THE HISTORY OF THE WEEPING MARY BAPTIST CHURCH

The history of the Weeping Mary Baptist Church can be traced back to early 1900s. The church is indebted to the late Sister Fannie Boozer, one of the former presidents of the Missionary Society, for much of the recording of this history.

The church organized in 1913 in a small house in Alston Quarters. The Reverend N. H. Grant had a burning zeal to organize a church in this area of the city. Under Reverend Grant’s leadership, a meeting was held in a house on Short 19^th Street. He selected and asked Reverends I. T. Simpson, Pastor of the First African Baptist Church; J. B. Douglas, Pastor of the Kaulton Baptist Church; J. Cook, Pastor of the Elizabeth Baptist Church; R. J. Moore, Pastor of the Saint John Baptist Church; and Mr. J. P. Shelton to help with the meeting. He invited members and friends of various churches to come and “Let have a meeting”. The Lord blessed this meeting with candidates for baptism. When the number of members increased greatly, the Reverend Grant said to them, “Select seven men of good character and full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom to look after the business of the church”. They selected the following deacons: Love Harris, Ed Thomas, John Carpenter, Jesse James, Whitt Rice, Mose Nixon, Ray McGee, and Floyd Thomas.

The Weeping Mary Baptist Church formally organized on the fourth Sunday in August 1913. The membership grew rapidly; therefore, the church moved to a hall on 29^th Avenue between 17^th and 18^th Streets. However, there was faster growth in the membership, and the church purchased a tent and move to 27^th Avenue and 20^th Street. Later, a lot was purchased and a wooden frame building facing 27^th Avenue was erected.

The pulpit eventually became vacant, and the Reverend J. P. McClellan was invited to run a revival. Later he accepted the call to pastor the church. Inspirational as well as charismatic, he was a dynamic spiritual speaker who drew worshippers from all parts of the city. On Sunday evenings, there was hardly standing room in the little church. Fortunately Reverend McClellan had the vision to begin construction on the church facility, by completing the basement, which was used by the congregation until September 2004.

Deacons ordained under the leadership of reverend McClellan were Bill Bostic, Earl Davis, James Wilson, F. E. Sims, Pete Hill, Henry Hall, J. E. Harrison, William Jones, DeWitt Moore, Charlie Anderson, Mack Edwards, W. E. Brown, Charlie Echols, Mose Bailey, E. J. Powe, Joe Wilkerson, Willie Bradley, Islam Anderson, and Edward J. Hopkins.

Reverend McClellan served as pastor until his death. His “son in ministry” the Reverend Doctor Edward Howard Jones, was called to pastor the church in 1953. He was a great pastor, an outstanding leader and minister in the community. These qualities led to his being selected to serve as the moderator of the district association. His first mission at Weeping Mary was to complete the church building that Reverend McClellan and the congregation had started. Therefore, under his leadership, the upstairs portion of the former church facility was constructed, equipped with new carpet, air conditioning and new organ; and the sanctuary was moved from the basement to the upstairs.

The church membership continued to grow spiritually and numerically. The deacons ordained under the leadership of Dr. Jones included: Booker Presswood, Judge Spencer, John Horton, L. G. Parrish, Lewis Kinard, Conzie Nevels, David Collins, Sr., James Thornton, and Hazell Wilson. Deacons David Pratcher, Robert T. Wade and Benjamin F. Sharpe joined and their deaconship was transferred with them. Dr. Jones served as pastor until his death in 1972.

During the church membership’s period of grief and prayer, associate minister, Reverend J. A. Adams served as acting pastor. He served in this position from March 1972 to September 1972. He led the church spiritually through this difficult time.

In September 1972, the reverend Dr. J. L. Simpson was called to pastor the church. This man of God has proved to be a progressive thinker, who cam with a will to expand the programs of the church. He is an outstanding leader and minister in the community and served as moderator of the new Antioch Bethlehem District Association for over twenty-five years and has the present distinction of Moderator Emeritus”. Since becoming pastor of the church, Dr. Simpson has led the church in various phases of structural improvements. Outstanding among them are the refurbishing of the sanctuary and fellowship hall of the prior church facility. He also led the church in its efforts to install an elevette, cushioned pews, new air conditioning system, the purchase and fencing of the alley behind the church, the purchase of passenger vans, and the paving of the parking lot.

The most profound decision the church has made under the leadership of Dr. Simpson is the purchasing of the old Twentieth Street School property and other real estate adjoining the prior church site. Acquiring these properties has allowed the church to better the community by utilizing the facilities to house various services to the Tuscaloosa community. An effective outreach program developed, with numerous agencies using the Activity Building to reach senior citizens in need of varied services. The Activity Building has been air conditioned, roofed, and partially remodeled, including the purchase of furniture and other decorations for the front entrance. These purchases, which began in 1988, gave impetus to the drive to construct the present church facility. A plan was set forth for the methodical acquisition of real estate surrounding the old church facility. After purchasing the entire city block, the church voted on May 28, 2003 to build a new church and a groundbreaking ceremony was held December 31, 2003.

The prior church facility was vacated in September 2004, resulting in the church services being held in the church activity center. After months of prayer fully planning and anticipating, the church realized its dream by holding a “Crossing Over\Entry Service Celebration” on Sunday, May 22, 2005. The newly constructed single-level brick facility consists of 17,366 square feet of habitable space. The sanctuary has an overall seating capacity of over eight hundred that includes spaces for the physically challenged. The modern facility includes administrative offices, classrooms, choir room, ushers’ room and nurses’ station. During the spring of 2007, the new church building and Weeping Mary Baptist Church Activity Center were connected by an enclosed corridor; and a new key board was purchased.

For all the blessings of the Past

We praise Thee, Lord, today

And pray that in the days to come

Still greater victories will be won.

Lord, complete the work Thou has begun

In Thine own perfect way.

Amen