Second Missionary Baptist Church

SECOND MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH HISTORY
1895-2011

 

A BRIEF AND CONDENSED HISTORY OF THE EARLY BEGINNING TO THE PRESENT TIME, THE EARLY BEGINNING BEING COMPILED BY THE LATE MRS. ELLA ESSEX.

THE OLDEST RECORDED BOOK AVAILABLE BEGINS ON AUGUST 17, 1895. THERE WAS NO CHURCH FOR BLACK BAPTIST IN VANDALIA. SO THE 14 MEMBERS MET IN A SCHOOL HOUSE FOR NEARLY A YEAR THE REV. ROBERT ADKINS WAS THE PASTOR AT THAT TIME. MOST OF THE MEMBERSHIP CONSISTED OF WOMEN. SISTER LOU CONN WAS THE CHURCH CLERK.

 

AFTER HOLDING A SPECIAL MEETING, PLANS WERE MADE TO BUILD A CHURCH ON FEBRUARY 24, 1896. IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE CHURCH BE 22 BY 23 FEET WITH 3 WINDOWS AND 2 DOORS. THIS BUILDING WAS USED FOR MANY YEARS, ON 1905, THE MEMBERSHIP TOTALED 23.

 

THERE ARE NO LIVING MEMBERS OF THE ORIGINAL CHURCH. THE 27 PASTORS WHO HAVE SERVED SECOND MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH ARE REV: ADKINS, SEARS, MACK, MCKAMEY, DOWNING, DANIELS, OF. NELSON, E.H. ADAMS, WASHINGTON, VINSON, HOLMES, PEAY, DAVIS, COLLINS, ROMAN, DOSS, SMITH, WARD, MADISON, A.A. ADAMS, RICHARDSON, COLE, B.NELSON, C.JOHNSON DAVIS, WESLEY JONES, WILLIAM BUTLER, JR., AND JEFFREY L. MIMS, SR.

 

AS FAR A WE KNOW, THERE IS ONLY ONE FORMER LIVING PASTOR, WILLIAM BUTLER, JR.

MINISTERS ORDAINED AND/OR LINCENSED FROM OUR CHURCH A.M. WOODSON, C. JOHNSON DAVIS AND WILLIAM A GIVENS.

ACTIVE AUXILIARIES ARE SUNDAY SCHOOL, DEACON BOARD, USHER BOARD, TRUSTEE, WOMEN’S MISSION, YOUNG MATRONS, G.L.O.W., , PRAISE DANCERS, MASS CHOIR, YOUNG ADULT CHOIR, ANGEL CHOIR, NURSING UNIT, PRAISE & WORSHIP TEAM AND MEN'S CHORUS.

ACTIVE DEACONS ARE: SAMUEL LEE, TERRY HOLT, RONALD TURNER, AND TONY OVERTON.

 

TRUSTEES; DONNELL PERKINS, JERMAINE DAVIS AND MARLON DAVIS.

 

IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DIFFERENT

PASTORS AT 314 S. TAYLOR INCLUDE BASEMENT, CHOIR ROOM, PASTOR'S STUDY,

BATISTRY, NEW CHAIRS, PEWS, STAINED GLASS WINDOWS, HARDWOOD FLOORS, GAS HEAT, RUGS, PIANO, ORGAN, CENTRAL AIR, NEW ROOF, PEW CUSHIONS, SIDING, NEW ENTRY DOOR, HANDICAP RAMP AND CHURCH SIGN.

THOUGH THE YEARS, NUMEROUS MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE, IN MEMORY OF DEACON CHARLES ESSEX AND MRS. ETHEL BRYANT, NEW BAPTIST HYMNALS WERE PURCHASED AS MEMORIAL TO CURTIS WILBURN AND IN MEMORY OF MR AND MRS GLEN GRIMMETT.

 

IN 1999 THE PIANO AND ORGAN HYMNALS WERE PURCHASED IN MEMORY OF TRUSTEE ARNOLD WELLS. SECOND MISSIONARY BAPTIST RECEIVED A GIFT OF $1000.00 IN HONOR OF THE LATE GERTRUDE SHEPARD FROM CHICAGO, IL. A FORMER MEMBER OF SECOND MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.

IN 2005 A MEMORIAL GIFT OF $500.00 WAS RECEIVED IN THE MEMORY OF THE LATE SIS. MARY JOHNSON.

 

THE FIRST HOMECOMING FAMILY AND FRIENDS DAY WAS HELD ON THE FIRST SUNDAY IN JULY 1981 AND EACH YEAR THEREAFTER IT HAS BEEN OBSERVED. SIS. FANNIE DAVIS CHAIRED THE PROGRAM SINCE IT INCEPTION AND IS NOW CONTINUED BY HER CHILDREN.

 

ON JANUARY 7, 2004 THE MEMBERS HELD A SPECIAL MEETING TO VOTE ON A NEW

PASTOR FOR SECOND BAPTIST, BY UNANIMOUS VOTE, IT WAS DECIDED TO HIRE REV. JEFFREY L. MIMS, SR. AS PASTOR.

