Columbus Avenue Baptist Church

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in McLennan County. Now settle in, because this one starts on Christmas Eve. December 24, 1900.

Most folks in Waco were probably home wrapping presents or singing carols, but a group of Baptists in the newly developed north Waco neighborhood had something else on their minds entirely. They gathered at the home of J.T. Strother, and they were there to talk about starting a new congregation.

That right there is the kind of faith that doesn't wait for a convenient Monday morning. It shows up on Christmas Eve and gets to work. The First Baptist Church of Waco helped them along, granting letters of transfer to twenty-three of its members, and just like that, the north Waco Baptist Church officially began in January of 1901.

Now, they didn't have a building yet. Early worship services were held in the Second Presbyterian Church and in the YMCA building, which tells you something about the character of these people. They weren't going to let a little thing like walls stop them.

By March of 1901, land at this very site was acquired. The church was renamed Columbus Street Baptist Church. In May, the Reverend R.G.

Bowers was called as the first pastor. And by October of that same year, a small frame sanctuary had been erected right here. One year from that Christmas Eve gathering to a church standing on its own ground.

The congregation kept growing, and with growth came larger facilities over the years. Then in 1926, the street itself was renamed, and the church followed suit, becoming Columbus Avenue Baptist Church. But here's the part the marker really wants you to carry with you.

Throughout all of it, this congregation reached out. To the elderly. To students.

To wartime soldiers stationed at nearby camps. To the deaf. To the disadvantaged.

To mission congregations throughout the city. They started on Christmas Eve with a meeting at a neighbor's house, and what grew from that night kept on giving to just about everybody who needed it. Some seeds, you plant them in December, and they never stop blooming.

What the marker says

On December 24, 1900, a group of Baptists living in the newly developed north Waco neighborhood gathered together at the home of J.T. Strother to discuss the formation of a new congregation. With assistance from the first Baptist Church of Waco, which granted lettersof transfer to twenty-three of its members, the north Waco Baptist Church officially began in Januarly 1901. Early worship services were held in the second Presbyterian Church and inthe YMCA building until land at this site was acquired in March 1901. The church was renamed Columbus Street Baptist Church. The Rev.R. G. Bowers was called as first Pastor in may, and a Small frame sactuary was ereected in October 1901. Continued growth over the years led to construction of larger facilities. In 1926 the church when the street was renamed. Throughout its history, this congregation has mainatained a strong community involvement, ministering to the elderly, students, waretime soldiers stationed at nearby camps, the deaf, and disadvantaged, as well as to mission congregations througout the city.