About Park Avenue Baptist Church

 

 

 

Pastor: Mitchell Flesch

 

Park Avenue Baptist Church (PABC) is a church with a rich history – a history of sharing and caring, of helping others; a history of being the first to go forward and start programs for the betterment of the community. Hardships and trials just seem to strengthen the church as they “kept the faith and stood firm.”

PABC started out with Sunday School in a little grocery store, after a tent meeting on the corner of what is now Park Ave and Tolle Road. After being housed in this store and later an empty grocery for a time, some land was donated and a one room building was built, dedicated in November of 1907. The Ladies Aid quilted and served meals to meet expenses.

In 1922 a basement was dug, a furnace was installed, and a wing was built on each side of the church. Baptisms were held in the pump house creek on the Tolle Road. In 1932 the auditorium was enlarged. Two lots west of the church were purchased in 1940, and a parsonage was built in 1941.

In 1948 ground was broken for a new church, to include an educational building and a sanctuary. By March of 1952 the Sunday services were held in the new educational building. The sanctuary was then begun in 1955 over the site of the orginal building and joined to the educational building.

It was dedicated on September 15, 1957, During 1975 and 1976, Park Avenue built an Activities Building east of the church. In 1984 this building became the home of the PABC Food Pantry, which serves the people of this community to this day. Park Avenue was the first full-time church in the Salem South Association. Groups of people from PABC organized churches in Zion City, IL, Hammond, IN, and Rapid City, SD, Summersville and Old Union Churches were sponsored by the Men’s Brotherhood of Park Avenue and later organized into churches.

We were blessed with a new Pastor, Mitchell Flesch, in August, 2019. He and his Wife, Linda, have done such wonderful work for our Church, as well as the community. Pastor Mitch started Soul Winning Class, where he teaches you how to win souls for the Lord. The class then goes out to the community, knocks on doors, and shares the Gospel. Linda has also done hard work in our Church, as she loves to paint and decorate! She has cleaned up the Church grounds, and has helped remodel the new Youth Room on our third floor.

We are so blessed, and would be even more blessed to see you in one of our services or groups!

God bless.