Our History
A Brief History of the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church, 1881-2001
"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain. . ."
Psalm 127:1
The history of the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church closely parallels the struggles of our ancestors in this country who were freed from slavery following the ending of the Civil War and the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. In 1881, encouraged by Reverend M. Tyler, president of the Alabama State Convention, a small group of Christian men and women banded together to assemble the beginning of this historic Baptist church. The founding members of the congregation known as the House of Prayer were brothers M. G. Kendricks, Eli Parker, John Doaks, Yancy Kendricks, Henry McCoy, John Dudley, Eli Parker, Jr., T. W. Walker, and H. S. Howard, and sisters Sallie Kendricks, Fanny Jones, Jane Kendricks, Sarah Dudley and Fanny Phillips. This new congregation built a small building (18'x34') on a corner lot (100'x190') located on Sixth Avenue, South and Sixteenth Street. The first pastor called by the congregation was the Reverend Silas Jones of Mt. Meigs, Alabama.
After the resignation of Pastor Jones, the Reverend T. W. Walker, a founding member, was called as the second pastor. During his tenure, the church membership grew and a program of service was developed to include the total community of Birmingham. A choir was organized in 1886 and the edifice was enlarged to 30'x45'. On April 14, 1888, the cornerstone was laid with the Reverend J. W. Foster of Montgomery, Alabama preaching the dedicatory sermon.
In January, 1891 the Reverend J. White of Selma replaced Pastor Walker in the leadership of the church. During this period, the church was in a spiritual crisis and the task of leadership was extremely difficult. It was also during this time that it became necessary for the church to relinquish a parcel of property (80'x34') which was being acquired adjacent to the church building. Pastor White became ill and was given a leave of absence. After the death of Pastor White, The Reverend J.Q.A. Wilhite was called as the fourth pastor of the church in May, 1895.
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"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain. . ."
Psalm 127:1
The history of the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church closely parallels the struggles of our ancestors in this country who were freed from slavery following the ending of the Civil War and the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. In 1881, encouraged by Reverend M. Tyler, president of the Alabama State Convention, a small group of Christian men and women banded together to assemble the beginning of this historic Baptist church. The founding members of the congregation known as the House of Prayer were brothers M. G. Kendricks, Eli Parker, John Doaks, Yancy Kendricks, Henry McCoy, John Dudley, Eli Parker, Jr., T. W. Walker, and H. S. Howard, and sisters Sallie Kendricks, Fanny Jones, Jane Kendricks, Sarah Dudley and Fanny Phillips. This new congregation built a small building (18'x34') on a corner lot (100'x190') located on Sixth Avenue, South and Sixteenth Street. The first pastor called by the congregation was the Reverend Silas Jones of Mt. Meigs, Alabama.
After the resignation of Pastor Jones, the Reverend T. W. Walker, a founding member, was called as the second pastor. During his tenure, the church membership grew and a program of service was developed to include the total community of Birmingham. A choir was organized in 1886 and the edifice was enlarged to 30'x45'. On April 14, 1888, the cornerstone was laid with the Reverend J. W. Foster of Montgomery, Alabama preaching the dedicatory sermon.
In January, 1891 the Reverend J. White of Selma replaced Pastor Walker in the leadership of the church. During this period, the church was in a spiritual crisis and the task of leadership was extremely difficult. It was also during this time that it became necessary for the church to relinquish a parcel of property (80'x34') which was being acquired adjacent to the church building. Pastor White became ill and was given a leave of absence. After the death of Pastor White, The Reverend J.Q.A. Wilhite was called as the fourth pastor of the church in May, 1895.
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