OUR HISTORY
South Elyton Baptist Church is a Baptist Church located at 100 First Street South, on the corner of 1st Avenue South in North Titusville. In the late 1920’s the church plans were designed by the second African American architect by the name of Wallace Augustus Rayfield (1873-1941), professionally known as W. A. Rayfield. His own residence faced the site from across First Street.
South Elyton grew out of a split from Broad Street Baptist Church, which was located in the Elyton Community. The A.G.S. Railroad divided the communities of Elyton and Titusville. (Titusville is located south of the Elyton Community). Hence, the newly formed organization of baptized believers named their church South Elyton.
The white frame church was located on the corner of a main thoroughfare, Avenue A and First Street. Being located on the corner of a main thoroughfare in the heart of an ever-growing community, the need for a larger edifice became apparent. Thus, the original building was torn down, and plans were developed for a new church.
Then came the nationally known crash of 1929, The Great Depression. The economic depression was felt by all. Men were out of jobs, and every family was hard pressed for survival. Hence, the work on the church came to a standstill, like a ship that had been tossed and driven over the rough seas of life, the church family stood fast in the faith that God would be their anchor.
In 1940 when the national economic plight had lessened somewhat, the work on the church resumed. With Christ as the Chief Cornerstone, the church was completed on November 16, 1947, and worship services resumed in its original location. The prayers of many righteous men and women had prevailed.
OUR VISION
We are a going Church for a coming Christ.
Our ultimate goal is to seek and save those that are lost. (Luke 19:10)
To make disciples of Christ and to Minister to each other and others.
OUR PASTOR
In 1977, the South Elyton family selected Rev. Reginald Brown as Pastor, representing the fourth generation of a family that played an integral role in the church’s development.
In 1980, under the pastorate of Rev. Brown, another chapter was added to the church’s history in the form of his dream of a new walk-in sanctuary. In July 1988, a ground-breaking ceremony was held for construction of the new edifice and, in February 1989, construction began. In December 1989, this dream was realized when, by grace, the South Elyton congregation triumphantly marched into its present sanctuary. In 2002, three more parcels of land were purchased and on August 31, 2003, the mortgage on the new edifice was burned.
The dream of a new family center was then envisioned by Pastor Brown and on April 2004, a ground-breaking ceremony was held for Phase II, the new family center. In October 2005, the new building construction began and in November 2006, the dream became a reality when a dedicatory service was held for completion of The Reginald Brown Family Center.
The South Elyton Baptist Church congregation, under the direction of Rev. Brown, continues its reputation of compassionate service and community outreach, as evidenced by its organization of a “Back to School” supply drive prior to the start of each new school year and an annual food drive for those in need during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons.
Today, the greatest and most compelling evidence of South Elyton’s impact during the past century is the continued fulfillment of its divinely appointed mission to seek and save those that are lost. “The Lord is doing great things for us, whereof we are glad!”