Greater St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church

Greater St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church. . The African American community was a small but growing segment in the early days of the town of Lubbock. Only five black citizens were counted in the 1910 census, growing to 152 by 1920. Most had come from small towns in central and east Texas and settled in a neighborhood called "The Flats," northwest of 19th Street and Avenue A. It became Lubbock's first African American neighborhood and included homes, businesses and churches. , Often, African American churches served not only spiritual needs but as social and educational centers. In 1921, Caldonia Baptist Church (later Greater St. Lukes Missionary Baptist Church) was organized by Rev. Wiley, followed by Rev. J.J. Davis in 1922. The congregation first met in the neighborhoods Masonic Lodge at 16th Street and Avenue A. In 1924, worshippers bought land at 1820 Avenue A, erecting first a wooden shelter and then a frame sanctuary at the site. , In 1950, new property on 26th Street was purchased, with the frame sanctuary moved to the new site. Denied assistance from dozens of insurance companies and banks, members made larger brick facilities a reality through hard work and patience. Men worked at the site evenings after their regular jobs over a 16-month period to build a new church and education center. In a newspaper advertisement, the congregation invited the community to a December 8, 1957, dedication "to see what the Lord has done through people who had faith in God and no money in the bank." The church has been active beyond worship as a polling place, Boy Scout troop sponsor, and activities including marching drill teams, music and a radio ministry. Greater St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church remains an active and vibrant congregation entering its second century of service.