BAPTIST TABERNACLE CELEBRATES 110TH ANNIVERSARY NOVEMBER
23, 2003.
On November 23, 2003 Baptist Tabernacle celebrated its 110th
anniversary. The emphasis of the10:45 A.M. worship service focused
the past, the present, and the future. After the morning worship
there was a fellowship lunch. Following the lunch there was
pageant depicting highlights of the church through the decades.
On March 26, 1890
during the regular business meeting the Twenty-Second and Walnut
Street Baptist Church (later the Twenty-Third and Broadway Baptist
Church) resolved to form a committee to search out a location for a
mission station so that a Sunday School may be started, with the
intent of organizing a church. Several months later a site at 26th
and Market was obtained, a building erected and a Sunday
School started. Rev. George Manly was secured to lead worship
services. Later 22nd & Walnut Street Church resolved
that those who worshiped at 26th & Market be organized as
a “branch church” known as the 26th & Market Street
Baptist Church.
By January 1893 the
membership at 26th& Market was 218. The deacons
recommended that it be organized as a separate Baptist Church. On
Thursday, March 23, 1893 the 26th& Market Street Baptist
Church held its first business meeting as an independent church.
One hundred and seven members of 22nd and Walnut Street
Baptist Church were dismissed from its watch care to the membership
of 26th and Market Street Baptist Church.
During the years the
church continued to grow, finally to the point that the little frame
chapel was not large enough to accommodate the Sunday School and
worship attendance. On July 28, 1909, under the leadership of Rev.
Reed the cornerstone was laid for a new building. This was a
magnificent two-story brick structure large enough to serve the
congregation, which continued to grow.
It was during this
time that the name of the church was changed to Baptist Tabernacle.
In the September 1909 business meeting it was resolved that the
church be known as Baptist Tabernacle. The minute books were
severely damaged by the 1937 flood, and if there was an explanation
written for this change it was lost. But from 1909 the church has
been known as Baptist Tabernacle.
Baptist Tabernacle
continued to grow. New programs started for the children and youth
of the church community. Major remodeling was done to provide for
the physical need of the congregation. By 1921 it was obvious that
the facilities were inadequate for the number of individuals
attending Sunday school and worship service. Under the leadership
of Dr. A.K. Wright the church started on a significant building
program. A one-story structure, similar in appearance to the
existing building, was built to house the sanctuary and some
classrooms. The intent was to add a second story to this new
building. In between the new and older building a gymnasium was
erected.
Two major
occurrences prevented the erection of the proposed second story. In
December 1928 it was discovered that a member entrusted with the
finances of the church was unworthy of that trust. The congregation
found themselves over $41,000 in debt! The individual had taken
out, in the name of the church, notes at various banking
institutions. The Long Run Baptist Association assumed and paid off
the debt, holding the deed to the church property and the
parsonage. After 6 years of sacrificial giving by the congregation
during the beginning of the “great depression” and forgiveness of
part of their obligation to the Long Run Association, the members
again owned their church in 1935.
The joy was short
lived, however. In 1937 the great flood utterly destroyed the
sanctuary. This structure was at street level. The floodwaters
almost reached the ceiling of the building. Chairs, pews, the
organ, piano, hymnbooks, pastor’s study, most everything in the
building was damaged or destroyed. Again the congregation
persevered and, with the help from Long Run Association, restored
the facilities during the “great depression” years.
Then came World War
II. Churches were very important to the community in these
frightening years. Baptist Tabernacle continued to grow. Under the
leadership of Dr. Lewis C. Ray building sites were considered
including the 26th& Market Street location. Finally, a
site at 30th.and Market Street was purchased, and in 1953
the congregation marched down Market Street to their new church
home.
Under the pastorate
of Brother Joe P. Williams the congregation experienced what become
know as “white flight.” Many of the members moved from the West End
to other areas of the city, and in the process took their church
membership to a Baptist church in their new neighborhood. For the
first time in its existence Baptist Tabernacle experienced not
church growth, but decline. The congregation, in these years, made
two significant decisions. While some Baptist churches were
positioning men on the steps of their church to preclude blacks from
entering, the congregation voted to welcome everyone to Baptist
Tabernacle, and to membership. Baptist Tabernacle was one of the
first, if not the first, white Baptist church, in the Louisville
area, to call an African-American as associate pastor.
During these years
Baptist Tabernacle determined that there was a need for a Christian
witness in the community surrounding the church. The congregation
felt Baptist Tabernacle staying at 30th & Market Street
could best serve that need.
Linda Johnson who
wrote “A History of Baptist Tabernacle 1893-1993” is the source for
most of the information in this article. She wrote it for the 1993
anniversary celebration. In that article she writes.
“Although the
Portland area is not a prosperous neighborhood, it is a stable one.
There are still people living in the neighborhood that need to hear
the good news. There are people in Baptist Tabernacle who have the
good news. If God had intended the good news for only the twentieth
century Tabernacle’s job would soon be over. But the good news is
for every person in every century. If enough people at Baptist
Tabernacle believe that then Tabernacle has a future. The future
belongs to those who are willing to learn and grow and be used by
God in the coming century. Baptist Tabernacle has had a century of
committed Christians serving Christ and community. If Tabernacle
has another century in its future we only have to look at our hands.
Let’s pray the members allow God to put into their hands what is
needed to do His will.”
Under the leadership
of our current pastor, Brother Michael Troy Shell, Baptist
Tabernacle is witnessing and reaching individuals in our Portland
area. In 1999 Baptist Tabernacle entered a covenant agreement with
the Long Run Baptist Association to establish a Ministry Center for
the Portland area at Baptist Tabernacle. Through this covenant
Baptist Tabernacle, utilizing finances from the Inner City Fund of
Long Run, is able to better witness for Christ through service to
individuals in Portland. Food, clothing, medical assistance is
available for emergency situations. Several summer programs for the
children and youth of Portland have been funded through this Inner
City Fund. Baptist Tabernacle, at 30th & Market,
continues to serve Christ in the Portland area.
Submitted by:
Herb Wilson
(Baptist Tabernacle)
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