ABOUT OUR CHURCH

Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church was organized in 1949, the year following the second World War and was incorporated in 1951.  We had our beginning on Easter Sunday morning where services were held at 1622 McAllister Street in San Francisco, California at the home of Brother and Sister Willie McHenry with 22 members in attendance.  Their names are:  Reverend John H. Pierce, Ruby Pierce, John H. Pierce, Jr., Annie Mae Clark, Roosevelt Clark, Stella Hall, Barney Jackson, Ruby Jackson, Will Jackson, Charley Perkins, Mattie Perkins, Velma Williams, Gus Mitchell, Susie Mitchell, Essie B. Evans, George Earvin, Mona Brown, Willie B. McHenry, Lula McHenry, Ruth Washington, Doris J. Brown/Jenkins, and Geraldine Powell.  We came to order with a scripture by Sister Annie M. Clark reading I Samuel 7:12. 

The Reverend John H. Pierce was chosen as our Pastor.  Though the membership was small and our beginnings humble, we had faith to believe that through the leadership and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we could grow stronger and thrive for the “Up building of God’s Kingdom.”  The church moved to 22 Turk Street because of re-development.  Later the Church relocated and purchased its current location at 275 Divisadero Street in San Francisco, California, which was formerly a gymnasium for the Boys and Girls Club.

 With the acquisition of the building the Founding Members, and those who joined, labored diligently to get the Sanctuary ready for worship on the third Sunday in October 1953.  In fact, those Founding Members marched from Turk Street to Divisadero Street, as they had a “Mind to Work” and a heart to serve with a goal of letting nothing interfere with their desire to “press toward the mark for the prize and to the high calling of Jesus Christ our Lord.”

 The first Officers of the church were Brother Gus Mitchell, Chairman of the Deacon Board, Brother Willie McHenry, Chairman of the Trustee Board, Sister Mattie Perkins, Church Clerk, Brother Roosevelt Clark, Treasurer, Sister Geraldine Powell, Secretary of the Sunday School, and Sister Essie B. Evans, Financial Secretary and organizer of the Baptist Training Union.

Our Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ, saw fit to bless Ebenezer over the years.  We went from having folding chairs in the Sanctuary to having our first pews hand made by Brother Peyton Hunter.  An organ and piano were later purchased along with new carpeting.

 Our founding Pastor, Reverend John H. Pierce served as Pastor for 35 years from 1949 to 1984. Having served as Assistant Pastor from 1980 to 1984, Reverend Eugene Lumpkin, Jr., was chosen as our Pastor upon the retirement of Reverend Pierce.  Having served as Pastor for 24 years, Reverend Lumpkin retired as Pastor of Ebenezer in May 2008.  Our current Pastor, Reverend L. Keith Washington, was chosen as Assistant Pastor in 2000.  After many years of service and having worked closely with Reverend Lumpkin, Reverend Washington was elected as our Pastor in May 2008.  

After 62 years of laboring together with Christ, we are still going strong under the leadership of our new Pastor, Reverend L. Keith Washington.