Greenwood Social Hall

GREENWOOD BAPTIST • CHURCH.

(NEGRO.)

Northwest corner of Belleview avenue and Eighteenth street

Down by the waterworks, across the railroad tracks is a section of Kansas City known as Toad Low. Here in the summer of 1892, the Rev. John King Started a mission and a few weeks later organized a church and called it the First Baptist church. His first deacon was L. Chapman. The location was not favorable. The minister moved to the corner of Twentieth and Madison streets where he leased a lot and built a church.

          He was succeeded by the Rev. Robert Watson (1894-1901) who found the congregation rather loosely organized. About the time he had all the machinery functioning the church was burned. The pastor rented a hall over a store at the northeast corner of Twentieth and Belleview streets and moved the congregation to the hall.

          As summer came on the Rev. Ephriam P. Green (1901-1902) and his deacons arranged for a vacant lot at the corner of Twenty-sixth street and Southwest boulevard and bought a tent. After a few weeks a great wind took the tent off the lot. It was put back and things went well for a while. But the congregation was so poor that the payments on the tent were not kept up and it was forfeited for debt. The next move was to Bell’s hall at Thirtieth street and Southwest boulevard where, after a few months the pastor resigned.

          It was under the leadership of the next pastor, however that this church now called Greenwood Baptist church, really established its reputation as a wanderer. The Rev. J. J. Adams (1902-06) moved with the church from Bell’s hall to the corner of Twentieth and Main streets and after about a month to the northeast corner of Twelfth and Lincoln streets. Here a brick house was bought and converted into a chapel. After a short while it was condemned and taken over by the city for viaduct purposes and Pastor Adams moved with his flock across the street into a basement; about two month later into a tent at Twentieth and Madison streets, next over a store near the corner of Seventeenth and Holly streets. Here, the second burning took place. When they had worshipped for a few months above a store at the northeast corner of Twenty-first and Belleview streets, Pastor Adams arranged for the purchase of a four-room frame cottage at 1839 ½ Terrace street for $900. His pastorate closed about the time the work of remodeling this cottage in a church was completed.

          The Rev. Jesse Harris was called and remained only a few months. The congregation decided not to hurry about calling a minister and held services without a preacher for some time. Toward the close of 1926 the Rev. G. T. Boseby preached a few times and on New Year’s Eve conducted the Watch Night services. He was called to the church and came in January (1907-1925).

Erect New Church 

          Only about $40 had been paid on the property and it was practically lost. The new pastor was full of energy and determination. He arranged to refinance the debt and it was not long before it was paid off. In the successful working out of this deal, the church was much indebted to Deacon Moses Owen in whose name the property had been purchased.

          In 1910 the little house was torn down and a neat frame church erected in its place. The minister and the men of the congregation did most of the work. For fifteen years, Pastor Moseby and the Greenwood Baptist congregation worshipped together in this place. After the property had been cleared of debt, they had an opportunity to buy a tract about 90x90 feet, fronting on Eighteenth street and Belleview avenue and West Pennway for $1,700. The entire group went to work with determination. Within a year they had it nearly half paid for and had the foundation built for a new church.

          Then, after the New Year watch night meeting at the beginning of 1925, the little frame church was burned. It was insured for $3,000 and was clear of debt, so the fire did not create an additional burden in a financial way. Following the fire, however, there grew up between pastor and congregation a series of misunderstandings which resulted in a lawsuit. The deacons declared the pulpit vacant and called the Rev. G. W. Marcus. Another faction, which called itself the Greenwood church, held that Mr. Moseby was still pastor. Pastor Moseby made claim against the board for the considerable sum of money. The matter was taken to court. By order of the court a meeting was called of the two factions in the Vine Street church and a committee of ministers from the other church appointed to conduct the meeting. A vote was taken and Mr. Marcus was elected pastor.

          The experience cost the Greenwood congregation almost all of their insurance money. The northwest corner of the Eighteenth and Belleview street lot was sold for $3,800, the balance of debt paid off and a large and comfortable basement auditorium built on the remaining lot. Until this was ready for service the first of June 1927, the congregation had been worshipping in the Clark chapel, Methodist church, at times when it was not in use. The balance of $1,300 due on the basement is expected to be paid next year, when the auditorium is to be built. The present membership of Greenwood church is 200 with a Sunday school enrolment of thirty-five. With three burnings and much wandering this little body of people have developed a sturdiness and a determination that must in the end make for large success.