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Synopsis of Shalom Baptist Church
History
e1955-2008f
Shalom Baptist Church was organized, as a New
Testament Missionary Baptist Church, June 10, 1955, at the residence of
Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Goode, 740-27th Street, Newport News,
Virginia, by the late Reverend Joseph Brackett
Reid, D.D.
Mrs. Mary Francis Reid led the first song, “Let the
Light from the Lighthouse Shine on Me.” In keeping with the spirit of
love, harmony, and peace:
the name, “Shalom Baptist Church” was suggested by Reverend Dr. Reid
based on the principles preached by “Jesus who in His Sermon on The
Mount” said, in St. Matthew 5:19, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they
shall be called the children of God,” with the initial church motto–“To
Minister to People and Serve the Community.” Each Sunday, Shalom Baptist
Church parishioners
quoted, “Shalom (Peace), Shalom Aleichem (My Peace Be With You),” from
1955 to 1988.
During its
initial organization and framework, the following 12 persons were
present:
Reverend Dr. Joseph B. Reid
Samuel Clarke
James Page
Dr. Mary Frances Reid
Weldon Davis
Louise Sample
Ida Flake Alexander
Charity Goode
William T. Stewart, Jr.
Francis Burnette Artis
J.H. Goode
Dorsey
Washington
The following
were elected as the first church officers:
Reverend Dr. Joseph Reid:
Pastor
Dr. Mary Frances Reid:
Church Secretary
William T. Stewart, Jr.:
Trustee/Church Clerk
Dorsey Washington:
Deacon
Weldon Davis:
Deacon
James Page:
Deacon
Samuel Clark:
Deacon
Chauncey Pringle:
Deacon
Without a permanent church home, the Pastor and members of the
Church
of God, a white
congregation, at 850-28th
Street, Newport News,
invited the Reverend Dr. Reid and his small group of Christians to
worship and use their church home for their worship services after their
regular morning services. On
September 25, 1955, the Shalom Baptist Church
agreed to purchase the “Little Shalom” church and its parsonage from the Church of God. On Monday, May 14, 1956, Shalom Baptist
Church was officially certified as a “Baptist Church” by the Tidewater Peninsula
Baptist Association, which allowed membership and church recognition
within the Virginia Baptist State Convention and the National Baptist
Convention.
The
First Church Anniversary was observed from Sunday, June 3rd.
through Sunday, June 10, 1956, with the theme “In the Cross of Christ I
Glory,” based on the emphasis Scripture Psalm 133:1.
On
June 17, 1962, Shalom Baptist
Church celebrated the
church’s mortgage burning. Shalom’s membership grew continuously from
the original twelve to over 700 members with 20-25 clubs. To accommodate
its increased congregational membership, two worship services were
firmly incorporated at 8:00
and 11:00 a.m.
On April 18, 1964, the Shalom Baptist
Church agreed to purchase
its current building from the United Church of Christ. Upon entry to our
current church site on March 14, 1965, a great automobile caravan of all
clubs and all organizations left the premises of “Little Shalom” to the
doorsill of Shalom Baptist Church, 1111-24th Street, with a
great deal of community support as musical arrays were provided by local
high school bands.
It is to be remembered that the first
Child Care
Center was established by a black
church in Newport News,
founded by Dr. Mary Frances Reid, September 1965.
During the years of Shalom
Baptist
Church, six of its members
were called to the Gospel Ministry: Reverend Dr. E.T. Byrd, Reverend Dr.
T.T. Brown, Reverend
Joseph Dupree, Reverend Dr. M. Ivory Jefferson, Reverend Walter Dean and
Reverend John A. Mann, Jr. As our
pastor physically aged and health concerns evolved, Reverend Arthur
House, Jr. assisted Pastor Reid with worship services. In 1988-1989, the
church acknowledged and accepted the retirement of Pastor Reid, with the
bestowed title, Pastor Emeritus.
Reverend Dr. Reid and Mrs. Dr Reid were towers and
pillars of strength encouraging its members to develop themselves
progressively and intelligently.
Mrs. Dr. Mary Francis Reid succumbed
October 23, 1991
and Pastor Emeritus Reverend Dr. Joseph Brackett Reid succumbed March 20, 1994.
