Our Anniversary
For our current church family and for many previous generations of saints, Shiloh Baptist Church in Rockville Centre has been a place of worship and a source of spiritual substance for 114 years. In June 1907, Mrs. Glendora Hankins called together a group of people for the purpose of organizing the first Black Baptist Church in Rockville Centre, New York. Little is known of Sis. Hankins except that she called the very first meeting that eventually led to the Shiloh Baptist Church family being formed. It is not clear where this meeting took place but without suitable places to hold subsequent gatherings, Sis. Hankins and her supporters took turns meeting weekly for worship services by moving from house to house. A couple of Hankins’ associates, Mr. and Mrs. Wiley, hosted the first service in the form of a mission in their home. Reverend A Hill, the pastor of St. John’s Baptist Church of Jamaica, New York, moderated the mission, launching a membership recruitment drive. Counting the four from Reverend Hill’s church, the membership soon grew to sixteen. Even though they did not have a building, they were still a church. They called themselves “Shiloh.” They elected the first officers and organized several ministries. July 25th, 1907, was the day Shiloh Baptist Church incorporated which marked another key milestone in our church’s storied history.
In October 1907, the Shiloh Baptist Church family moved from residences to a new meeting facility on 158 Merrick Road. The exact date is sketchy, but approximately two years later, the Shiloh Baptist Church family- still in its infancy- purchased a lot at 87 Banks Avenue, Rockville Centre. Pleased with the work of these humble saints, the Lord rewarded them with a small frame building. They wasted little time purchasing the small frame building and transporting the structure to 87 Banks Avenue where they set it down. Applause and recognition followed their accomplishment and the congregation moved into their first church building. Shiloh, after all, was the first Black Baptist Church in the village that earlier was known as Near Rockaway before taking its name from a local mill owner and civic leader, Mordecai Rock Smith. It also was the first Black Baptist Church in Nassau County, to own property. Sis. Gertrude Ulmer, prior to her passing, fondly recalled Shiloh’s early days. “To get to the basement, you had to go outside the building,” said Sis. Ulmer, whose father, Deacon Benjamin Jenkins, was chairman of the board of deacons, and whose mother, Deaconess Ophelia Jenkins, was pregnant with her while she served on the choir. Like its successor, the first Shiloh was a house of worship known for harmonious, spirit-filled music. “It was the first church around with a pipe organ,” Sis. Ulmer recalled. But all the days of Shiloh were not sunny. There were minor setbacks. Reverend Hill’s resignation, for example, sounded a sour note among the membership.
But Shiloh prevailed under the leadership of subsequent successors, including Reverend Dudley, Reverend Harrell, Reverend Spencer Miles, and Reverend Arthur Wainwright. In 1937, Reverend Morgan M. Days accepted the call to lead the church, some three decades after Shiloh was first incorporated. The church grew rapidly under his guidance. Sis. Ulmer, who just turned eight at the time, was baptized by Pastor Days soon after his arrival. In 1939, two years after Dr. Days took over as Shiloh’s leader, the mortgage for the property on 87 Banks Avenue was burned. Less than a decade later in 1945, Shiloh purchased property on the corner of North Centre Avenue and Willoughby Street, the site of the present church. By 1951, a campaign to raise money for the construction of a new church was in full swing, attracting widespread support from neighboring residents and church members. In October 1953, the world-renowned opera singer Dorothy Maynor performed a concert in Rockville Centre to help raise money to build the new Shiloh Baptist Church. Dr. Days, who was well-loved in the community, received generous contributions, cash, and sweat from people throughout the community and beyond. The men of the church, short on funds but not on commitment, laid the floors and built the steps, making it possible for the cornerstone to be laid by 1953. The new Shiloh was completed in June 1954. It was dedicated June 22nd, 1958, approximately four years after it was built. As well as cash, many of the churches and neighboring businesses contributed furnishings to Shiloh, as recorded by Sis. Ulmer. One church pitched in pulpit furniture. Another, the B-Line bus company, contributed an organ, she said, noting that her sister, Sis. Clara Hadley was the pianist at Shiloh for more than three decades. Sis. Ulmer also fondly recalled hearing the bell which tolled every Sunday before service and at 12 AM on watch night. Sis. Lenora Quinones was at Shiloh when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. came to the church. When Dr. King came to Shiloh, Sis. Quinones says the people in Shiloh and the community said, “At last, at last!”. People in Shiloh and the community felt a sense of hope when Dr. King came into town. During the 1970s, Rosa Lee Young Day Care Center was located at Shiloh with playground equipment.
Sis. Quinones says that even during times when the church experienced limitations the members still knew the Word of prayer. A person could walk by on any Wednesday night and hear the Prayer Meeting that was going on inside. Sis. Quinones says that if a person didn’t know it was Prayer Meeting, they would think that there was a worship service going on inside the church. Sis. Quinones says that the Shiloh in the past was highly respected and were good stewards of God’s house. After almost fifty years of dedicated service, Pastor Days submitted his resignation in October 1985 due to failing health. He served as Pastor Emeritus until his death in 1987. In May of that year, the village of Rockville Centre honored Reverend Days by renaming Willoughby Street, Morgan Days Lane. The Village of Rockville Centre also named one of its parks after Dr. Days. Shiloh, under the able leadership of Reverend Reginald E. Greene, its ministers, and its board, led by Deacon William Sandefur, continued an upward and progressive course along with its kingdom-building journey. Reverend Greene and Reverend Alton E. Jones, served as interim co-pastors for about two years. Reverend Greene was elected pastor in February 1987. He served until October 1988.
