HISTORY OF JEFFERSON AVENUE COMMUNITY CHURCH

The Evangelistic Temple was organized April 22nd 1922 by the late Reverend Lewis W. Holly in his home located at 114 Pine Street. Rev. Holley was an ordained minister and member of the Michigan Avenue Baptist Church. He was an Evangelist and believed in the oneness of God’s people, which led him to found Evangelistic Temple. The belief that Christians, regardless of denominations, could work together, led his organization of the Evangelistic Club. Members of his church, as well as members from other churches, comprised his congregation.

At the first meeting, he was elected President. The purpose of the weekly meetings was to cooperate with the churches in the city, to help build their members. However, the churches did not care for the ideas of Rev. Holley and refused to work with him. Due to the attitude of the other churches, Rev. Holley and his workers decide to become an independent, non-denominational church.

In 1927, a place of worship was rented at the corner of Pine and Clinton St. Rev. Stansial, who held his services on Saturdays, let Rev. Holley use the church on Sundays. To help those who wanted to attend Sunday School, Rev. Holly used a cab to pick up children every Sunday.

The property at 451 Jefferson was purchased in 1929 and remodeled into a church. The congregation moved in April 1930 in June 1936. The church was incorporated in 1936 and exempted from taxation. The name Holley was dropped from the churches name at the time of incorporation. The church joined the Community Church Council in 1935.

Rev. Holley went to the National Council, which was held in California in 1937. The Center was purchased in 1943 for recreation and other church uses. This was the last key acquisition made under Rev. Holley’s tenure. After a short illness, Rev. Holley passed away on June 12, 1944. Rev. Lucious Bonds, who had been working with the church prior to Rev. Holly’s illness, took up pastoral duties. In Jan. 1945, Rev. Bonds was elected Pastor.

The mortgage on both buildings was paid off in Oct. 1948. In June 1959, the Evangelistic Temple moved to 92 Hedley Place and Jefferson Community Church was incorporated. Rev. Bonds retired after eighteen years of service in 1963.

Former Church Pastors:

Rev. Burgess (1964), Rev. Harris (1970), Rev. Jenkins (1986), Rev. Dixon & Rev. Richardson (1990), Elder Raymond Dixon (1997), Rev. Pastor Robert Lowe, Sr. (1980-1985), ), Rev. Pastor Robert Lowe, Sr. (1998-2017),

Rev. Pastor Robert Lowe, Sr. pastored until his demise in 2017 at Jefferson Community Church.

Elder Paul B. Jackson installed On December 7, 2019 under the leadership of SUPERINTENDENT DR ROBERT J.LOWE AND BISHOP DESIGNATE MATTHEW L.BROWN.