LIMA, OH (WLIO) - A local African-American church celebrated their 150th anniversary in the community.
Lima's Second Baptist Church held a special service to honor the massive milestone and look back on its history and legacy. Descendants of the very first members were invited back to Lima to receive awards for their relatives' parts in the church's heritage, with some traveling from as far as California to join the celebration. The current building has ample space and amenities, but the very first congregation didn't have their own building for many years.
"The church started off at Langdon's Grocery Store, which was located where the mayor's office is. The original members were actually descendants of what was called Randolph Slaves," explained Dennis Ward, the pastor of Second Baptist Church.
"It's Lima history as well, so it's an honor that the mayor is coming. It's a great celebration of history all the way around, church and the city," added his wife, Lavonne Ward.
Lima Mayor Sharetta Smith attended to deliver a proclamation recognizing Second Baptist as the oldest black Baptist church in the city.
