HISTORY OF PARK LANE BAPTIST CHURCH
(THIS IS A SUMMARY OF THE HISTORY WRITTEN BY FORMER PASTOR, BOB ANDERSON)
This version of Park Lane’s history was compiled and edited using sources available at the time by then Pastor Bob Anderson, at the occasion of Park Lane’s Homecoming, October 29, 2000.
The beginning of Park Lane occurred in the home of a Murray Hill Baptist Church deacon and his wife, Herbert and Grace Seymour in 1951. Leola Kirk assisted this couple. Sunday School for children was the main emphasis of this first work, but eventually two young men from Cedar Creek Baptist Church started street meetings in the area. Before very long, signs of growth of this initial start were evident and a regular meeting place became something to pray for and work toward.
Dr. C. M. Coalson, the Jacksonville City Missionary, was contacted. Dr. Coalson acquired a used tent from Rev. Jones to be used for their meetings. Leola Kirk provided a lot on which to set up the tent. People from both Cedar Creek and Murray Hill Baptist Churches began helping in various ways. Wooden benches and other improvised pieces of furniture were built. The name attached to this new soon-to-be church at this state was Cedarhurst Baptist Chapel.
Rev. George Mikell from Murray Hill Baptist Church began coming over on Sunday afternoons to conduct preaching services. He did this from December 1951 until February 1952, ceasing because of other responsibilities. It was about this time that the Murray Hill Baptist Church agreed to be the official sponsor, relieving Cedar Creek Baptist Church from the responsibilities.
Dr. Coalson was again consulted, this time to help the mission acquire a pastor. Rev. M. L. Chapman became the first official pastor of the mission church. Rev. Chapman began work on February 22, 1952, being supported by the church at the rate of $35.00 per week.
One of the first undertakings which Brother Chapman led the young congregation to do was to start a building fund.
In March of that year (1952) immediately after the initiation of the building fund, a strong wind blew the tent down during morning worship service. Dr. Coalson, it is said, commented, “The Lord got tired of meeting in the tent so He blew it down.”
Right away, the church got busy. The congregation acquired property at 1350 Lake Shore Boulevard and also bought a used building which it demolished and reconstructed on the new property. Weekdays after work, men came and worked on the new building and then on Saturdays entire families would devote time and energy to the project. Women and children would pull nails from the used lumber and assist in other tasks while the men would fit the boards and drive nails.
In three months, the mission was using its new building. Before long, six Sunday School rooms and restrooms were added, and a house next to the church was allowed to serve as a nursery. Once this more permanent structure was in place, growth seems to have rapidly occurred. At the end of the second year, it became evident that more land was needed. At this time, the membership of Cedarhurst Baptist Chapel was around 130 with average Sunday School attendance of 212. Thoughts and efforts began to focus on Cedarhurst become a full-fledged church and not just a mission.
Brother Chapman resigned because of his health in June of 1955.
Rev. Ronald Matthews was called to be the next pastor. It would be during this pastorate that Cedarhurst Baptist Chapel became Cedarhurst Baptist Church. The formal service for this transition was on Sunday, October 30, 1955.
The year 1958 brought several significant developments for the young church. Among these were (1) the purchase of a five acre tract of land at its present location at 1480 Lake Shore Boulevard, (2) the pastorate of Rev. Ronald Matthews came to an end, and (3) the church called Rev. Tom Capell to be its next pastor. He began his duties as pastor in November of 1958.
The year 1959 was also a significant year. In March, the property on which the church was first located was sold. Then the name of the church was officially changed from Cedarhurst Baptist Church to Park Lane Baptist Church. Shortly after these events, there was a groundbreaking ceremony for a new building on the new property. In only three months, the church was able to begin meeting in this new building. This building is what is now (as of 2000) the youth building. (It is now used as Ms. Edith’s Adult Sunday School class and Wednesday morning’s Bible Study.)
Rev. Capell’s ministry at the newly named Park Lane Baptist Church ended in September 1961. The last few months of 1961 and the first few months of 1962 were a time of reflection and self-examination for Park Lane Baptist Church as it dealt with several concerns, among which was its indebtedness of about $45,000.00 and its condition of being without a pastor. Once again, Dr. Coalson was available to help and served as interim pastor.
The last Sunday of June, 1962, began the pastoral duties of Park Lane’s new pastor, Rev. R. Grady Snowden, Jr. During Rev. Snowden’s ministry, which would last for about 13 years, Park Lane experienced phenomenal growth. In a few short years, she had outgrown her facilities and had come to see the urgent need for more and bigger buildings. After about a year of having double sessions in both Sunday School and Morning Worship, the church adopted an ambitious plan to build two new buildings – a sanctuary and an education building. The estimated cost of erecting these two buildings was $95,000.00.
On Sunday, October 9, 1966, Park Lane held a dedication service to officially begin using the new facilities that it had worked hard to construct.
Included in a long list of accomplishments that Park Lane realized during Rev. Snoden’s pastorate was the purchase in 1973 of the Forest Inn Property, including the tavern. Formerly, this neighborhood night club/tavern was, in a sense, in competition with Park Lane Baptist Church. Now, it belonged to the church and was later converted to a youth center. (Recently, this property was sold to a housing developer and the proceeds are being used to make improvements to the church facilities. We are looking forward to having a mission field right outside our doors.)
Following Rev. Snoden’s resignation in April of 1975, the church called Rev. Barney Campbell as pastor. He began his pastoral duties in September of 1974 and served the church until December 1977.
The next several periods of pastoral leadership were relatively brief as was Rev. Campbells. Rev. Carl Hoffman served at Park Lane from December 1978 to August 1980. Next came a pastor who was already an active member of Park Lane, Brother Walt Nolan. He served from October 1980 until March 1981. Following his resignation, the church then called E. L. (Brad) Bradley. He remained Park Lane’s pastor from October 1981 until August 1983. The following year, in February, the church approved the call as pastor of Rev. Timothy Phillips. He served until October 1988.
In 1989, Rev. Bob Anderson began serving Park Lane. At the time Brother Anderson wrote this history of Park Lane, in October 2000, he was still serving as pastor of Park Lane.
Across the years, there have been many volunteer and unpaid workers who diligently and tirelessly labored in the Lord’s vineyard here at Park Lane. To list these non-pastors who have served faithfully would require much time and space, but one stands out in particular. Ms. Ady Knold became Park Lane’s secretary in June 1966 and was still Secretary in 2000 and beyond. Well over 30 years in the church office is a notable monument to her willingness to serve the Lord.
(God is still at work at Park Lane Baptist Church. Our current pastor is Dr. Hershell Spears who serves along with his wife, Michelle. With Dr. Spears, we got 2 for 1, as he is also our piano player. As of this writing, Park Lane is debt free. Park Lane has a rich history, but the best is yet to come.)
