The Lighthouse Christian Center began late in 1980 when Reverend Barbara Libby and her husband, Percy Libby, Jr., had a genuine desire to plant a church. They briefly held their worship services in a former schoolhouse in Gorham, Maine, but moved the services to a rented grange hall on Seavey Street in Westbrook, Maine, in 1981. Rev. Libby played the organ which provided the music for worship and the preached the sermon. Percy, affectionately known as “Brother Libby,” lead the congregation as worship leader. The chose to call the church the Lighthouse Pentecostal Assembly, which was later revised.

After two years, the small congregation, encouraged by Rev. Libbey, believed that God could provide them their own building to worship Him. In 1982, by faith, they took out a loan to purchase land on Spring Street, in Westbrook, and repaid the loan with sacrificial pledges from the members, teens, and young children. The loan was paid back, in full, and the site plan for the new church was approved, in September 1984.

God used many individuals to supply every need for the church building project. Small and large financial gifts, materials, equipment and labor was given or donated. In fact, the majority of the work was done by unpaid volunteers, which included church members, friends, family, and occasionally passers-by lent a hand. Even the elderly helped with prepping the inside wood trim. God was so good!

The Libby’s eldest son, Gary, a carpenter by trade, fulfilled the role of chief foreman throughout the construction. Gary directed everyone who labored, even on Saturdays, for two years to complete the building project. The forty by eighty-foot building was fully completed and solemnly dedicated to the Lord on June 21, 1987. Rev. Libby appropriately nick-named the church “God’s Miracle on Spring Street.” The Lord brought in a total of $196,000 to the small group of believers!

Many ministries and activities thrived within the new church and extended to the community including Bible studies, Sunday School classes, ASL junior choir, men’s, women’s, and senior ministries, Vacation Bible Schools, Christian Life Theology classes, and a Christian school academy, from 1988-1994. There are many fond memories of Easter and Christmas pageants with all ages participating together portraying the Biblical events.

Regular worship services, weddings, funerals, salvation commitments, graduations, and special events took place throughout the thirty-six years of Rev. Libby’s leadership. Sadly, in May of 2018, God called our founder to her reward in heaven. She was predeceased by her faithful husband and assistant pastor, in February 2001. Many lives were changed, impacted, and blessed by this couple’s faithful service to God. They often said, “All the praise belongs to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”