Mt Hebron Church History

Our Church History

Humble Beginnings

Mount Hebron Missionary Baptist Church had very humble beginnings. The church began as a Mission Circle in 1926 by a group of young people whose main goal was to solicit funds to help relieve the poor. This group called themselves the “Gospel Relief Workers”. Three years later, in April of 1929, Rev. J. P. Ezell of South Carolina joined the group. Reverend Ezell envisioned a larger organization and led efforts toward this end by recruiting children from house to house. Reverend Ezell felt that if he gained the children this would lead to the recruitment of adults. His efforts were fruitful and led to the retention of several adults and their families. This larger group furthered God’s efforts by organizing a church. In 1930, this church was formerly organized and named the Mount Hebron Missionary Baptist Church. The original edifice was located at 1829 West Taylor Street in Chicago.

  
As is so common in the Body of Christ, Reverend Ezell’s efforts were blessed with the assistance of the spiritual gifts of others. John Carter, Donnie Fields, Willie G. Swaney, George Skinner and Rufus Turner began the foundation for the first Deacon Board. Deacon Fields and Deacon Carter remained faithful members of Mount Hebron until their deaths (1963 and 1968, respectively). The lower auditorium of the current church building is dedicated to the memory of Deacon Carter.

  

Prosperity resulted in a move of the church to 1857 West Roosevelt and then later to 2049 West Roosevelt Road. In 1941, the church was blessed by the pastorship of Reverend Joshua Napoleon Wordlaw.

The church flourished under Reverend Wordlaw and in 1957 was blessed to move from its Roosevelt address to ownership of property and an older church building on its current location on the southeast corner of St. Louis Street and Douglas Boulevard. The official address of the church at that time was 3453 West Douglas Boulevard.



In 1983, the members of the Mount Hebron Missionary Baptist Church were forced to vacant the premises because of building code violations. During this time, God remained faithful to the congregation and provided for church services in the basement of the Lawndale Interracial Baptist Church until the current church building was completed. In January of 1984, members of Mount Hebron proudly marched into a new church building proclaiming the address of 3447 West Douglas Boulevard. 

Reverend Wordlaw served faithfully until his death in 1991. As is common after the death of a long-term pastor, the church underwent several splits in membership.

The men who pastured the church during this time (in successive order) were: Reverend Norman Donahue, Sr., Reverend Roderick Baker and Reverend Garrett R. Pearson.

And Now