Church History

Grace Baptist Church according to minutes of 1896 prior to First Baptist Church of Haddonfield, New Jersey, had started a Mission Sunday School in Westmont in approximately 1880. Preaching services were begun in 1882 by the Rev. Thomas Wilkinson. The first baptism took place in 1883 in Crystal Lake known as Flynn's Pond. In the same year we were organized under the name of Shiloh Baptist Church with 13 members. The church had gone through several changes through the years, wonderful Theological Seminary Students of Crozer helped our church to grow spiritually.

May 1899 Bro. John Anderson of Crozer served. He made arrangements for the recognition of this church by the Camden Baptist Association and the ordination of the pastor.

On November 1907 Bro. C.P.P. Fox was elected Pastor and on April 21, 1909 the church was incorporated. The Trustees were instructed to purchase a lot for a parsonage and make plans for raising funds and building a parsonage on Reeve Avenue. The chapel on Haddon Avenue was sold and the lot next to parsonage was purchased. for $500 to build a new Church. Sunday School enrollment in 1911 was 157. The cornerstone was laid in 1914, and the new church was built. First Baptism was held in the new church on November 24, 1915, Pastor Fox, resigned May 5, 1920.

Sept. 1, 1920 Rev. Aquilla B. England was called to Grace Baptist. A 30 foot extension for Sunday School was built behind the church sanctuary and dedicated on June 3, 1923. A bell was placed in the church tower in memory of Herbert L. Heart, Superintendent of the Sunday School, who had died on April 9, 1925. The bell was rung for the first time by his son Charles on June 21, 1925.

Rev. William E. Needham became Pastor in 1929. He was an eloquent preacher and helped our church through the difficult times of economic depression. He had a wonderful artistic ability and used it during Church Sermons for Youngsters and elders alike. He resigned August 22, 1934. At this time roll of 150 members.

October 31, 1924, Rev. William J. Herman became Pastor, and the Herman's were members and active in our Mother Church First Baptist Church in Haddonfield. It was the year of 40th Anniversary March 1936 special services was commemorated. 1938 our Mortgage was burned and our sanctuary was enlarged once again and renovated. September 15, 1943, he resigned and our church had membership of 275 members. Several more ministers served our Church.

The Rev. Ralph Newell came on March 5, 1944. In April 1946 our 50th Anniversary was celebrated. At this time our membership was 300. At this time new pews, many in memory of members who served in World War II, were installed. Pastor Newell resigned in June 1947
The Rev. Wayne H. Hadley was our Pastor from 1948 to 1955. The church made great strides during this pastorate. Our educational building was built at a cost of $45,000. We began to support our Missionary to Assam, Miss Alice H. Townsend was sent on to serve in that area for 27 years. Pastor Hadley resigned on September 15, 1955.

The Reverend Walter Gerhardt, Jr. was pastor from 1956 to 1961. During his pastorate our 65th Anniversary was celebrated with dinner at the Collmont Diner. Under his leadership choir pews were installed, the mortgage on the educational building was paid off and we adopted the largest budget in our history up to that time, $26, 892.50.

The Reverend Joseph H. Thomas became our Pastor in 1961. During his pastorate the Alice H. Townsend Trust Fund was established in January 1963, so that our church could provide educational assistance to young people who were interested in Christian vocations. We began serious thinking about a new sanctuary and emphasis was placed on the development of the building fund. In April 1976, this fund was in excess of $39,000. An architect was secured and plans were submitted only to be revised and revised again until we reached the point where we felt our dreams and our pocket books could meet. Before the plans were finalized Pastor Thomas resigned on July 30, 1967.

The Reverend Leonard J. Hatch came to us on March 1, 1968 and the Pastor was immediately engrossed in our building program. Final plans for the new building were drawn, a contractor was engaged and a mortgage was placed. The cost of the new building would be $175,000. On November 10, 1968, following a final fellowship dinner in our old building, a Service of Deconsecration was held.

A great moment in our history was Sunday, September 28, 1969, at 12:00 noon when the cornerstone was laid on our new sancuary. Our first worship services were held on December 21, 1969. Ten of our young people were baptized on December 24th, the first baptism in our new building. In January 1970 a week of services were held dedicating our new facilities.

Sunday April 18, 1971, was our 75th Anniversary Celebration. We began a week of special services, with Dr. Anthony Campolo speaking on Wednesday evening and with special music by the Haddon Township High School Choral Group; An Anniversary Dinner in our church on Friday night; and guest speaker Dr. Lester Harnish, President of Eastern Baptist Seminary on sunday . At this time the church membership was 213.

During these years we started many cooperative services and programs with our friends in the First United Methodist Church of Westmont. Also in 1974 a group of our your people traveled with the Pastor to Keams Canyon, Arizona, to help with Vacation Bible School for the Indian Children. Pastor Hatch submitted his resignation on October 6, 1974.

Reverend Lawrence A. Littlehale became our Pastor in July 1975, and moved into the recently renovated parsonage. He was installed on October 12th. Then 1976 was the Bicentennial Celebration of our country . There was a week of special services with Reverend George Younger, Executive Minister of the ABCNJ, speaking on Sunday, a Homecoming Dinner with pastors and friends on Friday evening in the church, and Dr. George Vanderlip speaking the closing Sunday. After that service there was an Historical Motorcade to Washington's Crossing Park for a picnic lunch by 40 persons, with a visit to the Museum and Flag House, and then continued to Hopewell where we visited the Baptist Meeting House and burial grounds for which John Hart had given the land and deed. John Hart was the Baptist signer of the Declaration of Independence . Pastor Littlehale resigned in May 1980.

Pastor Steven C. Case, came to us on February 16, 1981. During this time the parsonage had been resided with aluminum, ceiling fans have been installed in the sanctuary and a sound system placed in the sanctuary. There are presently 147 members now on roll. The budget for 1986 is $60,820.00.

We were anxiously planning our 90th Anniversary year-long schedule of events including the Anniversary Dinner on Saturday April 12th and the burning of our Church mortgage on Sunday. April 13th, it is indeed a time to look back and remember "90 years of Grace" which was accomplished by many ministers and members of Church and Community whom have helped us to grow...we continue in this fine leadership and spiritual growth and look ahead with Pastor Steven C. Case to the "Future Years of Grace" we have before us to do God's work in the world around us.

During Pastor Steven C. Case's residence, we celebrated our 100th Anniversary in 1996; and are so thankful for the wonderful challenges he has presented to our Church and the fine preaching he presented each Sunday. He performed many other active services for our Church and the Community. We the members and friends of Grace Baptist Church were proud to have had Reverend Steven C. Case (our longest term pastorate) with us through December 24, 2005.

On August 5, 2007, after an intensive pastorial search, we welcomed our new Pastor, Pastor Jay Thatcher III. We look forward to the great joys Pastor Jay and the Thatcher family will bring to Grace.