HISTORY

The history of The Rugby Congregational Church begun in 1907, when a number of the residents from the Rugby community of Brooklyn, New York gathered together for weekly prayer meetings in their individual homes. On February 14th, 1913 the church was incorporated as The Rugby Congregational Church. The current sanctuary building was completed and a dedication service was held on Sunday, June 10th, 1928. In the 1970s and 1980s, the congregation continued to reflect the changing community with new immigrants from the Caribbean.

A significant turning point in the history of the church came with the introduction of the current pastor – Archbishop Dr. Sidley R. Mullings in 1987. Dr. Mullings was officially installed on January 27, 1992 and became the 26th pastor of this historic church. Under Dr. Mullings’ leadership the church now has both a local and global vision. He has been very instrumental in the tremendous growth of the membership of the church and its impact on local communities and globally. On January 11th, 2003, the name of the church was changed to The Rugby Deliverance Tabernacle to reflect the nature of the vision and service of the church.

The role the church plays in helping the homeless and needy of the community is a significant area of community services that must be highlighted. The Rugby Deliverance Tabernacle has also developed a global mission to help the needy and poor to several countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and South America. In addition, The Rugby Deliverance Tabernacle, under the leadership of Archbishop Mullings, oversees churches in the United States, the Philippines, India, Ghana and South Africa and several countries in the Caribbean. After 100 years, as we are “Celebrating the Past, Transforming the Present and Impacting the Future”, we look forward with hope and expectation to making more contributions to our great history, as we undertake to continue to make this world a better place for all humanity.