History of Faith Mission

Led by the Lord to plant a church in the city where she was raised, the late Rev. Marjorie A. Perienchief-Boston founded Faith Mission.  The first Sunday morning worship service was held on October 12th, 1997, at 8:30 a.m. at the Royal Regency Hotel located at 165 Tuckahoe Road, in Yonkers, NY.

The late Donald Boston, the husband of Rev. Boston, accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior on that day and became the first member of Faith Mission.  The church leadership included Rev. Barbara Evans, who served as Associate Minister; Elaine Archibald as church clerk; and Donald Boston as Trustee.  Rev. Gay Tompson (Steele), Marvin Benjamin (deceased), and Min. Leslie Franco were the morning worship soloists who led the congregation in song.

The church membership grew and within 2 years, the Lord provided a new home for Faith Mission at 27 Tuckahoe Road, in Yonkers, NY.  Rev. Marjorie Boston, fondly called “Rev. Marge,” served as pastor of Faith Mission for 10 years.  Through her preaching, teaching, steadfast leadership, and determination, Rev. Marge led the Faith Mission congregation to higher heights and deeper depths in the Lord.  During her tenure, Faith Mission provided college scholarships, fed the hungry, served seniors in the Runyon Heights community, gave bookbags with school supplies, and provided thousands of Christmas toys and gifts to children and families throughout Yonkers and Mt. Vernon, NY. 

In January 2008, Rev. Marge retired from pastoral leadership at Faith Mission and returned to her home church, Grace Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon, where she continued to serve in ministry under the leadership of her pastor, Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson.  In February 2008, Rev. Marge appointed Rev. Gay Tompson-Steele and Rev. Willis Steele to pick up the baton and serve as pastoral leaders of Faith Mission.  Rev. Gay and Rev. Willis were installed on April 26th, 2009.  On that day, Faith Mission was adopted into the Grace Baptist Church ministry and the name was changed to Faith Mission - Grace Baptist Church, Yonkers.  In that same year, Rev. Gay established an official choir, and the “Voices of Faith” was born.

The Lord remained faithful, and the church family grew.  Sisters Norma Perry and Beatrice Gonzales were ordained as deacons in June 2012 to help serve the congregation, and in July 2012 the church moved to a larger location at 20 Buckingham Road, Yonkers, NY.  The church continued to provide holiday meals for senior citizens and host its annual back-to-school “Gospel in the Park” rally.

In September 2013, the “Faith in Motion” dance ministry was established, consisting of the church’s youth.  And in 2014 the church held its first annual “Caribbean Day Fiesta.”  Also in 2014, Min. Kimmie McEachin (Boyd), a student at the New York Theological Seminary, became the first intern at Faith Mission.  Sis. Teferal King was ordained as a deacon of Faith Mission in 2015. 

On October 18, 2015, Rev. Marjorie A. Boston went to be home with the Lord.  At the time of her transition, she was at home completing what would become her final sermon preparation.  Rev. Marge was to deliver the sermon that morning to Faith Mission on their 18th church anniversary and its title was “A Need for Workers.”  Rev. Marjorie A. Boston’s legacy as founding pastor, pastor emeritus, spiritual advisor, and friend is still a blessing to the congregants of Faith Mission.  On December 1, 2021, her husband, Trustee Donald Boston, who had remained a member of Faith Mission, joined her in passing. 

In 2016, Reverends Willis and Gay Steele were led to relocate from Yonkers, New York to Southern California.  Appointed by the Reverends Steele, Min. Kimmie McEachin (Boyd) was ordained and was installed as the pastoral leader of Faith Mission - Grace Baptist Church Yonkers.  Her installation took place on June 25, 2017, at the 20 Buckingham Road location.  In January 2018, Rev. McEachin (Boyd) announced that the name of the church would be Grace Baptist Church of Yonkers, affirming her pastoral leadership under the direction of Grace Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon, NY.  church continued with street ministry, coat drives, scholarship awards, and holiday meals for seniors in the community.  Sis. Vivienne James and Bro. Gabriel Young, who were appointed by the Reverends Steele, completed their deaconate ordination in 2019.

The congregation continued to meet virtually through the worst of the coronavirus pandemic and the membership returned to the sanctuary in the summer of 2021 with no lives lost to COVID-19.  To God be the glory.  The Buckingham Road location was shuttered in 2022, and Grace Baptist Church of Yonkers was swiftly relocated to another location at 112 Radford Street.  October 12, 2022, Faith Mission celebrated its 25th church anniversary as "Grace Baptist Church of Yonkers." 

In early 2023, after learning of the planned subsumption of Grace Baptist Church of Yonkers into another congregation, Faith Mission’s deacons and members took measures to reorganize, to preserve the legacy and constitution of its original founding and its philosophy of ministry.  At such time when Faith Mission Christian Church filed for incorporation, the church leadership included Deacon Vivienne James, Deacon Norma Perry, and Deacon Gabriel Young.

Min. Jasmine Young and Deacon Gabriel Young served as transitional pastors of Faith Mission from 2023 through 2026.  Sunday services were first held at the Runyon Heights Community House, and in the months to follow, the church focused on spiritual formation, street evangelism, and innovation in ministry.  As time passed, Pastors Jasmine and Gabriel continued in service to the ministry and investment in its future. The church secured its next lease at 168 Ashburton Avenue in December 2024 and redefined itself as an outward-facing ministry. Over two years, Faith Mission served the Ashburton corridor distributing food, bibles, backpacks, toys, and hosting refugees, homeless, single mothers, and neighborhood residents in fellowship. 

During this transitional period, Faith Mission conducted two baptisms, three baby dedications, and three years of regular worship services which marked a time of healing and commission for its members. On June 21, 2026, Faith Mission worshipped together in Yonkers, NY for its final service as a local expression of Christ’s church. Pastors Jasmine and Gabriel Young led the closing service at its Ashburton Avenue location.

As we reflect on the journey of Faith Mission—from its founding in 1997 through seasons of growth, transition, reorganization, and renewed vision—we give thanks for a church that has remained committed to serving God and its community through every chapter. From hotel gatherings to established locations, from founding leadership to successive pastoral hands, the thread has always been God’s sustaining presence and a people willing to follow Him.

Now, as this chapter comes to a close, we do so with the same posture that has carried Faith Mission through every season: faithfulness. The legacy of Faith Mission is not confined to a building or a structure, but lives on in the lives changed, the community served, and the witness carried forward by those who have been part of this story. And so we move ahead—grateful for what has been, anchored in who God is, and confident in His promise:

“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

Trusting that the same Lord who began this work will continue it in each of us, wherever He leads next.