As Community Baptist Church of Yonkers celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2020, the Women’s Club of CBC held its 41st Anniversary Tea on Feb 23. The focus of the event was on building strong ties within and outside of the church and to have the next generation be an integral part of the process.
The church has an active youth ministry and three of the teen members performed during the tea. The Rev. Deborah Williamson of Bethel Baptist Church in White Plains delivered words of encouragement to the ladies, who were lovely in shades of red and pink.
Community Baptist Church will celebrate its 75th anniversary in November. The Romanesque Revival church, at the corner of North Broadway and Ashburton Avenue, was constructed between 1886-87 by architect Robert Robertson. It eventually became the home of CBC in 1966 and was dedicated in November of that year.
But CBC has been active in Yonkers since 1945 on Riverdale Avenue and was officially incorporated July 21, 1947. The Rev. Clarence Bolling, who had grown up in the church, was elected pastor in the spring of 1979 and oversaw the burning of the mortgage in 1982.
A well-trained singer, Bolling has helped the congregation usher in more awareness and celebration of black history and outreach ministries for youth, the homeless, and those struggling to make ends meet.
Always a humble man, the trustees say he has finally allowed them to honor him after his many decades of service at the church’s annual black history luncheon Saturday in the newly renovated dining hall. The program starts at noon and is open to the public.
