The Historic Second Baptist Church was organized in a private home in 1946. Willing workers gathered together to worship and serve the Lord with each playing a part in building the church. Soon the group of fellow believers moved their church from a private home to the Vassar Street building marching up Mill Street into this present sanctuary on November 15, 1953. The saints donated a piano, organ
s, and carpet. The men and women of God worked tirelessly to establish a solid place to worship because of their love of Jesus. Jenkins, the first pastor, designed and installed the baptismal pool; leading the flock until his death in 1983. Afterward, Rev. James Priest became pastor. Under his leadership, the mortgage was paid in full. Priest served the people until the Lord called him home in 1986. Sis. Willie B. Jenkins served as interim pastor. She had already re-invigorated Sunday School stressing the importance of education and scholarship. In 1988, Second Baptist Church called Rev. Robert L. Bruce to led the flock until his retirement in 2009. Eight years later, Rev. Johnny Ray Simon, M.Div., M.T.S., continues to serve the people of Second Baptist Church and the wider community. Since his arrival, the congregation has doubled in size; fiscal accounting processes enacted, an intentional focus on discipleship and leadership was created entitled, “Leadership Academy” that has now morphed into discipleship training through rigorous Sunday School classes and Tuesday night Bible Study. New ministers, deacons, and church mothers were ordained, consecrated and elevated in the name of Jesus Christ and for His Glory. Second Baptist Church continues to annually donate $7,000 to the community through monthly free food giveaways, clothing distributions, donations to Dutchess Outreach and missions to the American Baptist Home Mission. Additionally, the church music ministry has grown with weekly musicians and a Millennial Choir. The Caring Ministry also hosted the first SBC walk across Walkway over the Hudson. Numerous renovations have taken place at The Historic Second Baptist Church, outside and inside the sanctuary. The outside sanctuary was re-painted; the fellowship hall was fully renovated after a tragic flood. As one change leads to another, the interior of the sanctuary was not only repainted, and re-carpeted but new pews and HVAC units were installed. Truly, we can see the hand of God at work among us. Our church family has rejoined the Central Hudson Baptist Association and remain an ardent supporting member of the Mid- Hudson Union American Baptist Church Association. We are feeling a greater love for one another; a deeper collective sense for outreach by becoming recognized as a faith community where one can ask, seek and find a growing intimate relationship with God, a connection with God’s people and have one’s body, mind and spiritual needs met through our missionary programs. By Dec. Edna Lyons, MA, Edited by Dec. Angela Hooks, PhD
