The last goodbye

Congregation says farewell at 66-year-old Tyler Street Baptist Church

Seen through a window in the sanctuary doors Cary Cox (at the pulpit) invites worshippers to tell stories and share memories of life at Tyler Street Baptist Church during their final service June 29.
Seen through a window in the sanctuary doors Cary Cox (at the pulpit) invites worshippers to tell stories and share memories of life at Tyler Street Baptist Church during their final service June 29.

The good times were remembered Sunday at Tyler Street Baptist Church, located in the shady Oak Forest neighborhood in Little Rock. There was laughter, hugging and joyful reunions with old friends. And there were tears as the congregation worshipped together for the last time.

The congregation is disbanding after 66 years. Its legacy of ministry will continue through a partnership with another local congregation but members of the tiny congregation, now only a handful of faithful worshippers, are going their separate ways, searching for new church homes after so many years together.

On Sunday, they came together one last time to worship and to remember.

Tyler Street Baptist Church is the kind of church where generations of families gathered. A common form of introduction is to say whom you're related to, as Cary Cox did when he started the service. Although he has been a member for some 30 years, he introduced himself as the husband of Michelle. She has been with the church since childhood. The couple, in their early 50s, are the youngest remaining members by far. Most are 70 and older.

Ties here run deep but time and a changing city took a toll.

In March, the remaining members realized they were no longer able to financially or physically go on supporting the church and voted to stop holding Sunday services at the end of June.

The congregation got its start Sept. 5, 1948, with 65 charter members. They settled at the corner of 21st and Tyler streets, on property that included a few houses.

"Oak Forest was one of the first neighborhoods developed post-World War II in Little Rock," Cox said. "By 1948, this little area was booming with new houses and new families -- servicemen who had returned from the war looking to start families."

Cox said First Baptist Church recognized a need for a new congregation to serve the growing neighborhood. They donated the property, which included a small building that could be used for worship until facilities could be built.

The new congregation actually got a larger church building in an unusual way -- through an arrangement with the U.S. Army. The military was selling or dismantling buildings at an airfield in Stuttgart and offered the chapel to the congregation of Tyler Street Baptist Church. The building was free. All they had to do was figure out a way to get it to Little Rock.

"The congregation paid a construction company $10,000 to dismantle the building at Stuttgart and transport it to Little Rock and reconstruct it here on our site," Cox said. "They numbered all the pieces and put it all back together."

As the years went by, the church grew with the community. An education building was added but they soon outgrew it and a bigger education building was erected in 1960.

"They were busting at the seams," Cox said.

Attendance peaked in the early '60s and records show that Sunday School attendance reached 260. The boom continued through that decade, but in the early to mid- '70s the gradual decline began as families began moving westward in the city and many churches followed. The Tyler Street congregation decided to stay put. As time went on, families moved away, charter members died and children went off to college and ultimately relocated.

The membership dwindled to a few stalwarts. Official membership is 45, but regular Sunday worshippers number 15 to 20.

"That's basically how we got to this point now," Cox said. "But it's not all about the numbers. It's about the people and spiritual growth and we had that in spades."

The aging congregation had buildings, plenty of room for all kinds of ministry, but not enough people or money to continue. They didn't want to simply close and sell the facilities. They wanted another church or ministry to continue to reach out to the community and spread the Gospel.

A PROMISING PARTNERSHIP

That's when Fellowship Bible Church stepped in with a request. They had been working in cooperation with Oak Forest United Methodist Church, located just down the street from Tyler Baptist, to offer medical, dental and vision clinics for those in need and they needed more room for the medical clinic. It was just the sort of arrangement the Tyler Street congregation had been seeking. They offered use of the education building, which hadn't been used much in recent years except for church suppers and parties.

Fellowship also began operating an after-school program and other outreach ministries and the partnership continued. Then in August, the Rev. James Hickman, who had served Tyler Street Baptist Church for 23 years, passed away. The Rev. Don Cooper stepped in to serve as interim pastor and the congregation decided to move ahead with the transition of the property to Fellowship.

"We turned over authority of the name and property to them a few months ago in preparation for our disbandment," Cox said. "We thought this was great for them and us. It was a chance thing but for people of faith we believe it was arranged by God. That's how we feel about it. They were able to minister to the community in ways were were not able to -- either financially or in manpower."

Dee Brown, who helps with Fellowship Bible Church's outreach in the area, said they'll continue to use the building for the medical clinic, and during the school year for the after-school program for students from Franklin Elementary. They'll also offer a summer literacy camp for children.

"We hope to continue to do that in the future," he said. "It more of what we call an opportunity center."

The decision was bittersweet.

"Of course it's sad," said Patsy Montgomery, a member for 50 years and church secretary for 36. "But you know you have to come to realize we couldn't do it anymore."

Montgomery plans to visit a few churches to try to find a new church home, but said "it will never be the same."

She said she is comforted in knowing that even though the Tyler Street Baptist Church she knew and loved won't be around anymore, ministry will continue. The church won't be vacant.

Clarice Hightower's late husband, Harold, served as pastor of the church for 30 years. She said they loved the fellowship of the congregation and she will miss seeing her Tyler Street Baptist Church family.

"It has accomplished its purpose," she said of the church. "It breaks my heart but we're still serving the Lord."

Betty Young, a member for 62 years, said she will miss the love and the closeness of the congregation. Her late husband, Norman, was a deacon at the church. After he passed away two years ago, Betty moved to Benton but continued to attend Tyler Street. She said she couldn't lose her husband and her church at the same time, adding that they are like family.

She will be attending First Baptist Church in Benton from now on, but said she will miss Sundays on Tyler Street.

"We'll still keep up on the telephone," she said, adding that her class has plans to meet once a month to keep in touch.

On Sunday, the small congregation was joined by former members and their families, as well as friends. The sanctuary was full and some sat in the balcony. Little ones fidgeted.

Cox, who serves as budget chairman, welcomed everyone.

"It's good to see this place filled up with this many people," he said over the scratchy sound system.

He fought the tears as he recounted the history and current situation of the church.

THE GOOD TIMES

He kicked off the sharing of memories portion of the service by telling about the church's "15 seconds of fame." A shot of the church was included in a scene from the 1990s television show Evening Shade, which was set in Arkansas. As the credits rolled during one episode, a bride and groom were shown walking out the front doors of the church. Members served as extras on the set.

One by one members stood up to share their memories, eliciting laughter and applause, and some tears -- memories of a mischievous boy putting frogs in cars in the parking lot, children launching paper airplanes from the balcony during worship services, Clarice Hightower teaching the kids how to hula hoop in Sunday School one day.

Shirley Hickman, wife of the late Rev. James Hickman, spoke of her and her husband's love for the church.

"I have such fond memories," she said, and asked for prayers as she starts attending a new church. "This will be the first time I'm going to a new church in 58 years that I have not been a pastor's wife. But we still have our relationships because we are brothers and sisters in Christ."

She ended with "I love you."

Cox urged those gathered to remember that although the original Tyler Street Baptist Church will be gone, their legacy will live on.

"It lives on in the work of those who came before us and in each of us here today and it will live on in the work God has placed on Fellowship and those that follow," he said.

After a short sermon by Cooper the congregation sang "Amazing Grace."

Then came the closing prayer and benediction: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up his countenance on you, and give you peace."

And, then it was over. There were hugs and tears and laughter as everyone slowly made their way out of the front doors.

Religion on 07/05/2014

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