August 4, 1990, Reverend Nathaniel Huggins of Chesapeake,
Virginia, was installed as our second Pastor,
serving until February 21, 1993. Under his pastoral
leadership, Reverend Huggins was accredited to implementing a central
financial managerial system for church funds; organizing a Junior Church
as a division of its own; and increasing the number of administrative
officers of the Trustees and of the Diaconate.
January
1, 1993, our original church edifice was engulfed by fire,
damaging the church’s sanctuary and water damaged portions of the
church’s educational fellowship facility. Without a meeting place, our
neighboring community churches opened their doors to allow us to
maintain our worship service from January 10,1993 to July 1993: Wesley
Grove United Church of Christ Fellowship Hall, Reverend Dr. Isaac
McDonald, Pastor and the First Baptist Church East End’s Family
Life
Center, Reverend Woodrow
Brown, Jr., Pastor. Deacon
Willie Manners, Chairman of the Diaconate, officiated as the church
official.
A committed band of Shalomite church officers
oversaw the renovations of our church, enabling the Shalomite church
family to leave our hospitable neighboring community churches to return
Home, to our refurbished Fellowship Hall, July 1993; and to return to
our restored Sanctuary,
February 27, 1994.
February 12, 1995, Reverend Peter Evans of Georgia
was installed as our third pastor, serving until April 11, 1999. Under his pastoral leadership,
Reverend Evans was accredited to combining choirs to a “Combined Choir”;
established a Christian Education Board with Director; revamped the
Youth Department as a separate entity from its previous church
auxiliary; rebuilt and reconstructed the administrative and supportive
measures of the church business through the ratification of the Church
Constitution and Bylaws, formulated Church Policy and Procedure
Committee, automated church software and the church financial system;
assembled the first Church History Committee; incorporated a church
newsletter entitled “The Shalomite”; allowed the publication and
distribution of a compiled booklet, “Helpful Hints About The Bible” to
the youth of the church; approved the organization of a monthly senior
meeting group, “Fruit of the Spirit”; oversaw along with other church
officers the renovations of the Educational Building with installation
of modern kitchen appliances, furniture and, carpentry for the Pastor’s
Conference Room and the First Lady’s Sitting Room; granted approval for
the first Women’s Retreat and supported the first new monthly annual
Women’s Fellowship Ministry; granted approval for a compiled training
manual for the Deacon and Deaconess/Mothers’ Ministries; and encouraged
the congregation to actively promote and financially support the
educational growth of our youth by establishing two scholarship
funds–the Reverend Dr. Joseph Brackett Reid Scholarship Fund and the
Deacon Jessie T. P. Dixon Scholarship Fund.
November 20, 1999, Reverend Derrick Perkins, Sr.
BTH, of Hampton,
Virginia,
Shalom Baptist
Church’s associate minister, was
installed as our fourth pastor of
Shalom
Baptist
Church. On May 5, 2000, Pastor Perkins was
bestowed the Honorary Doctoral Degree from the United Church College,
Goldsboro, North Carolina, with the now distinctive epithet–Reverend Dr.
Derrick Perkins, Sr.
Under his pastoral directives, the church’s mission
statement is, “Preparing God’s People For the Lord’s Work” (Matthew
28:19-20). Under his pastoral leadership from 1999-2000, Pastor Perkins
has maintained all our church’s local and national religious church
affiliations; presented with the church approval additional trustees;
deacons, deaconesses, and financial data input staff to certain
designated ministries initiated and implemented the fourth Friday of
each month as Youth Fellowship Night; revamped the Women’s Fellowship
Ministry and Women’s Retreat as separate entities from the previous
church ministry; reinstated the Church History Committee to collect and
update data and artifacts of the church; reinstated the church
newsletter entitled, the “Shalomite Press”; approved the genesis of the
intercessory prayer group; accepted and anointed on behalf of the entire
church family an electrical pair of candelabras for the communion table;
maintained the updated renovations of newly installed windows and a
sophisticated automatic-controlled central air and heating for the
Christian Educational Building and for the Fellowship Hall; initiated a
quarterly meeting with all church ministries’ presidents to correlate
the church theme within their ministries activities; submitted with the
church’s approval the Church’s Annual Homecoming Observance was
reinstated from the third Sunday in August to the third Sunday in
October; and, to acknowledge the joyful bond of new members–a New
Member’s Awareness Bulletin Board has been established.
