The following is an excerpt from
"History of THE BEVERLEY GARDENS COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH Dayton, Ohio
The First Two Years"
by C. Eugene Bennett, Church Clerk and Rev. S. Joseph Duell, Pastor February 15, 1956
THE DAYTON BAPTIST UNION HAD A VISION
For a number of years the Dayton Baptist Union had considered the missionary venture of founding a new church in Dayton, Ohio. Aware of the rapid growth taking place on the fringes of the city, the Union felt its responsibility for the religious needs of families in these areas. It foresaw benefits in making such a venture-- the fulfilling in its own way the Great Commission, the establishment of confidence to expand to other areas, the drawing together of the churches in the Union in a significant endeavor, and the benefit to the Dayton community through the ministry of new churches. But the venture seemed a formidable one, too. The Union was not in a strong position financially and the high cost of land and building construction would necessitate a large financial obligation for many years.
Therefore, it was an exciting and challenging day when the Dayton Baptist Union made its historic decision to undertake a mission church. The time was early spring of 1953. The Missionary and Church Extension Committee, Rev. W. Luther Tracy, Chairman, met with Rev. Edward Chipman, Field Director of the Church Extension Department of the American Baptist Home Mission Society, and after considering several possibilities, decided on the Page Manor-Beverly Gardens area as a desirable place to begin a church.
Rev. Tracy took the proper steps through the Comity Committee of the Church Federation of Greater Dayton, to secure agreement with other Protestant groups on the location of a Baptist church in the desired area. Subsequently, steps were initiated toward purchase of a two-acre site at the northeast corner of Kemp and Spinning Roads from the Wright-Patterson Apartments, Inc., owner and developer of the land.
At about this same time the project, "Churches for New Frontiers" was getting under way throughout the American Baptist Convention, and by purchase of the land by the fall of 1953, help from this source was reasonably certain. On November 24, 1953 the Board of Trustees took action to purchase the two acres for the sum of $6,000.00. This action was approved by the Board of Managers on Saturday, December 5, 1953.
AND A FEW GATHERED TOGETHER
In following weeks Rev. Tracy made contact with Mr. Walter E. Stebbins, superintendent of Schools, Mad River Township, and secured permission to use the Cafeteria Room of Page Manor School for worship. This was a new school located at Hickam Drive and Spinning Road. The arrangements Rev. Tracy made resulted in the first session of Sunday Church School and worship services being held on March 7, 1954. Rev. Harold C. Loughhead, Director of Town and country Work of the Ohio Baptist Convention, led the services. He was assisted by a number of intersted members from some of the Dayton Baptist Churches. Rev. Loughhead returned the following week.
In its earliest months church meetings were held in the Cafeteria Room of Page Manor School, while at the same time a newly formed Catholic fellowship was meeting in the gymnasium. Fortunately, the Catholic group was soon to move into its own building, St. Helen's School, on Kemp Road. The gymnasium as well as cafeteria was then made available. Within a few months Sunday Church School attendance numbed more than 200, and by winter of 1955 attendance at morning worship was running above 100. The rapid growth spurred action in building an edifice.
To secure pastoral leadership for the mission church the Union addressed an inquiry to the Colgate-Rochester Divinity School, Rochester, N.Y. This resulted in the consideration of Rev. S. Joseph Duell, graduate of the class of 1953, as a missionary of the Union with specific responsibility for leadership in the Beverly Gardens Church Extension project. He assumed charge of the services on March 21, 1954.
Through his leadership a Sunday Church School was soon in full operation, with some teachers from the local community and others from the Dayton churches.
A two-week vacation church school was conducted in June with and enrollment of 200 pupils and an average attendance of 180.
AND A FEW GATHERED
One June 30, 1954, the new congregation of the Beverly Gardens Baptist Chapel (as it was referred to by the Union) held a dinner meeting in the Cafeteria of Page Manor School for the purpose of taking steps toward formal organization. Those present were: Rev. S. Joseph Duell, Mr. and Mrs. C. Eugene Bennett, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Schmidt and Richard, Mr. and Mrs. Donald J. Rents, Mr. and Mrs. William McLain, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence S. Wagoner and children, Mrs. Winnie Hiskisson, Mr. Irven McGlocklin, Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Marritt, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie J. Seigneur and baby, Mr. and Mrs. Gayle Worf and Glenn, Mr. and Mrs. Frank R. Carroll (members of Linden Avenue Baptist Church) and Rev. Dr. Paul Judson Morris, Executive Secretary of the Ohio Baptist Convention.
