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NW church celebrates half-century of giving back
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0 responses 0 comments Turning half-a-century old is only the beginning for the First Baptist Church of Greenacres.
The church is already making plans for its next 50 years,  expecting to expand and merge with another local church soon.
The congregation — which had planned a celebration banquet Feb. 26 — was founded by six families in 1956. Orris and Delores Lodien were expected to be honored at the banquet as two of the original members who are still active in the church.
“It’s a significant moment,”  said the Rev. Rollin Strode, the church’s lead pastor. “I think it is a watermark to be able to celebrate it. The neat part of it is to be able to still have two people who were part of those originals.”
According to the church’s history, the first formal service was held at a member’s residence.
In May 1956, the Lodiens were elected as the first Deacon and Deaconess.
After meeting in several places, including a garage on Holland Street, the congregation purchased a frame house located at 10011 Rosedale Highway.
In 1962, the Jamaica Inn, a partially built motel that had been located on Union Avenue, was moved to the church site and remodeled into a sanctuary and classroom structure.
The frame was torn down and converted into parking space. The congregation then built a social hall in 1969 in just 100 days.
The church’s current home, acquired in the late ‘70s, is located 2550 Jewetta Ave., just off Rosedale Highway and consists of 6.5 acres.
First Baptist currently has approximately 200 active parishioners, according to Strode.
During these past 50 years, the church has also had a great community presence, he said.
“There had been literally hundreds and thousands of people who had been touched by the ministry of this church — not all those folks are here,” Strode said. “Folks have come and gone but this church has had a presence in the community in terms of being able to touch people’s lives and that’s what we are going to be celebrating.”
The church’s contribution had not been only spiritual. It has also been involved in helping non-profit organizations and faith-based groups with financial and goods donations.
First Baptist also has a group of ladies called American Baptist Women, who on a regular basis, puts together kits comprised of variety of items and outfits for mothers delivering at Kern Medical Center, Strode said.
He said the group also make quilts for the Bakersfield Rescue Mission and homeless shelters.
In addition, the church has been active in terms of supporting other local missions in Bakersfield, according to Strode.
“Because we are located on Rosedale Highway, we tend to have folks who stop in and need money for gas and food,” said Strode about some of his other community contributions. “So we have a food closet to be able to assist people.
“It gets used fairly regularly,” he said. “It’s an ongoing ministry that we have.”
And, as far as being the pastor bringing the church into the next half a century.
“It’s a privilege,” he said. “It’s one of those watermark events that not
everybody gets the opportunity to be part of something like this.”
“Specially to be part of a celebration of a dream that was conceived in
the eyes of people like Orris and Delores. They’ve been able to see it
bear fruit and to be an alive, a functional organism — even today, 50 years
later,” he added.
But, the church is not done growing yet.
“We are in the mist of some very exciting things because, while we are
celebrating our 50 years together as a congregation, we are in
conversations with another church in the area and are expecting that on
June 4, we are going to be bringing those two congregations together,”
he said.
According to Strode, the church is in negotiations with Sure Foundation Baptist Church to merge together.
When that happens, the church will have about 300 worshippers, he said.
The hope is to grow the congregations to about 500 or 600 within the next five years, Strode added. He said the other congregation will be moving into his church, so they are expecting to make structural changes to their facility.
A new name is also in the works, Strode said.
First Baptist Church of Greenacres
2550 Jewetta Ave.
Services:
Regular service, 10:15 a.m., Sunday; evening service, 5:30 p.m., Sunday
9 a.m., Sunday School
Wednesdays: A free meal is served from 5:45 to 6:30 p.m., open to the public at a minimal charge. At 6:45 to 8 p.m., children’s ministry. At the same time, youth ministry and an adult Bible study are held.
Details: 589-0424

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