The History of our Church
A BRIEF HISTORY OF GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
By the beginning of the twentieth century the population in Durham was raidly expanding. It was an exciting time as industry and business grew, thus attracting new citizens, many of whom moved to the city from the surrounding areas. The fact that a street car traveled Mangum Street made this area, known as North Durham, a convenient place to live and families settled in this area. Recognizing the need for a church in North Durham, the First Baptist Church made plans in 1904 to build a missionary church just outside of what was then the city limits. The property at the corner of Roxboro Road and Geer Street (now Mangum Street and Trinity Avenue) was donated to the Trustees of the “Baptist church worshipping on Mangum Street” by Fred C. Geer in 1887. Mr. Geer also gave a gift of $1,000 to begin work on the building in 1906.
The first building was completed in June 1907, and the church was organized as North Durham Baptist Church on July 30, 1907 with 54 charter members. Most of these came by letter from the First Baptist Church. Although it was common practice for the North Carolina Baptist Sate Convention to aid newly formed churches in supporting their pastors, the church soon became self-supporting and never received any outside aid. It was one of the few Baptist churches in the state not to receive any aid from the State Board. The first pastor was Reverend J. M. Arnette who was paid an annual salary of $1,000. He began his duties in August 1907 and served eight years, resigning in May 1914. During his tenure, the church was received into the Mount Zion Association and continued its membership until 1948 when the church, along with twenty-six other churches, formed the Yates Association in the eastern section of the Mount Zion territory.
Reverend R. R. Lanier was called from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky in October 1914. He served as a faithful and successful pastor until March 1918. Reverend Victor V. McGuire was called in September 1918 from the 2nd Baptist Church of Danville, Virginia. He was pastor less than a year due to being appointed by the Foreign Mission Board as a missionary to Canton, China; however, he did much to highlight the need for foreign missions during his tenure. During Rev. McGuire’s pastorate, plans were drawn for an up-to-date Sunday School building. Reverend William J. Crain was called in September 1919 after being released from service with the American Red Cross. It was during Rev. Crain’s pastorate that a new addition was completed for needed Sunday School rooms. The name of the church was changed from North Durham to Grace Baptist Church on May 15, 1921. Reverend Crain resigned in January 1922.
On April 16, 1922, Dr. George T. Watkins came as pastor from the First Baptist Church of Goldsboro. During his service, membership grew to 590 and financial support to all denominational causes reached a high peak. Grace Church became one of the leading churches of the city. One of the most important accomplishments of Dr. Watkins’ tenure was the organization of the Watkins Personal Workers Band in the 1930’s. More than ever during the Great Depression the people of Grace Church provided help to the needy. In October 1932 after ten years of faithful ministry, the pastor died. The Baraca Bible Class changed its name to the Watkins Bible Class to honor him for his loyal service. During Dr. Watkins’ pastorate, the men’s class met in the auditorium and had about 40 members. That meeting place was unsatisfactory because of early arrivals for the morning worship service. Other make-shift places were tried and finally the class decided to construct a log hut on the Trinity Avenue side of the church in 1933 in memory of Dr. Watkins. The hut was used by the Watkins Class as well as a social center, and for the Church Library.
The pastor who served the longest term to date was the Reverend Henry B. Anderson. He came to Grace from Enfield, North Carolina in 1933. During his pastorate more than a dozen churches were formed from missions assisted by Grace Church. Under Rev. Anderson’s direction, the church became more keenly aware of the need for additional facilities. It was not unusual for those who attended Sunday morning worship to be seated in the adjoining Sunday School assembly room. In March 1936, the church bought a parsonage at 1104 N. Mangum Street for the home of the pastor.
The war years brought new concerns to the church as many of its own were in the armed services. Mr. Anderson spent much of his time writing to those who answered their country’s call. Soldiers who were stationed at Camp Butner were invited into members’ homes for a home-cooked meal. Young people’s organizations were active in involving soldiers in Grace worship services. In 1945, the church adopted Dr. Coleman Clarke as our first foreign missionary. This was the beginning of support for many foreign missionaries over the years by Grace Baptist Church. One of our former members, Doris McGee, along with her husband John, served many years on the mission field in Nigeria. With the war’s end, Grace Baptist Church continued to grow and the long-awaited building program began. Mr. K. U. Bryan purchased two lots just north of the church and gave them to the church. On June 9, 1948, the ground-breaking service was held and work begun on the new sanctuary. The new sanctuary was completed at a total cost of $324,000, and the first service was held in it the first Sunday in October of 1950. Work on an Educational Building began in September, 1956. It was completed in October 1958 at a cost of approximately $280,000.
In the early 1950’s, the church paper, “The Vision,” was started under the supervision of Miss Doris Palmer, Education Director, with the theme, “Where there is no Vision the people perish.” In 1964, a Kindergarten and Day Care was begun. A family night supper and worship service was initiated as well. Following the retirement of Rev. Anderson in December, 1965, Rev. Robert Gray, who had been serving as Associate Pastor for a year, was called as pastor beginning January 1, 1966. During Rev. Gray’s five years at Grace several building projects were initiated and completed. On July 27, 1969, the church became free of debt as the education building was paid for and the note burning was celebrated. The church has remained debt free since that time. Rev. Gray resigned in November of 1970.
