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Park Avenue Baptist Church Park Avenue Baptist Church A Short History of Park Avenue Baptist Church, Mt.Vernon, Illinois Park Avenue Baptist Church (PABC) is a church with a rich history - a history of sharing and caring, of helping others; a history of being the first to go forward and start programs for the betterment of the community. Hardships and trials just seem to strengthen the church as they "kept the faith and stood firm." PABC started out with Sunday School in a little grocery store, after a tent meeting on the corner of what is now Park Ave and Tolle Road. After being housed in this store and later an empty grocery for a time, some land was donated and a one room building was built, decicated in November of 1907. The Ladies Aid quilted and served meals to meet expenses. In 1922 a basement was dug, a furnace was installed, and a wing was built on each side of the church. Baptisms were held in the pump house creek on the Tolle Road. In 1932 the auditorium was enlarged. Two lots west of the church were purchased in 1940, and the present parsonage was built in 1941. In 1948 ground was broken for a new church, to include an educational building and a sanctuary. By March of 1952 the Sunday services were held in the new educational building. The sanctuary was then begun in 1955 over the site of the orginal building and joined to the educational building. It was dedicated on September 15, 1957. During 1975 and 1976, Park Avenue built an Activities Building east of the church. In 1984 this building became the home of the PABC Food Pantry, which serves the people of this community to this day. Park Aveune was the first full-time church in the Salem South Association. Groups of people from PABC organized churches in Zion City, IL, Hammond, IN, and Rapid City, SD, Summersville and Old Union Churches were sponsored by the Men's Brotherhood of Park Avenue and later organized into churches. Our present membership carries on the tradition of caring and sharing with others. A group of volunteers mans the Food pantry each month. We have several people who are involved in disaster relief - some on trained chain saw teams and some on food preparation teams. The 2005 Hurricane Katrina found these people traveling to the Gulf Coast for a week at a time to help people to rebuild their lives and to witness to them of God's love and power. Various members are involved from time to time in mission trips to places like Chicago or Mexico, to help people there to show them God's love. Park Avenue Baptist Church has Sunday School classes for all ages. We have weekly church services on Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening. In 2005 we started Team Kids, a Wednesday night Bible-based program for children K-6th grade. We also have Youth meetings on Wednesday. We have an adult choir which practices before the Sunday evening service. They sing at both Sunday evenings service. They sing at both Sunday services, and perform cantatas to celebrate Easter, Christmas, July 4th, etc. We hope to soon have a Children's Choir as well. We have two Mission organizations for women. WMU and WOM, so that those who wish to participate can attend meetings either during the day or in the evening. The Baptist Men also have an active group. Our annual Block Party helps us to stay connected to other peole in the community, as well as to meet new ones. God has really blessed our church and its members!
Opportuinities for Worship and Service Sunday 8:30am Altar Prayer 9:30am Sunday School 10:30am Morning Worship 5:00pm Choir Practice 6:00pm Evening Service Wednesday 6:00pm Prayer Meeting Team Kids Youth 3rd Thursday 8:00am Food Pantry
Park Avenue Church
Preachers - 1944 |
For corrections or additions, please contact me: Sandy Bauer
