Grace Apostolic Church was the vision of Rev. Carlton S. Rigg, he requested and was granted permission from his pastor, the  late Pastor Stevenson of Greenwood UPC to establish an outreach program in the Scarborough area.  Elder Hugh Peart and family joined and gave Bro. Rigg their support. 

Prayer meetings began in the basement of the Peart’s residence at 23 Romuslus Drive in 1985.  Several families totaling 20 persons took the initiative to join the Outreach/Prayer Program. A new church was being birthed in Scarborough.

The presence of the Lord was rich in the services and being assured that they were heading in the right direction and, outgrowing the basement, they needed a larger facility. In 1986 services were held at George B. Little School in the Horton Park and Progress area in Scarborough . This was also the year the application to form Grace Apostolic Church  Corp. was officially approved by the government of Ontario.  The Presence of the Lord was overwhelming and the Spirit of God moved mightily.

It was during this period that the Pentecostal movement in Scarborough experienced the first Good Friday Service. The response to this service was tremendous, the facility was full to capacity and the Lord moved in a mighty way.

In October of 1986 the church moved to 3739 Lawrence Avenue, East at the Bridge Club which became affectionately known to the members as “The Upper Room.”  The facility was originally being shared with the Bridge Club with many disadvantages. However, after six months of sharing, Grace became the sole tenant.

During the years 1987 – 1994, the church experienced the move of God in a mighty way.  Pastor Rigg received a revelation from the Lord that a demonic power needed to be broken in Scarborough in order to get a breakthrough. In response, he went on many protracted periods of fasting. Many were delivered and the church continued to growth.

Many came and helped with the growth of the young church – Bro. Coughlan, an evangelist from New Brunswick, Bro. Audley Castro (now pastor of APC in Pickering) introduced the church to fasting for breakthrough, Bro. Raymond Grant (now pastor of Bibleway Ministries in Ottawa) started the Sunday School division.

It was also in the “Upper Room” in 1990 that Pastor Rigg opened the door of Grace to a young man from Guyana, Bro. Andrew Eastman. 20 Years later… Pastor Rigg nominated him to the board of directors to be the next pastor of Grace.