For the year 2001, Reverend Dr. Derrick Perkins
presented the church theme, “Growing Spiritually In The Word of God,”
with the emphasis Scripture II Timothy 2:15.
Our church witnessed many
improvements to our church building to accommodate the members, physical
needs: and additional officers were appointed to maintain the total care
ministry to our members. To assist the Pastor to aid in the “holistic
spiritual ministry: to the members and to aid in the advancement and
knowledge of “God’s salvation” within the community, Pastor Perkins was
spiritually lead to accept the divine callings and add to his
ministerial staff the first licensed husband and wife ministerial team,
Reverend Roger and Karen Robbins, the first – First Lady licensed in
Evangelism, Evangelist Iris Perkins, and the first female congregational
member licensed in Pastoral Teaching and Leadership, Reverend Arnita S.
Perry.
As the year
2002 began with “divine spiritual visions” from the Heavenly Father,
Pastor Perkins presented the church theme, “Making Disciples For The
Kingdom Of God” with the emphasis Scripture Luke 10:1-2. The year
embarked with a church-wide workshop on the “Workings of the Holy
Spirit,” accentuating how to care for a church worshipper under the Holy
Spirit with certain ministries interacting. To enhance the “spiritual
life of discipleship” for the elected church officers, all 2002 church
officers were involved in the Annual Christian Education Leadership
Workshop on “Spiritual Leadership.” To facilitate in the construction of
a Fellowship Hall’s double bathroom facility, many monetary donations
were presented by families, couples, and a scholarship group, with
completion in December.
Pastor Perkins presented with the church’s approval
the implementation of “Unity Day,”
an annual third Sunday celebration in July, combining the annual
Men’s and Women’s Day’s Observances, which will now allow more time with
families and have predetermined monetary gifts from each member and from
each ministry.
In 2003, Pastor Perkins presented the church wide
theme, as an extension of 2002, - “Embracing Evangelism:
Making Disciples for the Kingdom of God,”
with the emphasis Scripture, Luke 14:16-24.
As technology increased in worship services of today, the
Audio-Video Ministry was installed to televise “all live church
services” via TV monitors within the Fellowship Hall, the Sunday
School’s Adult Classroom, and in the Pastor’s Study; especially when
seating is limited in the main sanctuary, and when members are involved
in church related activities in other church areas during the
service(s). To maintain a monthly beautification of the sanctuary a
decorating committee has been established, as a subdivision of the
Christian Education Ministry.
The Church History Committee began the process of compiling the
“first” hardback publication of our church history from June 10,
1955-January 20, 2003, with the assistance of the Peace River Printing
Company. To incorporate all
the choirs of the church with the distinct service to sing when visiting
other churches, the “Mass Choir” was established.
To assure assistance for the church to be opened and to provide
any security for any church meeting(s) or scheduled event(s) of each
week, the “Deacons and Trustees Week Assignments” were formulated.
In July
2003, Noon Day Bible Study and Spiritual Growth Classes were begun on
Wednesday of each week.
For the New Year 2004, Reverend Dr. Perkins
presented the church wide-theme, “Moving to the Next Level in
Evangelism,” with the emphasis Scripture Luke 14: 16-24.
During the month of January, presentations of musical “boom”
boxes were made to the Sunday School Ministry, and a hand-built large
television stand for the church’s oversized television in the Fellowship
Hall, and the new appointment for both the Director of Christian
Education and her Assistant.
During February, our first hard back church history publication was
distributed to our members and an edition was presented to the Pearl
Bailey Library of Newport News, Virginia,
as a cataloged history
reference item. The Golden Praise Dancers of nine original
members debuted. In March,
the Youth Director and the Youth Sponsors presented new robes for the
youth’s Heavenly Praise Dancers and the Youth Choir.
During, this year, new constructions and many new programs were
incorporated, several members were recognized for their longevity of
committed services to this church, and the consecration of two
deaconesses were observed.
Pastor Perkins implemented weekly ‘Spiritual Growth Classes;’ the ‘Noon
Day Bible Study,’ on Wednesdays, were established;
the ‘Street Evangelism’ was established with weekly
shared evangelistic teachings, to
designated community areas;
and on every 4th Sunday “Happy Birthday” Monthly Recognition
for members was instituted with a creative song sung and gifts
presented. In November, the
Reverend Roger Robbins was ordained as a minister of the gospel, by
Reverend Dr. Perkins, Sr. In
December, instead of our Annual Church Members’ Christmas Dinner, the
church sponsored full course meals for several community homeless groups
in our church’s Fellowship Hall, over 100 individuals were served.
