades of devoted service, felt God leading them to step away from full-time ministry to support their family —  particularly their eldest son Jeremy, whose wife was battling Huntington’s Disease. Their sacrifice in that season reflected the same heart of compassion and faithfulness they had always modeled before this congregation.

In 2013, God once again revealed His perfect timing. Nick and Rebecca returned home to Huntsville, stepping into the role of lead pastors. Who could have imagined that a young boy once sitting in Weatherly’s pews would one day shepherd the very church that helped shape his faith? Under their leadership, the mission has remained the same — to love God, to love people, and to remind everyone that “church is so much more than a building — it’s a family, and you are invited to join us.”

Throughout these five decades, Weatherly Assembly of God has stood as a light in Huntsville — a place of hope for the hurting, a refuge for the weary, and a launching ground for leaders and missionaries who continue to impact the world. From our earliest slogan, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is,” to “Destined to Impact a City,” and now “A Place to Belong,” each declaration has echoed the same truth: Jesus Christ is the center of it all.

Our story has always been one of faithfulness and mission. From the beginning, Weatherly carried the heartbeat of God’s Great Commission — to reach the lost, send the called, and serve the world with the love of Jesus. That same missionary spirit that led the Lees to Nigeria continues to lead this congregation around the globe. As Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” For fifty years, we have seen that promise fulfilled — here in Huntsville, across our nation, and in nations far beyond our reach.​ Through faithful giving, prayer, and countless missions trips, Weatherly has touched lives in Argentina, Peru, Honduras, Costa Rica, Israel, Belize, Ukraine, Nicaragua, Venezuela, South Africa, Moldova, New York, Los Angeles, and along the Appalachian Trail. Each trip carried the same message: Jesus saves, heals, restores, and still calls people to Himself.

Our legacy also includes those who have been sent out from among us — pastors and church planters, men and women who have taken the DNA of Weatherly and planted it in new soil, continuing to advance the Kingdom of God. Over the years, we have partnered with and supported dozens of missionaries — from Alaska to Austria, from Japan to South Africa, from India to Panama — proclaiming the name of Jesus among people we may never meet on this side of eternity. And this generosity has come from every age group: our children giving through BGMC, our youth through Speed the Light, and our adults through Light for the Lost. Together, their faithfulness has helped spread the Gospel across continents and generations. From 1975 to 2025, Weatherly Assembly of God has given an estimated $1,288,147.73 to missions. Every dollar represents a soul reached, a church planted, or a missionary sent. As 2 Corinthians 9:13 declares, “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ.”

Our hands have built as well as given. Through our partnership with The Plant International and missionary Wayne Dery, Weatherly helped construct three church buildings in Africa, giving communities a place to worship and grow in Christ. These buildings stand as monuments of faith and testimonies to God’s goodness. We have also joined with Convoy of Hope, Priority Evangelism, and Outreach Ministries of Alabama to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and support life-changing ministries like Teen Challenge. Through every act of generosity, we have seen God multiply what we give and use it for His glory.​ As Isaiah 52:7 reminds us, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation.” For fifty years, those feet have walked from Huntsville to the nations — and by God’s grace, they will keep walking until every heart has heard the name of Jesus.

So today, as we celebrate this remarkable milestone, we lift our hearts in gratitude. We honor every pastor, every leader, every volunteer, and every faithful giver who has made Weatherly Assembly of God what it is today. We celebrate the generations who have worshiped, served, and carried the vision forward. But above all, we give glory to God — for He alone has written this story. As Psalm 126:3 declares, “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” May the next fifty years be filled with even greater fruit, deeper love, and a stronger presence of God among us. May Weatherly Assembly of God continue to be a place where the Spirit of the Lord dwells, where the Gospel is preached, and where people find family in the household of faith.

To God be the glory for all He has done — and for all He will do.