Chevy Chase Baptist Church
The Small Brown Church
Chevy Chase Baptist Church, 1912. At the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Sheperd Street. The Baptists sold the building to the Methodist congregation. CCHS Object ID 2008.412.16.
Chevy Chase Baptist Church first organized itself as a community group in 1906 on Connecticut Avenue. In 1908, a small chapel was built near Connecticut Avenue and Shepherd Street. Mrs. Louis Harding Earll, Donald M. Earll, Mrs. William D. Henry, and Mrs. Frances S. Nichols were instrumental in organizing Chevy Chase Baptist Church during these beginning stages. Over time, however, the congregation became increasingly drawn to Methodist methodology.
"It was found that there were more Methodists enrolled in the work than Baptists." -A Brief History of Chevy Chase United Methodist Church, p. 7.
As a result of the changes within the congregation, Chevy Chase Baptist Church sold the small brown church to the Methodist Church in 1912. The proceeds from the sale, consisting of $5,600.00, were set aside to fund a future Chevy Chase Baptist Church. With the outbreak of World War I, an influx of clerical workers flooded Washington and brought about a resurgence of interest in a Baptist church in the area. Some in the movement were interested in joining Temple Baptist Church, located in Northwest D.C. Others were interested in building a new church and Sunday school somewhere else in Chevy Chase proper. In the meantime, the congregation often utilized the home of Mrs. Henry for fellowship and prayer. At these meetings, it was decided that the group would begin holding public services at the hall above the Chevy Chase (now Avalon) Theatre. The first service at the theatre was held on December 9, 1923.
Hiring of Dr. Clark
In 1924, a Sunday school was organized and William Hughes served as the General Superintendent. The congregation also began searching for its first pastor. Dr. A.F. Anderson, the Associate Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, was asked to consider the position but instead declined. Edward O. Clark would go on to serve as the first Pastor.
"We had a Baptist Church in Chevy Chase"- Edward O. Clark.
Edward O. Clark. CCHS Object ID 2008.100.05.
Dr. Clark had previously been the Pastor at First Baptist Church in Pitman, New Jersey. Although he was apprehensive about the new congregation, he moved into his new home at 27 Raymond Street and began his pastorate on June 15, 1924. One of the first items on Dr. Clark’s agenda was deciding on the permanent site for Chevy Chase Baptist Church. While the Theatre provided the congregation with a place to hold their services, the location was not without its drawbacks. In order to access the hall, congregants had to navigate a steep flight of stairs. This proved to be problematic for the elderly. Additionally, the floor was quite slippery and the room had no cross-ventilation. As a result, Dr. Clark opened windows during services. He was often interrupted by screeching streetcars or rowdy passersby. The church was also interested in finding a location that would allow them to operate outside of the Theatre’s available hours.
Building Plans
Two sites were proposed for consideration. The first was the Southwest corner of 39th and McKinley Street. The church decided to proceed with the second location on Western Avenue, just west of Chevy Chase Circle. Mr. William Hughes was elected as chairman of the building committee. Delos H. Smith was selected as the architect for the project, while Mr. Lincoln Potter was the winning contractor. The bid of $12,450.00 was accepted by the church on July 8, 1925. The cornerstone was laid on October 11, 1925 and the first service was held on Christmas morning, December 25, 1925.
By 1926, the congregation had 50 active members. Within two years, membership had risen to 201 and the church had an annual budget of $12,590.24. That same year, a Sunday school building was constructed and a new pipe organ was installed. Church membership continued to increase and made possible a mortgage burning ceremony on February 21, 1937. As membership continued to grow, the church began considering future building projects. By 1939, the church had 441 members.
"In one way war conditions increased our membership, multiplied our finances and doubled our activities; yet in another way the same war conditions made it impossible for us to immediately fulfill our plans for building a new church edifice." -Edward O. Clark.
War Stalls Building Efforts
In an effort to meet the church’s growing membership base, Mr. E. Burton Corning was hired as an architect for a new structure. Unfortunately, the loan company refused to finance the church’s enterprise. Following World War II, the government was discouraging all building loans with the exception of those intended for housing or office buildings. Many building materials were also restricted, hindering the ability to construct a new building. Although the church’s building fund had reached $51,682.99 by October 1945, all the church could do was wait.
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After revising its design, the church was awarded a 10-year loan of $110,000 from Riggs National Bank with an interest rate of 3%. Groundbreaking for the church began on November 30, 1947. The cornerstone was laid on May 2, 1948 and the sanctuary was finally completed on April 3, 1949. "The final answer can only be that we were led by the Lord in its building." -Edward O. Clark. |
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The Washington Post, December 1, 1947, p. 13.
Dr. Clark Retires from Chevy Chase Baptist Church
Edward Clark would go on to announce his retirement after 32 years of service to Chevy Chase Baptist Church. His successor was Dr. Bryan F. Archibald, previously Pastor at the First Baptist Church in Springfield, Massachusetts.
In the 1960’s, the church had almost 1,000 registered members. By 1996, however, the church had dwindled down to only 15-20 members. That year, members had voted to dissolve the organization and had even received a tentative offer of $1.8 million for the church buildings. A last ditch effort was made to save the church which involved calling on the D.C. Baptist Convention. The Convention temporarily took over trusteeship of the church, ultimately saving the church from the sale. Today, the Reverends David Freshour and Maureen Freshour are the co-pastors of Chevy Chase Baptist Church.