In addition our church offered self-help workshops and provided
many gifts to all the homeless age groups.
In 2005, the Pastoral vision was to advocate each
member to adhere and to possess Christ-like perspectives, and
Christ-like conducts; therefore, Pastor Perkins presented the
church-wide theme, “Christ-Like Living” with the emphasis Scripture
Colossians 3:17. Due to
deaths of several members, newly appointees were assigned to vacant and
other key positions, the ordination of one Deacon was observed in
January, as a continuance to edify the body of Christ. Remodeling of the
other church areas were initiated.
Since our congregation’s membership has increased, in February,
our church has purchased the adjacent property connected to our present
parking lot on 25th
Street, for additional parishioners’ parking
areas. This year’s
significant observation was the “Celebration of the 50th
Church Anniversary,” June 12th.
These past FIFTY YEARS have given everyone of us a glorious,
dynamic experience of working with the LORD, for the labor has been
hard, but fruitful. We have
obtained greater knowledge of Him.
We have been weak, but it was He who strengthened us and it was
He who gave each of us a deeper faith to produce good works to maintain
the unity of this great Branch of Zion. Words are not at our command to
express how grateful we are that GOD HAS ALLOWED US TO SEE THIS 50TH
CHURCH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION!
Shalom’s first Evangelist Explosion was held on the
church parking lot on April 29th and 30th 2005.
Reaching out to community citizens and spreading the gospel was
the goal of Reverend Evangelist Iris
F. Perkins, our evangelist organizer and leader.
“Behold children are a heritage from the Lord”
Psalm 127:3.
The nursery at Shalom was reopened after many years
of silence on May 1, 2005.
Children up to age 5 are supervised in the nursery on the 2nd
floor of the Education
Building under our Nursery
Coordinator, Sister Sandra Williams.
“But you be watchful in all things, endure
afflictions do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2
Timothy 4:5
Reverend Evangelist Iris F. Perkins extended an
invitation to anyone interested in serving on the Evangelism Team to
meet on May 17, 2005.
Shalom celebrated their 50th Anniversary
on June 11th and 12, 2005.
Anniversary Breakfast was held in the church’s fellowship hall
and the Gala Dinner was held at the Clarion Hotel, Hampton, Virginia.
Anniversary Theme was “Shalom (Peace), Shalom Aleichem (My Peace
Be With You). Emphasis
Scripture: Matthew 5:1-19
Reverend Roger Robbins graduated from the Rock
Church of Hampton, VA
I.C.B.T. on June 17, 2005.
Reverend Robbins’ dedication and services have been greatly appreciated
by Reverend Perkins and Shalom.
Shalom fellowshipped with Reverend Evangelist Iris
F. Perkins on July 16, 2005 as she presented and signed copies of her
book, Deliver Me From…, dedicated to the memory of Reverend Karen
L. Robbins.
Unity Day was celebrated on July 17, 2005 with
guest minister Reverend Dwight O. Steele, Sr. and Pilgrim Baptist Church
of Roanoke, Virginia.
Missionary Patricia Johnson requested sign up for
the new Homework Assistance Program that began in September 2005 under
her leadership.
Shalom traveled to Atlanta, GA
on September 1-4, 2005.
Reverend Derrick Perkins, Sr. led the
ll:00 AM services as guest minister for Reverend S. John Bartley, Atlanta, GA.
Two popular televised mega churches:
World Changes Ministry- Dr. Cleflo Dollar and New Birth
Ministry-Bishop Eddie Long were visited by Shalomites.
Reverend Derrick Perkins, Sr. and Reverend Evangelist Iris
Perkins remained in Atlanta
to attend the National Baptist Convention.
Reverend Derrick Perkins, Sr.
celebrated his Sixth Anniversary as Pastor of Shalom Baptist Church on
October 9, 2005.
Monies was collected and donated in
October 2005 to support the survivors of the Katrina Hurricane and the
Tsunami.
