History
History and Tradition | New Gethsemane Baptist Church, Philadelphia, PA
"We've Come This Far By Faith"
Gethsemane Baptist Church
was organized in the year of 1926 under the administration of the late Reverend Pinkney Burnam at 8th and Berks Streets. After a short period of time, God blessed the church to relocate to 1747 Cambridge Street to a more suitable place of worship. Reverend Pinkney Burnam served as Pastor until God called him home from Labor to reward.
In 1934, Reverend Amos Turner accepted the call from the church to pastor the Gethsemane Baptist Church. Under his administration God blessed the membership of the church to increase and Gethsemane Baptist Church prospered.
In 1937, the church was chartered and its name was changed from Gethsemane to the New Gethsemane Baptist Church. In 1945, a larger church located at 1516 Parrish Street was purchased. At this time we had the following auxiliaries: Senior Choir, Young Peoples Choir, Turner Chorus, Sunday School, Pulpit Club, Pastor's Aide, and a Missionary Circle. Reverend Turner served well until he resigned in 1947. The Ministers who served from 1947 until 1951 included Reverend Woody Gray and Reverend Wallace Caldwell.
Reverend Pervis McKenny served as pastor from 1951 until 1955. Reverend E. Wiley accepted the call to pastor New Gethsemane Baptist Church from 1955 until 1958.
Once again the church was without a pastor and the membership decreased to thirty-four members which included two deacons. In that same year, Reverend Samuel B. Jordan, Sr. accepted the call to Pastor the New Gethsemane Baptist Church.
Reverend Jordan, Sr. was a young man with energy, faith and wisdom to guide the members through a time of crisis. Members began to joined the church on a regular basis.
In 1964 God blessed the New Gethsemane Baptist Church to purchase the property at 917 East Chelten Avenue for $75,000.00 with a twenty year mortgage. The corner stone was laid in 1969 and the mortgage was burned on September 3, 1975.
God continued to blessed the church as we witnessed to the world that through faith in Him, anything is possible. As members continued to join, we were pressed to have two Sunday morning worship services; one at 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. We were inspired to press forward for a new addition to our present location.
Unable to secure a mortgage from a bank, our fine members and friends continued to make large donations and acquire personal loans for the purpose of the building fund only and we were encouraged by the results. We were thankful that our windows and pews were donated in memory of loved ones that have gone on to glory. In 1992 we are able to finish repaying all that loaned us money. Today our Building Fund drive continues to grow as God blesses the hearts of those who pledge funds so that our building can be maintained properly.
As we reflect back on our past history and goals, we can see where the Lord has brought us from. In May of 1988, we were blessed to complete our addition and marched in to our new edifice on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 8, 1988. Pastor Samuel B. Jordan, Sr. preached the first message at the 8:00 a.m. service and the Holy Spirit touched twelve souls to join our membership. Reverend John Gaines, Sr., pastor of the El Bethel Baptist Church from Trenton, New Jersey brought the 11:00 a.m. message. Reverend Gaines and the El Bethel family fellowshipped with our church family for forty-six years until God called him home.
The cornerstone for our new building was laid on Sunday, June 5, 1988. We are forever grateful for the wisdom and leadership of Pastor Samuel B. Jordan, Sr. He was able to motivate our members to rise to any occasion with the determination to succeed.
While we thank God for the work of Pastor Jordan, Sr., we also thank him For the memory of other members who worked with him and played vital parts in the growth and continuance of the New Gethsemane Baptist Church.
In September 2009, Reverend Samuel B. Jordan, Jr. was called as the Pastor of New Gethsemane Baptist Church and installed on Sunday, December 6, 2009. We thank God for Pastor Jordan, Jr. and pray that He will continue to order his steps, as Pastor Jordan, Jr. strives to do the will of God and lead the people of God.
We know that Satan desires to sift and scatter us. Therefore we seek the prayers of the members of the New Gethsemane Baptist Church that we will continue to serve as a source of inspiration to each other and to this community. We want to be a lighthouse in this community and draw sinners to accept God as their Savior. Let our petition to God also be that Pastor Jordan, Jr. and every member will keep God first in their lives and He will continue to pilot us through, until He call us to Himself.