Church History

Church History

From These Roots...1860 - the present

A prayer meeting discussion more than a century ago created the Sycamore Hill Missionary Baptist Church. The home of Sister Ruth Ormond on West First Street became the first meeting place for the divinely inspired Christians: Sarah Cherry, Annie Daniels, Lucy Eaton, Madison Foreman, Jane Hardy, Daniel and Betty King, Virginia and Moses King, Catherine Knox, Bettie Moye, Feebie Nobles, Alfred Payton, Jane Powell, Martha Simmons, and Percy Williams. Later a frame building was constructed on the corner of First and Greene Streets on land chartered in 1865 by a group known as the Colored Religious Society, Inc. Because there were sycamore trees in front of the lot, the church was named Sycamore Hill Baptist Church.

The first church was built under the ministry of the Reverend Sam Perry. It was razed by fire, and a second structure was erected under the leadership of the Reverend W. A. Taylor. After a second disastrous fire, an architecturally beautiful and attractive edifice was built under the ministry of the Reverend B.W. Dance. Because of urban renewal, the next church, educational building and spacious grounds were purchased under the administration of the Reverend B.B. Felder.

The Reverend Sam Perry was the first minister of Sycamore Hill Baptist Church Successive ministers were the Reverends Austin Flood, Mack Matthewson, Andres Robinson, S.P. Knight, W.A. Taylor, B.W. Dance, W.H. McLean, A.B. Askew, J.T. Williams, J.A. Nimmo, C.R. Mosely, B.B. Felder and presently, Howard W. Parker, Jr.

Among the historical milestones experienced by some of the members of today's congregation are the 37 years of progress, stability and dignity the Reverend J.A. Nimmo gave to the church, the centennial celebration with the Reverend C.R. Mosely, the relocation to the Eighth Street site after a tremendous political struggle with urban renewal under the astute leadership of the Reverend B.B. Felder and the implementation of community outreach ministries, as well as, the construction of the current aesthetically designed place of worship during the visionary administration of Dr. Howard W. Parker, Jr.

	Sycamore Hill Missionary Baptist Church


			Church History From These Roots...1860 - the present A prayer meeting discussion more than a century ago created the Sycamore Hill Missionary Baptist Church. The home of Sister Ruth Ormond on West First Street became the first meeting place for the divinely inspired Christians: Sarah Cherry, Annie Daniels, Lucy Eaton, Madison Foreman, Jane Hardy, Daniel and Betty King, Virginia and Moses King, Catherine Knox, Bettie Moye, Feebie Nobles, Alfred Payton, Jane Powell, Martha Simmons, and Percy Williams. Later a frame building was constructed on the corner of First and Greene Streets on land chartered in 1865 by a group known as the Colored Religious Society, Inc. Because there were sycamore trees in front of the lot, the church was named Sycamore Hill Baptist Church. The first church was built under the ministry of the Reverend Sam Perry. It was razed by fire, and a second structure was erected under the leadership of the Reverend W. A. Taylor. After a second disastrous fire, an architecturally beautiful and attractive edifice was built under the ministry of the Reverend B.W. Dance. Because of urban renewal, the next church, educational building and spacious grounds were purchased under the administration of the Reverend B.B. Felder. The Reverend Sam Perry was the first minister of Sycamore Hill Baptist Church Successive ministers were the Reverends Austin Flood, Mack Matthewson, Andres Robinson, S.P. Knight, W.A. Taylor, B.W. Dance, W.H. McLean, A.B. Askew, J.T. Williams, J.A. Nimmo, C.R. Mosely, B.B. Felder and presently, Howard W. Parker, Jr. Among the historical milestones experienced by some of the members of today's congregation are the 37 years of progress, stability and dignity the Reverend J.A. Nimmo gave to the church, the centennial celebration with the Reverend C.R. Mosely, the relocation to the Eighth Street site after a tremendous political struggle with urban renewal under the astute leadership of the Reverend B.B. Felder and the implementation of community outreach ministries, as well as, the construction of the current aesthetically designed place of worship during the visionary administration of Dr. Howard W. Parker, Jr.