MONROE — Monroe Missionary Baptist Church is among the pioneering Southern Baptist church buildings in Michigan. It has the excellence of being the second-oldest Southern Baptist church in Michigan. In line with info offered by Anna Childress, MMBC clerk/secretary, the church was based by a gaggle of people that have been “hungry for Christian fellowship and often met in homes, parks or picnic areas to sing gospel songs, pray, search the Scriptures and to have fellowship together.”
It was Tazewell, Tennessee, native Robert “Wade” Bolton who took the initiative towards organizing a worshipping fellowship starting in early 1937. Lots of Bolton’s siblings had moved north from Claiborne County, Tennessee, (positioned within the northeast nook of the state close to the Kentucky and Virginia borders) to seek out work. Different Tazewell natives would be a part of Bolton in his efforts to determine MMBC. The Rev. Hugh Vancel, Wade’s brother-in-law, was known as to function evangelist in a revival which might use a rented two-car storage at 68 Jerome St. as its first assembly place. In line with Vancel, “So much interest was evident in these services that many stood in the snow-covered street to hear the sermons. These crowds blocking the street were reported to Monroe police. After their investigation of the infraction, the officers consented to re-route traffic during services for the duration of the revival.”
At the close of the multiday revival meetings, the decision was made to organize MMBC. On Dec. 22, 1937, the Constitutional Service (to officially establish the church) was held at the 68 Jerome St. location. Rev. Vancel served as the organizational pastor, and the Rev. Henry Turner served as church clerk. The nine charter members were: L.E. Turner, the Rev. Henry Turner and his wife, Elizabeth, and Henrietta Turner, all from Riverview Church; Clayton DeBusk of Blair’s Creek Church; Horace Hicks and his wife, Lena Mae, of Union Chapel Church; and Wade Bolton and his wife, Eva, of Blair’s Creek Church, all of Tazewell.
Rev. Vancel would go on to help establish other Southern Baptist churches in the region during the time period. According to Artie Jeanette Roark’s 2015 obituary, Rev. Vancel helped Artie and her husband, Henry, organize the Bellevue Missionary Baptist Church in Bellevue, Ohio, in 1959. Henry worked for the Ford Motor Co. in Sandusky.
MMBC grew quickly. It moved from 68 Jerome St. to 618 E. First St. in 1942. It then moved to the corner of East First Street and Wadsworth Street in 1945. By the late 1950s, MMBC would have 1,400 members.
In 1990, MMBC purchased property on South Dixie Highway with plans to build a larger facility. On Aug. 11, 1996, ground was broken at 14260 S. Dixie Highway for what would become the current home of MMBC. On Aug. 30, 1998, MMBC held its first services in the new facility.
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Today, MMBC meets weekly on Sundays at 9 a.m. for Sunday School (classes available for all ages), 10:30 a.m. for morning worship service and at 6 p.m. for an evening worship service. MMBC also has Wednesday evening activities (6:30 p.m.) on a semester basis (current semester runs through May 22) with classes/activities for all ages.
The annual Vacation Bible School is set for 9 a.m.-noon July 15-19 with a family kickoff event at 6 p.m. July 14. Chlidren ages 4 through eighth grade are welcome.
— Tom Adamich is president of Visiting Librarian Service, a agency he has operated since 1993. He is also undertaking archivist for the Greening Nursery Co. and Household Archives and the electrical automobile consciousness coordinator at Monroe County Neighborhood Faculty.
“Well bless their hearts.”
