Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church, 5544 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., recently celebrated the opening of a new sanctuary.
“Still amazed,” was the response of Minister Charles Paerson, who joined Friendly Temple in 1975. He has been through most of the church’s movements to different sanctuaries.
James Joiner, a member of Friendly Temple for 28 years, was one of the people responsible for developing the plans at meetings each month.
“Something to see,” Joiner said of the new sanctuary. “It’s amazing what God can do. God is blessing us, and we are enjoying his blessing.”
Friendly Temple was established in 1955 by the late Reverend Robert Fulton Davis who served as pastor until his death. Pastor Michael Jones assumed leadership in 1994.
During segregation, this North City neighborhood was very popular among African Americans. Some people eventually left, while others stayed. Friendly Temple stayed with them.
Pastor Jones said the mission of his church “is to revitalize and to restore.”
He said of his constituents that he aims to “revitalize their hope and spirit by raising them, training them, giving them opportunities to be lifted up above poverty.”
The building of the new sanctuary was needed due to attendance growing significantly.
“We happen to be a church in the community. It’s the people bringing their talent and skills back to this community to serve it – to serve people in a way to grow mature and to be better citizens,” Jones said.
Friendly Temple never endured debt, Jones said. The people who attend the church fund the sanctuary. Other funds that support the community are provided by friends and partnerships that support the projects within the community.
The sanctuary isn’t just for worshiping; it is multipurpose. The church had its own design team, who were also members of the church. Dwayne Thompson was the lead architect and designed a non-traditional church space.
“It will be used for conventions, concerts, if President Obama ever decides to come,” Jones said.
The Friendly Temple campus includes the current spacious but outgrown sanctuary, two senior apartment buildings, a youth worship center, a child development center and affordable housing.
“Our vision is to educate people here in an affordable way, provide housing for people and services for the people,” Jones said.
Belinda Farrington, a member for 30 years, coordinates service programs for the sanctuary.
“My God, our ministry is challenging. To see something of this magnitude, I’m almost speechless,” Farrington said.
Even before the newly constructed sanctuary was in use, Friendly Temple began work on other projects, such as Arlington Grove Project, a community development effort that will bring hundreds of new homes to the area. Also, in the spring time new homes and retail developments will be built up and down Dr. Martin Luther King Drive.
“What you see here is the result of our faithful journey and a manifestation of God’s plan,” Jones said. “But we know that there is much more to His plan, so the journey is not over.”