OUR STORY
In 1916, Pastor Charles S. Sanders, a member of the Second Baptist Church in Independence, Missouri, answered the call of the Lord to organize a Mission at 2104 Harrison St. This mission later became Macedonia Baptist Church. Pastor Sanders served the congregation for seven years. Between March and August of 1923, two pastors served: Pastor Jackson Smith from Arkansas and Pastor L.C. Rice.
Pastor Preston Allen, Sr. was installed as pastor on September 23, 1923. Under his leadership, the facility at
2104 Harrison was purchased for $800 ad many improvements were made. In 1933, the congregation burned the mortgage. Macedonia continued at this location for 17 years. In 1940, Macedonia purchased its second facility at 2205 Troost Ave. for $1,500.
While worshipping at this location, Ike Richardson, an associate minister, answered the call of the Holy Spirit to establish a mission which later became the Welcome Baptist Church. Still growing, the congregation needed more room to worship.
In 1955, a contract was signed to purchase the Benton Blvd. Baptist Church facility at 2455 Benton Blvd. for the sum of $45,000. On Sunday, June 17, 1957, the congregation formed a parade and the church marched from the 2205 Troost Ave. address to the newly purchased facility at 2455 Benton Blvd. Pastor Preston Allen, Sr. retired from the pulpit after 49 years of service on September 21, 1971. Pastor Preston Allen, Jr. was appointed to fill the position as pastor on January 23, 1972. Later in 1972, the mortgage note on the church was paid in full. Under the leadership of Pastor Preston Allen, Jr., Macedonia Baptist Church was placed on the city records as a Historic Landmark.; (Former President Harry S. Truman was baptized in the facility when it was Benton Boulevard Baptist Church.) On December 31, 1996, Pastor Preston Allen, Jr. retired as pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church after serving 25 years. Pastor Leslie Sims served as interim pastor January 1, 1997 through May 3, 1997.
Pastor John Leslie Brooks, having served as an associate minister of Macedonia Baptist Church, began his pastorate on May 4, 1997. Under Pastor Brooks’ pastorate, many major renovations were made to the 2455 Benton Blvd. facility, including a new roof, pews in the balcony, carpet, refurbished restrooms, and too many more to count. Many new ministries, committees and teams have been established and a church newsletter was started. As Macedonia continued to experience numerical growth, a second worship service was added October 14, 2001. On May 4, 2003, Pastor received a Master of Divinity degree from Midwestern Baptist Seminary. Macedonia has licensed several ministers and ordained many deacons. Charles Porter, Sr. heading Building and Grounds as a part-time employee was the only staff. Because of the numerical growth, full time staff was needed. So, Macedonia hired Youth Pastor, Dr. Antoine Richardson (July 2003); Administrative Assistant, Tanya Comeaux (July 2003); Office Manager, Janice Muhammad (May 2007); Financial Secretary, Danuyell Murray (February 2008);Discipleship Pastor DeLano Sheffield, M.Div. (January 2013); Teen Pastor, Darrell Bailey (March 2013), and hired part-time Building and Grounds Staff, Kenny Gray (February 2007), all under his pastorate.
(Sister Goldie Gorman served as Administrative Assistant for Pastor Allen, Sr., Pastor Allen, Jr., and Pastor Brooks.)
Building the Wall, Macedonia 300, with the 5-year goal to raise $1 million toward building a new facility. That goal was reached in May 2004. In December 2003, land was purchased at 1700 E. Linwood Blvd. Then on July 15, 2007, broke ground and on August 31, 2010, Macedonia received its Permanent Certificate of Occupancy Permit from the City of Kansas City, MO.
On October 16, 2010, a parade of Macedonians and fellow well-wishers marched from 2455 Benton Blvd. to 1700 E. Linwood Blvd. to celebrate the Ribbon Cutting and to celebrate moving into Macedonia Baptist Church’s fourth location in over 94 years. On Sunday, October 17, 2010, Macedonia had it’s first Sunday School and Worship Service at 1700 E. Linwood Blvd. The last service at 2455 Benton Blvd. was on January 30, 2011. On February 6, 2011, Macedonia officially moved into the new facility full time.
Since our move, we continue to experience numerical growth and completed Phase II on April 6, 2011, which included the finishing of the lower level for classrooms and Children’s Church and the Little Lambs Nursery. We also implemented two services in April 2012, Small Groups Bible Study, and Teen Church began April 1, 2012, under Pastor Darrell Bailey’s leadership) to accommodate our growing teen population. We began International Missions Ministry with a trip both to Haiti and Slovakia in Eastern Europe. March 2014 we started work on Phase III of finishing 1700 E Linwood. Phase III will give us more classrooms, another conference room, and multi-purpose area (was completed in February 2015) (with a walking track and kitchen), as we continue to strive to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