FEBRUARY 15, 2004 A MEETING WAS HELD TO INSTALL OFFICERS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.

 

ON FEBRUARY 22, 2004 ORDINATION SERVICES WERE HELD FOR REV. JEFFREY L. MIMS, SR., AT THE GREEN CHAPEL BAPTIST CHURCH IN LAGRANGE, MO. AT 6 P.M.

ON MARCH 21, 2004 INSTALLATION SERVICES WERE HELD FOR REV. JEFFREY L. MIMS, SR. AND FAMILY AT THE FAMILY LIFE CENTER IN VANDALIA, MO.

 

UNDER THE LEADER SHIP OF REV. JEFFREY L. MIMS, SR., SEVERAL BAPTISMALS AND TRANSFER OF MEMBERSHIP HAS TAKEN PLACE. THE CHURCH AT 314 S. TAYLOR WAS REVOVATED DROP CEILING, NEW CARPET, WALLS PAINTED AND NEW SOUND SYSTEM INSTALLED. 32 PASSANGER SHUTTLE BUS WAS PURCHASED TO ACOMMADATE OUR EXTENSIVE TRAVEL. PASTOR MIMS WAS ABLE TO ACQUIRE THE FORMER CME ABANDONED BUILDING ACROSS FROM THE CHURCH WAS DONATED. IT WAS TOTALLY GUTTED AND REMODELED FOR OUR FELLOWSHIP HALL, NEW WINDOWS INSTALLED, PAINTING OF OUTSIDE OF STRUCTURE AND A COMMERCIAL STOVE WAS DONATED.

 

REV. ROBIN TERRELL WAS CALLED TO THE MINISTRY, WERE HE IS SERVING AS EDASSOCATE MINISTER UNDER REV. JEFFYREY L. MIMS, SR. GUIDANCE HERE AT SECOND MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.

 

IN 2009, 19 WERE BAPTIZED AND 6 CAME BY CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.

NEW HISTORY WAS MADE GOD BLESSED US SO THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE OUR CURRENT LOCATION AT 1501 HIGHWAY 54 WEST. THEN RENOVATION BEGAN. TABLES AND CHAIRS WERE OBTAINED FOR THE CHILDREN'S ROOM. MANY THINGS HAD BEEN ADDED IN OUR NEW CHURCH. OUR FIRST SERVICE WAS HELD ON DECEMBER 20, 2009 WITH A POLICE ESCORT FROM OUR LOCATION AT 314 S. TAYLOR TO OUR CURRENT PROPERTY 1501 HIGHWAY 54 WEST.

 

IN 2010, 6 CAME BY CHRISTIAN EXPRERIENCE AND 2 WERE BAPTIZED.

KITCHEN CABINETS DONATED BY TERRELL AND JONNA BELL, COUNTER TOP PURCHASED BY

MARLON DAVIS, LOUIS CONNOR AND RICHARD PEARL. NEW COAT FOR THE OUTSIDE

STRUCTURE PAINTED BY COREY MITCHELL AND PAINT DONATED BY LARRY AND LINDA BESHEARS. ON JUNE 6 DUSTIN HOLT WAS CALLED TO THE MINISTRY AND ON JUNE 13 GERIOD DAVIS WAS CALLED TO THE MIMINSTRY UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF REV. JEFFREY L. MIMS, SR. OCTOBER 3, 2010 OSCAR WILLIAMS WAS CALLED TO THE MINISTRY.

 

IN 2011 1 CAME BY CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE AND 7 WERE BAPTIZED. GOD GAVE PASTOR MIMS A VISION TO RENOVATE THE CHURCH BUILDING AT OLIVE & TAYLOR FOR A COMMUNITY OUTREACH CENTER. PASTOR MIMS RESTORED THE 116 YEAR OLD HARDWOOD FLOOR. RENOVATIONS WERE DONE BY JIMMY COLLIER AND ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING BY SAMUEL LEE. OTHERS CONTRIBUTED TO THE GENERAL WORK OF RENOVATING THE BUILDING. THE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS FROM OUR FORMER BUILDING WERE MOVED AND INSTALLED IN THE NEW CHURCH BUILDING TO PRESERVE OUR HISTORY.

IN JULY OF 2011 A PAVILLION WAS BUILT. WHEN THE PROJECT IS COMPLETED, A GARAGE WILL BE ADDED.

 

2013 - CATHY WILLIS JOINED UNDER "WATCH CARE" AND BECAME ONE OF THE ASSOCIATE MINISTERS.

 

2014 - LIONEL SHAW BECAME LICENSED AS A MINISTER.

 

SINCE PASTOR MIMS HAS BEEN AT SECOND MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, 52 HAVE BEEN BAPTISED, 21 HAVE COME BY CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE, 2 FOR REDICATION AND 6 DEDICATION SERVICES.

 

THE SMBC COMMUNITY OUTREACH CENTER FUNCTIONING WITH THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES: GOLDEN GROOVIES ON THURSDAY, WOMEN’S HEALTH & FITNESS PROGRAMS, WHICH INCLUDES A MONTHLY SUSAN G. KOMEN MEETING AND LUNCHEON AND AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING.