There is a small church on the 200 block of N. 12th Street, which is served by a humble man, Pastor Robert Hargrove. Pastor Hargrove has been ministering to his flock at Faith Baptist Church for over 40 years. Years ago, when I managed buildings in the neighborhood, I had the privilege of meeting the pastor and seeing his concern for others. While his congregation was small, his outreach in the neighborhood was large. In addition to running a summer program for local kids, his church door was always open for those in distress.
While his formal congregation was mostly Black, it seemed that most of his outreach helped the poorer whites in the surrounding blocks.
Over the years he kindly allowed me to conduct a few community meetings at the church, on topics such as Fairview Cemetery and the removal of bus stops.
While the large churches with the politically astute leaders get most our attention, many people in need often turn to the small neighborhood churches, such as Faith Baptist.
reprinted from December of 2019
In the West Park area alone stand three main line protestant churches that no longer hold services. One is vacant, one is hoping to be used by a non profit, the other is used as offices and other purposes related to the denomination. A fourth is barely hanging on. All of these churches are in my opinion victims of their denominations dramatic move to the left. Conservative members wanting no part of this have left to find traditional churches that adhere to scripture. As the left in general has abandoned traditional religion it's no wonder congregations are dwindly rapidly. One more point, even Allentown's super church, 1st Presbyterian on Tilghman and Cedar Crest is struggling. This same church had Black Lives Matter signs posted on their property.
ReplyDeleteI was Dedicated in this church back in 1934 when it was called the 12th st Baptist Church. I remember that church being full many a Sunday, morning & night. My whole family belonged to this church on both sides for many years., also my two daughters. We attended it until into the 1960's until moved out of Allentown. My one uncle told me at one time people would come from all over on a Sunday night just to hear the singing from the congregation because of the harmony's they sang in., He said it was standing room only some nights. Have many memories. Many prominent people attended this church, back when it used to be on 12th street.
ReplyDeleteThere are many reasons for the over all decline in church attendance, with education and revulsion at the wealth accumulated by organized religious bodies as just two examples. Likewise the spread of lily white "prosperity' movements do little to attract the greater population of the lesser endowed. Christ's example of breaking bread with the poor, tax collectors, and others shunned by the establishment, not to mention urging followers to abandon worldly possessions and wear only sack cloths and advising that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man gain entrance to Heaven only confirms that to the affluent he was a typical Jewish communist preaching the Black Lives Matter agenda and should be ignored.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I prefer not to comment on my posts, the inner city churches have suffered not from any conservative vs. liberal debate, but rather lack of parking and expense of maintenance.
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