Reverend Derrick Perkins, Sr. requested
that recent plaques, certificates, awards that have been received by Shalom
Baptist
Church, Reverend Perkins,
Sr., and Shalomites, be placed in the vestibule and current plaques and
awards now displayed be placed in the church library.
For the New Year of 2006, Reverend Dr.
Derrick Perkins, Sr. presented the church theme:
“Reclaiming The Christian Family.”
Joshua 24:15c
Ordination Services for Reverend
Evangelist Iris F. Perkins and Reverend Arnita Snead Perry were held on
January 29, 2006.
Shalom Baptist
Church added pages of history to Newport News and the
Tidewater communities when we featured renowned civil rights attorney
and published author Mrs. Frankie Muse Freeman as the guest speaker
during our Black History Month celebration on
February 25, 2006.
On February 26, 2006, Shalom’s Combined
Choir Ministry presented its Annual Black History program.
Celebrating Community:
A Salute to Our Spiritual, Educational and Civic Leaders was the
theme.
Shalom
lost eight (8) members due to death from May 2005 to February 2006.
Shalom received and welcomed thirty-two
(32) new members from March 2005
to March 2006.
A
recommendation was received to move the Nurse Ministry to another level
as a Health Care Ministry and to have workshops, screening and check-ups
for Shalom’s members and the community.
The recommendation was accepted by the church body in April 2006.
The
First Family Conference of Shalom was held on September 22nd
and 23rd, 2006.
The church met at the Great Wolf Lodge in Historical Williamsburg,
Virginia. Our theme was
“Reclaiming the Christian Family” Joshua 24:15c.
Reverend
Derrick Perkins, Sr. celebrated his Seventh Anniversary as Pastor of
Shalom Baptist Church on October 4, 2006 through October 6, 2006..
November 2006 church meeting Shalom’s
Mission statement and vision plan was given.
The Mission
Statement “Preparing God’s People for the Lord’s Work”.
Matthew 28:19-20: The
Vision Plan “To Equip the Body of Christ Through Preaching and Teaching
The Word and To Win Souls for the Kingdom of God.”
Banners were placed in the sanctuary at a later date.
For the New Year of 2007, Reverend Dr.
Derrick Perkins, Sr. presented the church theme, as an extension of
2006, “Reclaiming The Christian Family:
Reaching Out to Make a Difference.”
Joshua 24:15c.
It was agreed in the church business
meeting January 2007 that we would reinstate our Annual Men’s Day to be
held July 8, 2007 and our Annual Women’s Day to be held November 11,
2007 in lieu of Unity Day. Reverend Derrick Perkins, Sr. celebrated his
Eighth Anniversary as Pastor of Shalom Baptist Church on October 10,
2007 to October 14, 2007.
Pastor’s reference scripture was Isaiah 43:18-21. A new sound system
which included new monitors, ceiling mount speakers and a new mixer
board were installed in the sanctuary.
Brother Lloyd Bass was nominated to serve on the Trustee
Ministry. In December Shalom
accepted the nominations for two Deaconess-In-Training and one
Deacon-In-Training. We also
celebrated the ordination of one new Deacon.
January 2008, Reverend Dr. Derrick
Perkins, Sr. presented the church wide theme:
“Growing In Faith”, with the emphasis Scripture Mark 4:1-9.
Worshippers were presented with a “Growing In Faith” Wildflower
Seed packet which stated, “As these seeds grow, let your Faith grow!
Shalom has been blessed to purchase land at
Twenty-Fifth Street and Roanoke Avenue.
Shalom Baptist Church Radio Ministry “A Moment of Peace” started
February 2008 on station WTJZ 1270 AM.
God has always used history as a tool for revealing Himself and
our church history is the record of God relating to man through Jesus
Christ. Please continue
praying for God’s guidance in our growing process.
We know and believe
God has better things in store for us and we will glorify His name in
everything that we do.
God has blessed Shalom Baptist
Church with a prosperous
2007-2008 year. Let us all
continue to pray that our rich history not grow dim, but that it
continues to thrive and flourish with God’s blessings.
Our church history is by no means complete; we look
to our continued devoted and wise members to persevere with the pages of
our historical heritage. We as “Shalomites” believe our church is the
home of our soul, the altar of our devotion, the heart of our faith, the
center of our affection, the highest place of our activities.
We owe Shalom Baptist
Church our benevolence,
our prayers, and our allegiance to the founder, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen
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