LOOKING INTO THE PAST

With a long and storied history — a move from Center City, a devastating fire — Lighthouse Baptist Church at 2400 S. Broad St. will turn 200 next year. Not only is Kerr planning a celebration to mark the occasion, but he and Deacon Brian Bennett also are trying to track down some of its lost past.

The search for records has just begun with Kerr asking congregants for help from his pulpit, hoping they will get in touch with former members. Anything related to the church and its history will do. While learning more about previous pastors is high on the list, Kerr also wants more information on the lives of the former flock, including the Eva Taylor Missionary Society. Created in 1956 and named for an African missionary who died in the field, Kerr believes the women who served in the group have stories to share that current members can relate to.

“We have a lot of information about [Pastor Groves W. Drew], but not on some others,” he said. “Under his ministry, the attendance was over 400 people. Sunday school attendance was 600-plus.”

Kerr, Lighthouse Baptist’s pastor since January, believes the key to the past lies with former parishioners.

“Some of the history people have in their homes, that’s what I’m fishing for,” he said.

A few things from the original building prior to a ’64 blaze were salvaged, including memorial plaques, both iron and marble. One is dedicated to the Sunday school students who died in World War I. Kerr hopes to have them cleaned and put up around the building for the anniversary.

There are handfuls of information floating around, from which the pastor and deacon are attempting to piece together the last two centuries. Bennett, from the 2600 block of Chadwick Street, rummages through a large cardboard box filled with artifacts of the church’s past. He holds up an old notebook used for a financial meeting long ago.

“Can you read that?” Bennett asks.

“Who uses shorthand anymore?” Kerr replies with a laugh.

Looking to model 2009’s festivities after the 150th anniversary celebration, Kerr and Bennett are basing their plans on salvaged copies of the ’58 program.

“The 150th was a full week, and we will repeat it for the 200th rather than spread it out over a year. This includes a homecoming night for former pastors and members,” Kerr said.

The only other event planned as of now is a revival series with evangelist Dr. John Hamblin Memorial Day weekend.

Originally called The Third Baptist Church of Philadelphia, Lighthouse Baptist was established in 1809 when members of the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia decided to move things south. The decision was mostly geographical, as a lack of transportation made it hard for the 30 local members to get to 123 S. 17th St. The church landed on Broad Street in November 1896.

“In the Baptist tradition, when churches reach a certain size, they reproduce themselves by making a new church,” Kerr said with a laugh.

Two buildings next to each other served as the church with the first section — the chapel — created in September 1896. It would be 15 years before the second — which connected to the first structure — was completed.

“From what I’ve been told,” Kerr said, “it was quite a building. It had quite a [baptismal] pool. The original pool was solid marble.”

“Things you wish you’d have an opportunity to see,” Bennett, who became a deacon in ’92, said.

But that was not to pass. After years of serving the community, the church burned to the ground in ’64 causing $400,000 in damages and destroying not only the building but almost all of the historical documents and records kept inside.

“From what I’ve heard, it was electrical,” Bennett said of the fire, “though I don’t know if there’s any evidence of that.”

Completely destroyed, the church had to be gutted and replaced. What exists now rose from the ashes of the old by ’69. Lighthouse Baptist currently has 150 to 200 congregants that fill its chapel, social hall, five classrooms and nursery. There also are two prophets’ chambers, which is temporary housing for visiting missionaries.

The search to fill in the gaps of 200 years may take a while, but Bennett and Kerr know the past can only stay hidden for so long, no matter the incarnation.

“[Lighthouse’s] name change came about because it was thought that the name ‘Third’ didn’t provide much of a message, although that may have been done in haste considering the history of the church. It was thought that a name like ‘Lighthouse’ provides more of a message, such as Jesus Christ being a lighthouse for sinners, lighting the way and keeping us safe from sin,” Bennett said.

Anyone with information or artifacts relating to Lighthouse Baptist Church’s history may contact Pastor William Kerr or Deacon Brian Bennett at 215-389-2626.

To see this South Philadelphia Review article fully, please visit Looking into the past.