In June 1990, the Lord blessed Shiloh Baptist Church with a gift from heaven. In search of a new shepherd, the Shiloh Baptist Church family stretched out its arms, beckoning to Pennsgrove, New Jersey, where Reverend Herman Washington answered the call. Reverend Washington, who grew up in Philadelphia, got his early religious education alongside his late father, Reverend Julius Mosley, Pastor of the Saint Stephen’s Baptist Church. Reverend Washington served as Associate Minister of the Beulah Baptist Church of Philadelphia, and as pastor of the Hopewell Baptist Church, Pennsgrove, NJ, for eight years. Reverend Herman Washington was handed the Shiloh helm in June 1990. Since then, Pastor Washington has reorganized and established numerous ministries, including New Member’s classes and Curriculum, the Shiloh Worship & Arts Ministry, the Women’s Ministry, Men’s Fellowship, Wednesday evening Bible Study, the Shiloh Foundation, Spiritual Life Conference, Church Training Institute, Happy Homes Ministry, Endless Possibilities In Christ-Philippians 4:13 (E.P.I.C. 4:13), to name a few. Pastor Washington has lovingly served the congregation of Shiloh with an unwavering commitment to preach, teach and live God’s Word in his life with authenticity and consistency. His dedication to the Word of God has caused many people to change their minds and give their lives over to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Under Pastor Washington, the Shiloh family is experiencing tremendous growth in their spiritual lives.
Surely, the spirits of Shiloh’s past are pleased with the direction of the legacy they handed down. They must be smiling from heaven looking at the place they once occupied in the pews. We are often reminded by Pastor Washington that the church is neither the building nor its pews. The church, like the first Shiloh Church, which had no pews, pulpit or walls- is you and me. We are the Church! In truth, the church is made up of every person who has been born again, from the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 to this very day. The Church is the people of God from every generation, every nation, and every place under the sun. This truth is so important that in the New Testament usage of the word “church,” not one single time does it refer to a physical structure! So, then the Church is not a building made up of brick, mortar, wood, stone, nails, etc. The Church is specifically the people who have been chosen by a Sovereign God to be His own. This speaks of privilege, because you do not join the church, you must be born into it! So, after we gather in this place, this building, let us keep in mind that if the building burns down, the Church will stand! For, we are the Church!
Submitted by Trustee Stanley Ridley
Young Men: It’s Importance of Fellowship
As Christians, we are separate from the world and must remind ourselves of that distinction by abstaining from secular and sinful activities that go on outside the church. One of the many reasons it’s important for young men to fellowship in the church is so that we can confess our temptations and issues that we struggle with. Many of us face worldly temptations that can be hard to resist and we may think as if we are the only ones struggling. However, 1 Corinthians 10:13 says “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.” When we understand that our temptations are common to others, it can be less intimidating and difficult to speak freely about what we are going through. Fellowship allows an opportunity for us to worship together and encourage one another to walk in Christ, as well as share the love of God with one another. Young men, in particular, need to fellowship with other young men in the church because they need to encourage one another in such trying times as these. A young man absent of spiritual guidance and strong male leadership may be susceptible to the negative influences in today’s society. Life obligations and daily tasks may cause someone to be consumed by their misguided actions and thoughts. Through fellowship and strong communication, a young man is able to see and understand how the adult men in our church have progressed through many of the challenging experiences that we are currently going through. The worst place to be is absent of a relationship with Jesus Christ and isolated from those who care about you. Communication is really the key. Through fellowship, our young men are able to obtain knowledge and wisdom from the adult men in our church on how to deal with various challenges like academics, relationships, finances, character development, and continuing personal growth with Jesus Christ. All of these topics have helped to obtain a certain amount of knowledge to make better decisions. Many young men in our local communities have used poor judgment which has led to a loss of opportunities for them. Prayer, constant fellowship, and a growing relationship with Jesus Christ will help our young men become successful in life.
Submitted by Trustee Stan Ridley
Lead By Example
Leadership in the Church: In our world today, most countries, states, counties, and villages are under a certain leadership. You also have leadership in church as well. You have leadership in schools, jobs, and even families. Leadership to some people, like myself, is having the responsibility of leading others to success and teaching others how they can be better at what they do. I also believe that when given such a position, you must know how to assess certain situations, be a role model to those who may be following you and be able to deal with and/or interact with people from all over.
Definition of Leadership: The definition of leadership is the action of leading a group of people and organization. The biblical definition of leadership is a person of character and competence who influences a community of people to achieve a God-honoring calling means of the power of Christ.
Many people take on leadership but do not fulfill the requirements of being a true “leader”. This is expressed in our society today, and this is also expressed in some churches as well. There are people who become leaders just to have the title. Those people are not meant to lead. It is as if they want to be seen “doing something good”. This allows people to not only be driven towards the wrong thing but miss the possible understanding that they may need. The goal that needs to be set is to be able to lead by example.
Biblical Leadership: In the Bible, there are many leaders, and Nehemiah was one of them. Nehemiah gained favor with the King of Persia to leave and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He motivated the Israelites to bring back the worship of God. Another great leader in the Bible was Moses. Moses was sent by God to lead His people away from the King of Egypt. Moses set the people free and led them to the Holy Land that God had promised them. Both Nehemiah and Moses showed great examples of Godly leadership. Godly leadership brings one in contact with the sinful and the broken in order to help rebuild, but it also exposes one’s life to dangers and temptations. Sometimes when we are called to do things, we tend to draw away from our purpose.
Prayer for Leadership: During these times we must remember to pray and ask God to take away any distractions and allow us to focus on what He has in store for you. Even if you do not have a particular leadership position, we are all leaders. Especially the young adults of today. There are children and teenagers that look up to us, so we must make sure that we are being responsible and showing them the right way of doing things. If our decisions are not God-like, then we are jeopardizing the future of our youth. This also goes for adults as well. We need to make sure that when we lead, we are doing it with a pure heart and an open mind.
Submitted by Michelle Mims