HISTORY OF GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH

The first seed of this religious organization was planted in this community by Reverend M. Woodson on November 4, 1825 in the community known as Craney Island. The first public service was held in the Craney Island School Building which was located on the former site of the old Churchland Academy School, now the Academy Crossing Shopping Center. This seed grew and produced great spiritual fruit to the extent that a new church edifice, completed in the summer of 1829 and known as Sycamore Hill Baptist Church, was built on the present site of the Churchland Baptist Church.

The membership increased so rapidly that the matter of the “Negro” membership created new challenges. In 1840 the Negro members were given the privilege to have separate places of worship. Mrs. Elizabeth Wright, a member of the mother church Sycamore Hill, donated the site on which the present Grove Baptist Church stands.

The members met regularly in their new house of worship as a separate congregation, but were still considered members of Sycamore Hill Baptist Church. Because of the laws at that time, the caucasian members of Sycamore Hill appointed a committee each year to attend all meetings held by the new congregation.

Grove Baptist Church has on record original minutes of church meetings dating back to the 1840's and original headstones in the church cemetery dating back to the 1800's. One headstone reads, "Stephen, Servant of A. J. Wise, died Oct 12, 1852" without even giving the benefit of a last name.

From 1840 to 1866, the pastor of the mother church preached to the new congregation at the close of their service. Grove remained under the supervision of Sycamore Hill until the year after the Civil War.

After the Emancipation Proclamation, Grove Baptist Church called its first Negro minister, Reverend Thomas Washington, a native of Matthews County, VA. Eleven others have pastored this great church and are listed on the back panel.

In September of 1989, Grove extended the call to our thirteenth and current pastor, Dr. Melvin O. Marriner of Chesapeake, VA.

Under the leadership of Dr. Marriner, Vision of Truth Ministries (VOTM), a variety of wholistic ministries was birthed. Recognizing the need for ministry to be supported by staff, Dr. Marriner hired Sis. Shirley Jackson as his first full-time Administrative Assistant and Office Manager in 1994. He established the area of Christian Education and appointed Min. Erma Curtis-Evans as Director in 1990 and appointed Alexander G. Bell as the first Assistant Pastor in 1994.

In 1953, Grove Baptist Church was completely destroyed by fire. A special Building Fund Committee, chaired by Sis. Carrie Munford, was appointed to raise funds to rebuild. The Citizens Committee of Churchland Baptist Church also helped to raise funds. Grove Baptist moved into its new sanctuary in 1955. A church bus was purchased along with pews, pulpit set, piano, organ, and carpeting. Reverend Campbell resigned in 1964.

REBIRTH OF GROVE BAPTIST

Dr. Marriner combined all adult choirs to form the Grove Mass Choir and the format for Wednesday Night Study and Grow was revised to include Wondrous Wednesday Worship, New Members Class and Bible Study.

Dr. Marriner’s focus on education is further evident in Grove’s discipleship and leadership training. In 2000, the Harambee Leadership Academy was created which includes "Steps to Leadership", New Members (Discipleship) Class (8 weeks), and Servants In Training (12 months). Additionally, more than 160 leaders attend the annual VOTM Leaders By Design Retreat. “Leaders Built To Last,” became the motto of the Pillars of Power Leadership Institute, established in 2004 in partnership with Leadership Training International led by Rev. Kevin Hinman. Dr. Patricia Coker-Bell was named Director.

The doors of Grove Academy (pre-school) opened on September 4, 2001 with Dr. Marriner as the Chief Administrator and Min. Curtis-Evans as Executive Director. It was named the Dr. M.O. Marriner Christian Academy in September of 2003 in recognition of Dr. Marriner’s commitment to education and service to the church and community. The Academy teachers and staff nurture the minds and spirits of more than 60 children daily.

To accommodate active church membership increases from 300 in 1989 to more than 2700 by 2000, Grove completed a 1.7 million expansion of facilities with a 1000 seat sanctuary and educational space in 2000. The first service was held on Resurrection Day and two worship services were overflowing. To further accommodate the increasing number of worshipers, Grove began offering three Sunday morning worship experiences at 7 am, 9 am and 11 am on September 21, 2003 and holds Watch Night services at the T.A. Willett Hall. Tuesday noon Bible Study was also initiated and the Tribal Ministry was established with the theme of “Let’s Stay Connected”, to more closely connect members to the church. Adult and Youth ministries have also blossomed.

