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building in 2014 CC SA-BY Our Oakland

The 23rd Avenue Baptist Church was at 1711 - 23rd Avenue. The congregation formed in 1889. The building, constructed in 1901-1902, 2 is currently home to the Church of Tonga.

The church was formed with 20 members at a meeting at Garfield School on May 26, 1889. Rev. I. D. Fleming was called to be the first pastor. The church began meeting in a tent at the present location. About 1891, 50 people from Tenth Avenue Baptist joined the church. 5

In 1951, the church moved to a new building on Foothill, and became Foothill Boulevard Baptist Church. 9,10

1928 5

Pastor From To Info
I. D. Fleming 1889 1892  
Robert Whittaker ? ? did he come back after Bennett?
E. R. Bennett   December, 1900 4
Robert Whitaker -1903 December, 1906 ref
Edwin S. Stucker 1907 1908+ ref
William C. Spencer ? ? served twice 5
Charles "Chuck" A. Wells 1928 1928+ 5
Guy Archer Weniger July, 1942 1951 ref. 1951 church renamed 9,10

Nellie H. Carpenter was the organist in 1909. 3 Charles A. Wells, the pastor beginning in 1928, had worked for 12 years as a newspaper cartoonist. He developed a feature called "Art Sermons." 5

In 1949, the church broke ground on a new building at 1530 Foothill, across from San Antonio Park. 6 The church also withdrew from the Northern California Baptist convention, calling it "an association based on the dollar sign." 7 In 1949, they also took park in a 5-year missionary trip, with 18 adults and 4 small children. 8

The new building was completed in 1951, and the church moved, becoming Foothill Boulevard Baptist Church. 9,10

1910s photo 11909 31949 mission trip 8

Links and References

  1. 23rd Avenue, 1910s Oakland History Room
  2. Banquet and a Roll Call Oakland Tribune November 3, 1902
  3. Miss Nellie H. Carpenter Oakland Tribune January 2, 1909
  4. Sorry to Lose Their Pastor Oakland Tribune November 26, 1900
  5. The Story of East Bay Churches Oakland Tribune December 1, 1928
  6. Congregation to Hail 60th Year By New Church Ground Breaking Oakland Tribune May 29, 1949
  7. Baptist Church Bolts Parley Oakland Tribune May 30, 1949 (part 2)
  8. Missionaries Set Out Oakland Tribune December 29, 1949
  9. 1951 ad Oakland Tribune December 22, 1951
  10. Foothill Blvd. Baptists Will Dedicate New Home Oakland Tribune November 11, 1951
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