Pilgrim Baptist Church - Centennial Yearbook (St Paul, MN)

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1 , -nu ,. It ws ,,, 'Q WN Q .TEE X. 1 1 v .v' M 1 r f , , 314 'X ' 1 gig. V Dr. Massey's late mother, Al Passed - 1927. ice Massey 4 , A J J .,.'. sf,z-geirif: . 5 1:'5gf.43 1. .fg L.f-f.f. - fy.. ,fy -w e ' -'fr ' f 5154 221: me f . exe N. - ,- - .,,.fLm2'-V Q, s , .wf:3f1f,,,:- N454 W 'A -f KS X'i?isw?4129'WTv '52 ,,., . ,pifw . .., f , , .. ,..,L .I.,,f.1.a. f if-KF Q, fy. nw-: -. L sn.. vi N WQMW YA i pei, an .4 , i 1 '+ 1. xg x v 9541 ,,, K 23 5 ' 5 F 'X .t 4 1 7 , I iw, Ek X , s Z ,Q Q s 51 55113K Q 'i A .un K Q, 23 TG L, . ,, s..1.2 M if wx A yr I A gli 21- Y x sg Q 1 Qin gk W ig? ,K ge Q ff ,,,, mf f- 'in X ' S123-' 1.33 jfeggi QK LTY P. V e A . eg, A K Y G? r , I ' - 1 XM W FL .V ' el... 5 ' ,xs f,.sn.,- new. K , U N-1 115' as 3' M , ml ,-:1, 4 A 1 5 mf - MMF . L V ' f, - 3- f K lffisj f A 1w.Sg.MF1.3f. e 'V 'Q Dr. Massey at age 4. fn. . ' ' .. -' li ' fl 3 - -...J ' , ',lf:,.' - - ,V f ' w ' - -an . J L .limi . X W 'Q A E? ff ,Q f , .rf .5 1Z'5:,PY'Aey f K ' 'L 23 A255 - - mmf, . WfWf.zf.1X2s,: 1 4, bf 5 5 'Ile at college 13 Age 20.

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Moreover, the church yard was improved with a cement retaining wall plus sidewalks and curbing. The campaign to erect the Educational Unit began in 1946. In Dec. 1948-Sept. 1949, the three stories struc- ture was erected containing individual church school rooms for all departments, the church office, pastorls study, nursery, church parlor, baptismal dressing rooms, Board of Education office, lavatories and a new gas furnace. Moreover, in the same year, the Sanctuary, Fellowship Hall, and the kitchen were completely re- decorated. The kitchen is equipped to serve 300 people. Four times, the sanctuary has been redecorated during this administration. In 1957 new pews and new hymnals were installed and in 1958 a new Wicks pipe organ was purchased and installed. In May 1961, the congregation liquidated the indebtedness on the Educational Unit, three years ahead of time, and burned the mortgage, October 8, 1961 on SS170,000 of improvements. Today, Pilgrim Church property is evaluated at 3S250,000 and is debt free. The funds were raised mostly through the Fellowship Units system headed by Deacon M. A. Knott, Sr. Memorials have been made possible by bequests of deceased members and families of the deceased: organ chimes, water fountains, pianos, some pews, some hymnals, church 8: christian flags, pulpit Bible, offering plates, tithing box and the church library. May God bless our donors and the memory of our dead. In the special projects, through the years, Dr. Massey has solicited or influenced from friends outside our congregation, plus his own contributions, 332,661.62 as of Dec. 31, 1962. In the same period, we have raised 55554521.24 and 1335 new members have been received. Our sanctuary is usually filled to capacity on Sunday morning and the Educational Unit is over crowded. Our Vacation Bible School is of capacity proportions. We are indeed proud of the fine spirit which has been manifested through the years. It has been an l'Era of good feeling . Five young men were licensed and ordained to the christian ministry: Milton Combs, Moses A. Knott, jr., john Diggs, Chester jones and Gerard Laroche. A Director of Christian Education, Miss Hazel Murray, was added to the staff in Oct. 1959. Her services ended Dec. 31, 1962. The congregation of Pilgrim Church has been a driving force for Civic betterment in the North Central Community of our city. Dr. Massey was the chairman of a drive which resulted in successful erection of a 3750,000 new Maxfield Elementary School in 1955. In 1956, the Rondo-St. Anthony Highway Organization was formed, convened by Dr. Massey and led by a Pil- grim member, Timothy J. Howard. This group gave unity to hundreds of homeowners who were dislocated 12 by the freeway and aided them in getting best possible prices for their homes. This group also led the fight to get a depressed freeway which kept property values up and the adjacent streets liveable. We joined others in the drive to make possible the new Oxford play- ground. Moreover, our congregation is particularly proud of paid-up Life Memberships in the N.A.A.C.P. for both pastor and church. Enactment of Fair Employ- ment Practice laws and Open Occupancy laws had strong leadership and support from Pilgrim. Public Housing and Urban Renewal received vigorous leadership sup- port form our members. Both the Democratic and Republican parties have leaders in our fold. Church-wise, Pilgrim supports the Baptist World Alliance, American Baptist Convention, the National Baptist Convention U.S.A. Inc., the National Council of Churches, the Minnesota Council of Churches and the St. Paul Council of Churches. In addition to groups which may be found in the pastor's section of this publication, Dr. Massey has served on Council of Churches and Urban League Boards, was formerly President Colgate-Rochester Alum- ni Association, member Executive Board of the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc., and is presently mem- ber of Foreign Missions Board of both the National Baptist Convention and the American Baptist Conven- tion. At the Philadelphia Convention, 1962, he was elected President of the ABC Foreign Mission Societies. Dr. and Mrs. Ethel Hurley Massey came to us as newly weds. She is a graduate of Benedict College, Columbia, S.C. and a former teacher of French, Algebra and Director of Dramatics at Marlboro High School, Bennettsville, S.C. Dr. Massey is a graduate of johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, N.C. and Colgate Rochester Divinity School, Rochester, N.Y. They are the parents of three boys, Floyd, III, Ronald Bruce and Thomas Rickie. Mrs. Massey has directed several plays for teenagers and adults of Pilgrim and the State Baptist Pastors Wives. She has been in demand as a public speaker and a funds raiser for many worthy campaigns in the city. They have enjoyed the full confidence of Pilgrim congregation and community throughout these nearly 19 years. God has truly blessed the work. The next 100 years of Pilgrim's Progress should be more revealing because of the foundation laid by those children of God who labored to fill the first 100 years to overflowing. Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Contributors: S. E. Hall, The B. F. Taylors, Ida Mae Murphy, Arlee Scott, A. W. jordan, Dr, Massey - Edited by james R. Brown

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