The Unity Temple Church
of God in Christ was organized in 1966. Being led of the Lord,
Elder William Nichols founded the church at 294 Paw Paw Ave.
( a store front) in Benton Harbor, Michigan with his wife
Martha and three children. After being there for about a month,
the Lord began to send in souls, the building became too small
to house the saints so they then moved to 117 Seely. Conditions
there forced them to move again, they moved to Eastland St.
in Benton Township.
In 1968 Pastor Nichols
purchased a lot at 435 Felton St. There he began to build
God's house, a 40 x 56. In 1970 the church moved in. There
the Lord met them and many souls came to Him through this
ministry. However Pastor Nichols has never stopped working
on the building. In 1989 he began a major remodeling of the
church with an addition of a 40 x 60 increase. This included
a Pastor's Office, Mother Nichol's office, Clerk's Office,
Nursery, Ladies' Lounge, an extension to the Sanctuary and
downstairs Fellowship Hall and Kitchen.
Pastor Nichols says as
Amos said in the scriptures "I was no prophet (builder) neither
a prophet's son (builder's son) but a gatherer of citrus fruit."
But with the help of God he built over 90 % of the building
with his own hands. After the extension of the Sanctuary he
needed some more pews so he built them himself. The church
is valued at approximately $400,000.00
