Roanoke Missionary Baptist Church first opened its doors 150 years ago and will be celebrating its landmark anniversary on Sunday, joined by member of Kings Highway Missionary Baptist Church of Pine Bluff.
The public is welcome to join in the celebration, which will begin at 4 p.m. at the church, located at 236/238 Whittington Ave., with a message by Kings Highway Pastor Walter C. May Sr., and music by Roanoke's Gospel Choir and Male Chorus, the First Baptist Choir-Rockport in Malvern, and the Kings Highway Choir.
Now in its seventh building, the church placed its historic former building, now vacant, on the market in an effort to raise funds to finance a new sanctuary for their current location.
Elmer Beard, local NAACP representative and a Roanoke deacon, said the spirit of the church has endured throughout its six buildings. With an estimated 80-100 worshippers in attendance weekly, he said he has high hopes for the sturdy building.
"We would like to see the building passed on to another church or an agency that has a need to help the community. The building could be near the people that it will serve. It could be used for a public facility by a government agency or an education institution," Beard said.
He said the church body has made many efforts to serve the community in its history and currently operates a food bank. Throughout its history, the church has provided education for people of color, served as the first day care for African-Americans, hosted the first Boy Scouts troop and entertained the National Baptist Convention.
He said the church has a motto, "We have come thus far by fate, leaning on the Lord."
"I don't know another building in this town stronger as it is. Brick outside and inside, we are very proud of it. I use the word sparingly, but I would say it's unique and well-constructed," he said.
The church goes back four generations and the building has outlasted darker days during the 1960s, he said.
"Church burnings, for civil rights leaders, were commonplace during that time. Especially if the civil rights leader was a minister," Beard said.
The Rev. James Donald Rice was the president of the Hot Springs NAACP Unit No. 6013 and the pastor of Roanoke during the 1963 fire. He received threatening phone calls before the church burned, Beard said.
"While the church was burning people were gathered around. Still in remorse, we believed it was related to some Klansman activity. Another white minister in town was the first person to give a donation for the rebuilding of the church that took 10 years," he said.
The church body remains in positive spirits despite the conditions of their building and takes pride in their choir, with an emphasis on religious education and acts of service, Beard said.
Local on 02/24/2018