Following the resignation of Dr. Gray, Reverend Dennis Hockaday served as interim pastor for eight months from January 1971 through August 1971.Reverend Fred King was called as pastor in September, 1971. Under Rev. King, a constitution was adopted, the Welcome Club was founded, and the Branch Bible Class began a tape ministry for homebound members. At this time, church enrollment had reached 1,047 with a budget of $106,096.62 for 1973. A Children’s Church was started at Grace in 1974 under the leadership of Reverend Doug West, the Mistier of Education, at the time.
Reverend Henry B. Anderson returned as interim in 1979, serving Grace for one year until January 1, 1980, when Dr. Frank Zedick was called from the First Baptist Church of Dillon, South Carolina. The church body grieved when Rev. Anderson died on December 1, 1980. Dr. Zedick’s basic concept in ministry was “Growing People.” Under his leadership, the church constitution was revised in 1980 converting the polity of Grace Baptist Church from that of a deacon-controlled church to that of a congregationally-controlled church. He also established the Deacon Family Ministry Plan and initiated an outreach program involving the church body reaching out to inactive and non-church members. These changes provided the foundation for the gradual development of the search for spiritual gifts on the part of the membership of the church and an emphasis on the Priesthood of the Believer and the concept of Every Believer a Minister. In January 1981, the church began a television ministry broadcasting “Morning Worship at Grace” by delayed cable channel. Other broadcast ministries included a weekly international Bible study featuring several members the church along with Dr. Zedick.
Much was done during Dr. Zedick’s tenure to improve the Grace Church facility. In the early 1980’s, the fellowship hall and church kitchen were completely renovated and much of the education building was updated. A “Together We Build” campaign in the late 1980’s raised $450,000 for the church to make several major improvements: Renovation of the nursery area, major roof repair, a new pipe organ constructed by the Holtkamp Organ Company of Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Zedick was very active in the Yates Association and received the “Minister of the Year” Award in October, 1989. He retired from the pastorate in 1991 and is now Pastor Emeritus. Dr. Zedick remains an active member of Grace Church as he continues to serve God through mission and ministry opportunities locally and abroad. During Dr. Zedick’s tenure Eddie Hammett served with distinction as Minister of Education from April 1986 through July 1990. // Reverend Crate Jones was called to serve as interim Pastor in 1991 until the church called Dr. Woods Watson. Dr. Woods Watson served Grace as pastor from 1991 to 1993. During his tenure, the church adopted new Mission and Vision statements that have helped her focus on present priorities as a downtown church. Dr. Watson resigned in July 1993. Dr. Wayne McDill, Professor of Preaching at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, served as interim pastor from 1993 - 1995.
Dr. Walter A. Isley was called as pastor in May of 1995 from Eastern Parkway Baptist Church of Louisville, Kentucky. An emphasis was placed on consensus building and leadership style and the importance of the Sunday School in the life of the church. Under his tenure, the church evaluated its needs and successfully joined in a “Challenge to Grow” campaign to meet some very challenging needs of the church.
Following Dr. Isley’s resignation, Rev. Donald G. Sanders became Interim Pastor in 1998 and subsequently Pastor of the church. During his tenure new equipment for the television ministry was installed, the Fellowship Hall kitchen was renovated and, in 2003, an AWANA Ministry was begun during the school year as an outreach to children in the church and community. That same year Rev. Burke Raper, who began his duties as Minister of Music at Grace in September 1980 left his post as Associate Minister. Dr. James Good became Interim Minister of Music in September, 2003. Ms. Kelly Brown, who joined the staff as secretary in March, 1997, is currently the Ministry Assistant.
Rev. Sander’s resignation took effect in January, 2005, Dr. Gerald Goodwin was called to be Interim Pastor of Grace Baptist Church and began his work in February, 2005. During October, 2006, Grace Baptist Church entered into an agreement with the Lighthouse Baptist Church to utilize available facilities at Grace for their programs, including worship. Lighthouse began as a mission of the Durham Rescue Mission and is an independent community of believers. Rev. M. Victor Carpenter began his duties in the newly created position of Associate Pastor for Outreach and Family Ministry in April, 2007. Together with church leaders and committees, he is engaged in planning and activating ministries that will move the ministries of Grace Baptist outside of the walls of the church and reach the larger Durham Community.
God has richly blessed Grace Baptist Church during our first one hundred years. By His grace and with continued strong spiritual leadership, the church will continue to minister in His Name to the community and world. We look forward to the future knowing “Him whom (we) have believed, persuaded that He is able to keep that which (we) have committed unto Him against that day.” (Adapted from Paul’s second letter to Timothy 1:12)