Dr. Morris spoke informally on the essentials of living a Christian life, and of establishing a new church. In the business meeting which followed the resolution below was presented.
On recommendation of the Board of Trustees of the Dayton Baptist Union, the following resolution is presented to the Beverly Gardens Baptist Chapel for adoption. Resolved:
1. That it is the sense of this meeting that a Baptist Fellowship should now be formed in this community,
and that we organize ourselves as the Beverly Gardens Baptist Church of Dayton, Ohio.
2. That we shall keep our charter open until Sunday, January 2, 1955, which shall be designated Charter Membership Sunday.
3. That the Church shall be administered by a Board consisting of Chairman, Clerk, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, and four members to be elected on recommendation of the Pastor at a special called business session Wednesday, June 30th, 1954, and that this board be increased to twelve members as occasion may demand; and further, that the terms of all officers and board members shall expire April 30th, 1955.
4. That during this period and until the Church is formally organized we shall be guided in our procedures and membership policies by "A Suggested Constitution for the Consideration of Baptist Churches", prepared by the Ohio Baptist Convention.
5. That the Pastor be authorized to appoint a Committee on Constitution and Organization, whose duty it hall be to prepare and recommend to the Church a Constitution and Plan of Organization, and that the same shall be completed on or before May 1st, 1955.
One change was made in the resolution. Mr. William McLain moved that the word "Community" be inserted in the name of the Church, making it "Beverly Gardens Community Baptist Church." His motion was seconded by Mr. Gayle Worf. The consensus of the group was that the word should be inserted to emphasize the desire of the church to serve all the Protestant faiths of the community. The motion passed unanimously.
The resolution was adopted.
AND THE CHURCH BEGAN TO GROW
The Church Board of Administration, formed at the organizational meeting, served from June 30, 1954 until March 6, 1955. The members were: Mr. Donald J. Rentz, Chairman, Mr. C. Eugene Bennett, Clerk, Mr. Irven McGlocklin, Treasurer, Mr. William McLain, Financial Secretary, Mr. Gayle Worf, Secretary of the Board, Mr. Bill Schmidt, Mr. Leslie J. Seigneur, Mr. Clarence S. Wagoner, Mr. Charles Calhoun and Mr. George B. Prock.
The Board's duties were inclusive, it functioned essentially as a consolidated Board of Trustees, Board of Deacons, and Board of Christian Education.
"History of THE BEVERLEY GARDENS COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH Dayton, Ohio
The First Two Years"
by C. Eugene Bennett, Church Clerk and Rev. S. Joseph Duell, Pastor February 15, 1956
THE DAYTON BAPTIST UNION HAD A VISION
For a number of years the Dayton Baptist Union had considered the missionary venture of founding a new church in Dayton, Ohio. Aware of the rapid growth taking place on the fringes of the city, the Union felt its responsibility for the religious needs of families in these areas. It foresaw benefits in making such a venture-- the fulfilling in its own way the Great Commission, the establishment of confidence to expand to other areas, the drawing together of the churches in the Union in a significant endeavor, and the benefit to the Dayton community through the ministry of new churches. But the venture seemed a formidable one, too. The Union was not in a strong position financially and the high cost of land and building construction would necessitate a large financial obligation for many years.
Therefore, it was an exciting and challenging day when the Dayton Baptist Union made its historic decision to undertake a mission church. The time was early spring of 1953. The Missionary and Church Extension Committee, Rev. W. Luther Tracy, Chairman, met with Rev. Edward Chipman, Field Director of the Church Extension Department of the American Baptist Home Mission Society, and after considering several possibilities, decided on the Page Manor-Beverly Gardens area as a desirable place to begin a church.
Rev. Tracy took the proper steps through the Comity Committee of the Church Federation of Greater Dayton, to secure agreement with other Protestant groups on the location of a Baptist church in the desired area. Subsequently, steps were initiated toward purchase of a two-acre site at the northeast corner of Kemp and Spinning Roads from the Wright-Patterson Apartments, Inc., owner and developer of the land.
At about this same time the project, "Churches for New Frontiers" was getting under way throughout the American Baptist Convention, and by purchase of the land by the fall of 1953, help from this source was reasonably certain. On November 24, 1953 the Board of Trustees took action to purchase the two acres for the sum of $6,000.00. This action was approved by the Board of Managers on Saturday, December 5, 1953.
