Center fulfills late pastor's vision

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

SPRINGFIELD Pastor Steven Williams of the Revival Time Evangelistic Center said his late father, Pastor James Cal Williams, was a "persistent person of faith who never gave up" and this characteristic was passed from father to son,

Steven Williams formally opened the J.C. Williams Community Center at 116 Florence Street on May 29 making the long-held dream of his father's a reality. The center has a gymnasium, offices, a kitchen and a mezzanine and Steven said that it will be used not only by his church for a variety of activities, but be available to rent to groups and individuals in the city.

The elder Williams conceived of the 5,000 square-foot building, but he passed in 2004 when only the foundation and part of the walls of the Center had been built. Steven was faced with finding the necessary funding as well as arranging the rest of the construction.

James Cal Williams founded his church at the corner of Florence and Hancock Streets in 1971 and broke ground on the project in 1999. Steven said that when his father had depended on funding and construction services from friends of the church and the project became stalled when his father became ill.

Steven, who had assisted in father at the church, became senior pastor when his father died and one of his priorities was to finish and open the building. Steven recalled that he had two projects planned the Center and a day-care center that would be built behind his Florence Street home. Difficulties with the contractor put what he thought would be the easier project the day car center on hold.

He turned his attention to the Center and with help from Hampden Bank was able to secure the financing needed to finish the project. He thanked Eastern Contractors for their help and noted that the brick mason gave the church a substantial discount that helped the project.

The Center has a computer room with Internet access as well as exercise equipment, a sound system, a digital projector and a game room. Steven said that he wants the facility to be as versatile as the church could afford.

Steven sees the Center as a stabilizing influence in the Maple High Six Corners neighborhood and hopes it will be a catalyst for neighbors to get to know one another.

If his father was alive today, Steven said he would be "absolutely ecstatic."

For rental information, contact Carl Yates at 885-1026.