Mt. Vernon Baptist Church

Mt. Vernon Baptist Church. . In 1912, real estate developer H.H. Holmes platted the first development for "Sunny Side Place," later named Sunnyside. The community was far south of the developed areas of Houston, surrounded by cotton and sugar cane plantations. Many of the previously enslaved men and women of African descent stayed in the area after emancipation and took up residence in the development. To meet the spiritual needs of this community, nine residents, under the leadership of the Rev. Joe Edwards, came together in 1920 to form Mt. Vernon Baptist Church. This group named the Rev. A.E. Bell the first pastor, Della Gibbs as secretary and Velma Washington as treasurer. Services were held monthly with baptisms performed in Sims Bayou. The church soon purchased property at Stassen and Corinth streets. The first building, dedicated in 1928, had two entrances, a porch, and a baptismal pool which negated the need to travel to Sims Bayou. This structure lasted until 1941, when a strong storm blew the structure off its block foundation. In 1955, a new brick building was completed. In 2005, a new building was built. Over time, necessity dictated the church acquire additional property for parking., The church's dedicated leadership included the Rev. J.W. Marshall who was first a deacon here before pastoring the church from 1939- 1989. Under his long tenure, the Rev. Marshall instituted many ministries and performed hundreds of baptisms and marriages. One of the cornerstones of Mt. Vernon has always been helping the community through numerous efforts, including food distribution, prison ministry, beautification projects, scholarships and youth- focused programs. Since 1920, Mt. Vernon has enriched the Sunnyside community with its outreach and spiritual direction.