AND A FEW GATHERED TOGETHER
In following weeks Rev. Tracy made contact with Mr. Walter E. Stebbins, superintendent of Schools, Mad River Township, and secured permission to use the Cafeteria Room of Page Manor School for worship. This was a new school located at Hickam Drive and Spinning Road. The arrangements Rev. Tracy made resulted in the first session of Sunday Church School and worship services being held on March 7, 1954. Rev. Harold C. Loughhead, Director of Town and country Work of the Ohio Baptist Convention, led the services. He was assisted by a number of intersted members from some of the Dayton Baptist Churches. Rev. Loughhead returned the following week.
In its earliest months church meetings were held in the Cafeteria Room of Page Manor School, while at the same time a newly formed Catholic fellowship was meeting in the gymnasium. Fortunately, the Catholic group was soon to move into its own building, St. Helen's School, on Kemp Road. The gymnasium as well as cafeteria was then made available. Within a few months Sunday Church School attendance numbed more than 200, and by winter of 1955 attendance at morning worship was running above 100. The rapid growth spurred action in building an edifice.
To secure pastoral leadership for the mission church the Union addressed an inquiry to the Colgate-Rochester Divinity School, Rochester, N.Y. This resulted in the consideration of Rev. S. Joseph Duell, graduate of the class of 1953, as a missionary of the Union with specific responsibility for leadership in the Beverly Gardens Church Extension project. He assumed charge of the services on March 21, 1954.
Through his leadership a Sunday Church School was soon in full operation, with some teachers from the local community and others from the Dayton churches.
A two-week vacation church school was conducted in June with and enrollment of 200 pupils and an average attendance of 180.
AND A FEW GATHERED
One June 30, 1954, the new congregation of the Beverly Gardens Baptist Chapel (as it was referred to by the Union) held a dinner meeting in the Cafeteria of Page Manor School for the purpose of taking steps toward formal organization. Those present were: Rev. S. Joseph Duell, Mr. and Mrs. C. Eugene Bennett, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Schmidt and Richard, Mr. and Mrs. Donald J. Rents, Mr. and Mrs. William McLain, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence S. Wagoner and children, Mrs. Winnie Hiskisson, Mr. Irven McGlocklin, Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Marritt, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie J. Seigneur and baby, Mr. and Mrs. Gayle Worf and Glenn, Mr. and Mrs. Frank R. Carroll (members of Linden Avenue Baptist Church) and Rev. Dr. Paul Judson Morris, Executive Secretary of the Ohio Baptist Convention.
Dr. Morris spoke informally on the essentials of living a Christian life, and of establishing a new church. In the business meeting which followed the resolution below was presented.
On recommendation of the Board of Trustees of the Dayton Baptist Union, the following resolution is presented to the Beverly Gardens Baptist Chapel for adoption. Resolved:
1. That it is the sense of this meeting that a Baptist Fellowship should now be formed in this community,
and that we organize ourselves as the Beverly Gardens Baptist Church of Dayton, Ohio.
2. That we shall keep our charter open until Sunday, January 2, 1955, which shall be designated Charter Membership Sunday.
3. That the Church shall be administered by a Board consisting of Chairman, Clerk, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, and four members to be elected on recommendation of the Pastor at a special called business session Wednesday, June 30th, 1954, and that this board be increased to twelve members as occasion may demand; and further, that the terms of all officers and board members shall expire April 30th, 1955.
4. That during this period and until the Church is formally organized we shall be guided in our procedures and membership policies by "A Suggested Constitution for the Consideration of Baptist Churches", prepared by the Ohio Baptist Convention.
5. That the Pastor be authorized to appoint a Committee on Constitution and Organization, whose duty it hall be to prepare and recommend to the Church a Constitution and Plan of Organization, and that the same shall be completed on or before May 1st, 1955.
One change was made in the resolution. Mr. William McLain moved that the word "Community" be inserted in the name of the Church, making it "Beverly Gardens Community Baptist Church." His motion was seconded by Mr. Gayle Worf. The consensus of the group was that the word should be inserted to emphasize the desire of the church to serve all the Protestant faiths of the community. The motion passed unanimously.
The resolution was adopted.
AND THE CHURCH BEGAN TO GROW
The Church Board of Administration, formed at the organizational meeting, served from June 30, 1954 until March 6, 1955. The members were: Mr. Donald J. Rentz, Chairman, Mr. C. Eugene Bennett, Clerk, Mr. Irven McGlocklin, Treasurer, Mr. William McLain, Financial Secretary, Mr. Gayle Worf, Secretary of the Board, Mr. Bill Schmidt, Mr. Leslie J. Seigneur, Mr. Clarence S. Wagoner, Mr. Charles Calhoun and Mr. George B. Prock.
The Board's duties were inclusive, it functioned essentially as a consolidated Board of Trustees, Board of Deacons, and Board of Christian Education.
RSS Feed