Centennial Negro Churches
How many Negro churches do we have that are 100+ years old? How did they do it? Where in the city are they located? How did they survive and strive all of these years and live to celebrate it?
Such a list can only aspire to being comprehensive, rather than claiming to be complete. But here lies an honest attempt to offer a brief glimpse into the prevailing religious and sustaining mood of the Negro Church. This is so very important to generations coming and going.
Upfront and foremost, I need your help to complete this list. So far this is what we have and not completely in order of years.
“The Colored Church” is 165 years old. That is New El Bethel Baptist Church, Royce City, Texas, which was founded around 1853. The current pastor is a dynamic young minister from South Dallas, Rev. Steven Gray. New Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Rev. Rayford Terrell, Pastor, Joppa Community, is 135 years old. New Hope Baptist Church, Rev. Ron Jones, Pastor, is 144 years old. Greater New Zion Baptist Church, Rev. Joe S. Patterson, is 143 years old. True Lee Baptist Church, Rev. Donald R. Parish, Sr., celebrated their 108th year on Sunday, January 14, 2018. I was invited to the services alone with the Honorable Dwaine Caraway and Council Member Casey Thomas, City of Dallas. True Lee Baptist Church chronicled their journey via year starting with the migration of families from Palmer, Texas , as True Vine Baptist Church.
Sidebar: While Rev. Parish was at the pulpit, he asked Sandra L. Jackson to come and speak. Ms. Jackson has deep roots and relatives in the church. Sandra L. Jackson was amazingly very comfortable at the church microphone. Her voice reminded me of another oratory speaking politician, Barbara Jordan, former distinguished U. S. Congresswoman from Houston who also grew up in the church. After announcing her candidacy for Judge, 302nd District Court, she ended with her Christian journey, mentioning her father and the late Rev. Dr. J. K. Jones, her grandfather. The church replied in applause. Let me say the same thing that Rev. Parish said. . . ‘we need Christians in politics’. End of Sidebar.
Mt. Horeb, Baptist Church, Rev. B. J. Bradford is 100 years old. The other names on the list so far are Salem Baptist Church, True Light and Munger Churches. Morningstar Church on Anderson Street, Progressive Church on Dolphin Road. Just a few but we know there are more.
Again, we need your help. Let us hear from you.
Ester Davis is a celebrated writer, nominated for the
2018 Living Legends Award in April, 2018. “The
Ester Davis Show” times and location @
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