With a desire to provide a strong financial underpinning for ministry and to serve the community, Grove has purchased all properties on its left side between the church and Tyre Neck Road. C ommunity service programs (Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Portsmouth Public Schools Adult Literacy) are housed in the Community Alternative Resources and Education (CARE) Center established in 2003.

I n 2004, Grove purchased three office condominium units on West Norfolk Road to be used for ministry expansion. With church membership exceeding 5000 and ministries numbering more than 50, God blessed us in December 2004 to acquire nearly 33 acres of land at 4745 W. Norfolk Rd. (Vision Place) to build a 4,000 seat sanctuary and additional ministry facilities to bless more people and the surrounding community.

With holistic empowerment the focus, a Homeownership Program was birthed using a house on Arden Street to support the ability of a family to own a home after two years of saving rental for a down-payment. To demonstrate God’s love in the community, on February 5, 2005 Grove awarded $100,000 in grants to three Portsmouth Public Schools at “Education First: A Vision for Excellence” Black Tie Gala at the Portsmouth Renaissance Hotel. God was glorified as Grove was named Church of the Week by CBN for the Homeownership program and was featured on the front page of The Virginian Pilot and in various other national media for it’s outreach programs.

Out of this great church, the following churches have been birthed: Mount Hermon Temple, First Baptist Church West Norfolk, and Little Grove Baptist Church, Huntersville.

The following ministers have answered the call to preach God’s Word under the pastorate of Grove Church: Reverends Floyd Franklin, John H. Eley, James Powell, Richard Gould, Vaurice Chambers, Harold Barnes, Alexander G. Bell, Naomi Powell Chambers, William Lang, L. Lorenzo Akins, Christopher White, Shirlene Bailey, Garlena Hines, Nathaniel Jackson Jr., Audrey Newell, Rebecca Powell, LaKendra Hardware, Kennard Stinnette, Willie Ponds, John McNeil, Adriane Credle, Angellia Moore, Ulric Eley, Jr., Andrea Bond, Toriano Holt and Shirley Jackson. The Lord also added to this body Reverends Davell Jackson, Darrell Dessett, Marcia Dessett, Michael Stanley, Charlie Foster, Dr. Patricia Coker-Bell, Nita Meredith-Williams, Alfred Kirk, Stanley Rudisill, John Boyd, Paulette Boyd, Janice Barber, Desmond Stills, Lucille White, Bryan Johnson, Larry Thomas and Julia Jones-Webb.

Dr. Marriner also established the office and consecrated as the first Minister of Administration, Dr. Margaret (Maggi) Curry-Williams in June 2003. Reverend Stanley Rudisill was ordained as the first Pastor of Worship and Praise in February 2005 and Rev. L. Lorenzo Akins was ordained on April 6, 2005 in preparation for his becoming Pastor of First Baptist Church West Norfolk.

In addition to these ministers, the church presently has 46 full and part time employees in the areas of Membership, Christian Education and Ministry, and Administration.

We are truly grateful to our members, our many friends, and above all to God who has been our guide and comfort for these one hundred and sixty-seven years, as we are steadily rising to high expectations.

Pastorate Of Grove Baptist Church

Reverend Thomas Washington

(January 1870—June 1873)

Reverend Lewis Tucker

(January 1874—August 1875)

Reverend John A Godwin

(April 1877-April 1881)

Reverend H. Powell

(June 1881-March 1887)

Reverend Dr. Harry L. Barco

(March 1887– Dec 1916)

Dr. A. D. Moore

(July 18, 1918—1922)

Reverend B. B. Williams

(January 1924—December 1924)

Dr. D. B. Mdodona

(May 3, 1925—June 5, 1927)

Reverend James Douglas

(November 1929—1947)

Reverend Gilbert G. Campbell

(1948—1964)

Reverend Ralph Reavis

(1966-June 1974)

Dr. Freeman Rhoades

(1975 - July 1987)

Dr. Melvin O. Marriner

September 1989—Present