County of church: Franklin County
Location of church: Lewis & Clark St., west side of post office, Washington
Phone: (636) 239-4054
Sunday Service: 8am & 10am
"In total, a Life Stream Church service is about 75 minutes in length. Services begin with the Life Stream band leading the church in music - song lyrics are projected onto the screens so you can sing along and/or engage with worship however you feel most comfortable. After the music portion of service is complete, one of our pastors will come out to share a Bible-centered message with a time to respond to the message." ~ Life Stream Church
"Washington’s Life Stream Church, formerly called First Assembly of God, recently marked 50 years in the community.
"Originally located at the corner of East Eighth and Burnside streets, the church changed its name and location 3 1/2 years ago. It’s now at 551 Lewis and Clark Drive, behind the Washington Post Office off Highway 100.
'“We knew at our move that we would make a name change,” said the Rev. Pastor Paul Scheperle, pastor, adding that the word “first” doesn’t have any theological meaning.
"And despite being connected with the Assembly of God Fellowship, church members wanted to replace the word “assembly” with “church” to reflect that it’s a congregation.
"Life Stream is associated with the way people intake, or stream, information.
'“We want people to know that God gives life,” Scheperle said. “When people think about getting something these days, they think of streaming things.”
"Changing the name and the subsequent relocation have been the biggest changes in the church’s history, Scheperle said.
"Since the move, attendance has increased from approximately 195 per week to about 300 per week.
"Fundamentally, the church is Christian, evangelical and Pentecostal.
"Scheperle said he’s proud that the church has thrived over the past 50 years.
'“It’s something like 80 percent of church plants fail,” he said, adding that the church plant was successful and has beat the statistics." ~ The Missourian, By Karen Butterfield, November 12, 2016