Bethany Baptist Church (South Norfolk)

Bethany Baptist Church of South Norfolk, Virginia is a prominent Black church in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Founded in the late 1950s to early 1960s, it has since had a major influence on the local black community and others. It has become one of the largest churches in the Hampton Roads area.[2]

Bethany Baptist Church
Bethany Baptist Church building
LocationChesapeake, Virginia
South Norfolk neighborhood
CountryUnited States
DenominationBaptist
Membership2500 +
History
FoundedOctober 8, 1959 (1959-10-08)
Berkley, Virginia
Associated peopleMinnie Madrey
Architecture
Completed1986
rebuilt 1996
Demolished1982
Historical Berkley Church
Clergy
Minister(s)Rev. Dr. Linn Hill [1]
Senior pastor(s)Rev. Dr. Jake Manley Sr. (late pastor)
Pastor(s)H. Patrick Cason (current pastor)
Deacon(s)Deacon Bryon (current chairman)
Deacon E. Hines (former chairman)
Deacon Willie Bond Sr (former chairman)
Deacon Jernigan (former chairman)
Deacon Stokes (former chairman)
Laity
Organist(s)Brother Devon D. Mickey (current)
Rev. Carlton Ashby (former)
Rev. Charles Turner (former)
Rev. Burnell(former)

Teachers and Counselors = Rev Byron Joyce current Showers of Blessings

Rev Douglas M. Lee certified substance abuse counselor current Showers of Blessings

History

The Bethany Baptist Church was founded on October 8, 1959, by a group of members of Chesapeake's First Baptist Church South Hill in the home of the late Mrs. Minnie Madrey[3] at 410 Berkley Avenue with 100 chartered members in Berkley.[4] The group wanted to advance the spiritual life in the Berkley community. In November 1959, the congregation began to seek a church edifice for parishioners to worship. The former Chestnut Street Methodist Episcopal Church, South now located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, was purchased located at 523 Chestnut Street in the Berkley community.[4] In the early 1980s, the interstate I-464 was being constructed, passing through the portion of Berkley where the church was located. As a result, in 1982 the Virginia Highway Department VDOT acquired the building.[4] The church held services in the Teamsters Union Local #822 on 822 Bartee St. in Norfolk, Virginia off Military Highway near Military Circle Mall. In 1985, the church began to erect a church at its present location at 2587 Campostella Rd. in Chesapeake, Virginia. The church's first service in this building commenced on Sunday, March 2, 1986. In 1996, the church built a new edifice to accommodate the increasing membership with an addition built in 2008.

Former Bethany Baptist Church at 523 Chestnut St. in Berkley

Pastors

Rev. E. C. Walton (1959–1962)
Rev. Roy Edler (1962–1967)
Rev. Dr. C.M. Heidelberg (1967–1968)
Rev. William A. Dyson Sr. (1968–1975)[5]
Rev. Dr. Jake Manley, Sr. (1975–2013)[6]
Rev. Dr. George H. Spicer (2013-2015) -interim pastor
Rev. Gregory Chapman (2015-2016) -interim pastor
Rev. H. Patrick Cason (2016–present)

Attendance

In 1959, the church began with 100 members. In the 1990s, church membership began to increase. Currently, estimates a membership of 2000–2500 parishioners.[4][6]

Events

In 2013, the church hosted the Citywide Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, part of the City of Chesapeake's 50th anniversary observance.[7]

Community work

Showers of Blessings Ministry

In 1988, the Late Rev. Jake Manley, Sr. founded the Showers of Blessings, a spiritual and life-skills ministry with two women of the church. Over the years, it has served thousands, many of them drug addicts ordered by the courts into the program whose lives were transformed by the ministry.[8]

HIV-AIDS ministry

Bethany's HIV-AIDS ministry created one of the first AIDS/HIV support and counseling ministries among the Black churches in the Hampton Roads region under the leadership of Rev. Jake Manley.[9]

Bethany House

As a noted provider of clothing, food and shelter, Bethany Baptist acquired property (called the Bethany House) to house those in need of temporary housing upon release from the penal system.[10]

References
  1. Colvin, Leonard (25 April 2012). "Candidates Look Hopefully To Winning Next Week". New Journal and Guide. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  2. Sheler, Jeff (21 May 2013). "South Norfolk pastor helped those without hope". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  3. WATSON BATTS, DENISE (3 May 2001). "MINNIE GREGG MADREY - 1912-2001 MOURNERS HAIL NORFOLK MODEL CITIZEN". The Virginian-Pilot. Archived from the original on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  4. Leonard E. Colvin (23 May 2013). "Rev. Jake Manley: 'He Will Be Missed'". New Journal and Guide. Archived from the original on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  5. "HISTORY OF THE CHURCH". greatermtzion.org. Archived from the original on 4 July 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  6. Kristin Davis (1 December 2008). "Chesapeake pastor answers his calling, day or night". The Virginian Pilot. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  7. "Martin Luther King Jr. events around town". The Virginian-Pilot. 20 January 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  8. Friedman, Vicki (27 October 2009). "A place for addicts, a place for hope". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  9. Colvin, Leonard (13 December 2012). "PART II - World AIDS Day: Surviving an HIV-Positive Diagnosis". New Journal & Guide. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  10. "Rev. Jake Manley Sr". Metropolitan Services. Retrieved 29 May 2013.

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