The Long Worthwhile Search For The Five Black Women Of Grace Baptist Church
The names of the five Black founders of a church in Mount Vernon, N.Y., seemed lost to history until a student journalist stepped in.
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MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. My family moved to Mount Vernon, N.Y., when I was 6. Our new home was several blocks from one of the citys most recognizable buildings, Grace Baptist Church. Its gargantuan edifice, made of white brick and looming stained glass windows, was where I was baptized only a few months before our move, and it is the only church home I have ever known.
Their names never appeared.
And so last year, as I was beginning graduate school and in search of a subject for my thesis, I took it upon myself to discover their identities.
Grace Baptist is a powerful and influential church. Its congregation has supported the political careers of many of its pastors and has welcomed the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Rev. Al Sharpton and the Rev. Jesse Jackson to its pulpit. It hosted Hillary Clinton on her campaign trail in 2016. Ruby Dee, Earl Graves Sr., Heavy D, Ossie Davis and a long list of other African-American cultural icons have walked on the red carpeting of its sanctuary.
I also had to leave room for the possibility of oral tradition. Maybe these women didnt exist at all.
Church Has A History With Housing
The project would be the fifth apartment building for the churchs non-profit development arm, Grace Community Development Corp., since the late 1990s. The first was Grace House, with 98 apartments for senior citizens on South Seventh Avenue.
That was followed by three projects in the churchs partnership with Mountco: the Randy Daniels Towers, 132 apartments at 20 East Third Street Grace Plaza the Richard Dixon Tower, 82 apartments for seniors at Fifth Avenue and Third Street and in 2016, Grace Terrace the Ruth Hassell Thompson Tower, 66 apartments for seniors on South Fifth Avenue.
According to city and county land records, the church bought two parcels on South Sixth Avenue from private owners in 2006 and 2011 for a total of $2.56 million. One was a gas station for decades, with the land undergoing remediation to clean up any contaminants. The final piece, on West Second Street, was bought from the city in 2009 for $55,416.
The three parcels total just under three-quarters of an acre.
The plan to add a new church building there had dragged on for more than a decade, but it finally began moving forward last year. More space was needed because the existing sanctuary seats just 900 for a church of 3,000 members. Having to hold three services each Sunday was taxing on the church, Richardson said.
Richardson came to realize doubling the space was not necessary, and the latest housing plan was born.
Westchester Gets One Of Six New Testing Sites Grace Baptist Church Mt Vernon
Grace Baptist Chuch in Mt. Vernon
On Jan. 2, NY Governor Kathy Hochul announced 6 new State testing sites to address the recent surge in COVID-19 cases. These sites are aimed providing additional testing options in areas of high need throughout the Capital, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley and Western New York regions.
We want to start the New Year strong and use every tool at our disposal, Governor Hochul said. By mobilizing testing sites throughout the state, we will make sure testing is more accessible and convenient for New Yorkers. We will continue to expand testing availability to every corner of the state, evaluating where more capacity and additional sites are needed soon. I encourage every New Yorker to take advantage of a site near them.
Sites are currently being mobilized with all locations slated to open on January 4, 2022. Upon launch, all sites will offer rapid antigen tests. New Yorkers are strongly encouraged to make appointments here. Test results are sent following the appointment through email or text message. Walk-in appointments will also be available.
Please note that on January 4, 2022, operating hours will be 12 p.m. 6 p.m. for all sites with the exception of the Capital Region site that will be open until 7 p.m. After January 4, sites will be open during regular hours. A list of the new testing sites by region and operating hours is below:
Other locations named by Gov. Hochul include:
Capital Region
Crossgates Mall
Finger Lakes
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Just Before The Dawn Of The 20th Century
In 1888, the foundation of Grace Baptist Church, one of the most dynamic houses of worship in the nation was laid in the City of Mount Vernon, NY. Grace was built out of a spirit of hope and community engagement. Its founders, five Negro women as the church history describes them, organized a Baptist church mission dedicated to not only attending to the spiritual needs of the then small African American community of Mount Vernon, but also to their educational needs as well. Shortly after the Grace Baptist Mission was organized a Sunday School for people of all ages was started.
Grace Baptist Church flourished in the midst of two World Wars, and the Great Depression. The congregation was tested however on January 15, 1939 when the small wood frame building that Grace called home for 50 years was gutted by fire. However, by the summer of 1939 the congregation of Grace Baptist purchased one of the largest church buildings in Westchester County.
The imposing, red brick edifice of the former First Presbyterian Church had a seating capacity of 900, a large kitchen and dining room. In time the congregation also purchased and renovated a parsonage. Grace burned its first mortgage in 1946 and its second mortgage in 1958. Throughout its history, Grace has been a champion for social justice. One of its early highlights occurred when the Civil Rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King preached from its pulpit on 1959.
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/25/2021 New Upcoming Event Click Here
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1 Corinthians 15: 3-4
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10: 9-13
Can I Rent Houses Near Grace Baptist Church
Yes, of course. Vrbo has 742 Houses near Grace Baptist Church. Our other popular types of vacation rentals near Grace Baptist Church include:
- Condos/Apartments: 2,159 rentals available
- Townhouses: 106 rentals available
- Studios: 2,056 rentals available
But you can also enjoy a great stay in one of our other vacation rentals including Hotels and more.
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Weather Forecast For Grace Baptist Church Mount Vernon New York
Traveling to Grace Baptist Church, Mount Vernon, New York?Here is your 6-day weather forecast in the area.Whether it is a warm weather destinations or cold climate dont forget to consider weather, while you pack your bags for this trip.Start your day when the sunrises at 10:52 AM and dont miss the sunset at 10:36 PM.Todays winds are traveling northeast at a speed of 8 MPH.The temperature feels like 57 with a humidity level of 81.Cloud coverage is 100 percent with 11.3 percent visibility.Todays UV index is 0 make sure to prepare properly.Make sure to plan your travel itinerary to match your travel weather forecast to make the most of your vacation with Reservations.com.
Grace Baptist Church To Build A 14
By: Vanessa Londono 7:00 am on August 5, 2021
The Grace Baptist Church has big plans for the adjacent empty lot at Sixth Avenue and Second Street in Mount Vernon. Proposals are in the works for a 14-story building known as The Grace, yielding 267 apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom units, parking below grade for 130 vehicles, ground-floor space for church conference rooms, and a catering hall. SLCE Architects is responsible for the design.
As reported on LoHud, The Grace will be the fifth building for the churchs development arm known as Grace Community Development Corp. It will also be the fourth project for the churchs partnership with Mountco Construction & Development, which is responsible for several affordable and senior housing developments in the area. Previously, Grace Baptist Church sought to expand the church sanctuary.
The residential component of The Grace will be designated for workforce housing. Units will be eligible for residents with incomes between $35,000 and $105,000 with monthly rents ranging from $980 to $2,600.
Developers Mountco and Grace Community Development are seeking funds from Westchester County, as well as the states Housing Finance Agency and Division of Housing and Community Renewal.
Plans have not yet been submitted to the city for approval. A zoning variance is required as multi-family housing is only permitted on part of the property. No construction timeline has been announced.
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