Two Canton churches make a deal... and a "covenant"

CANTON – According to the Book of Exodus, it took the ancient Israelites 40 years to get where they were going.

The Rev. Richard Jordan didn't have that kind of time.

After negotiations with their landlord broke down late last year for their building at 1844 Ira Turpin Way NE, Antioch Baptist Church was forced to find a new place to worship.

More: Antioch Baptist buys new building

Meanwhile, the Rev. Webb Parsons and members of the Arlington Avenue Church of God at 142 Arlington Ave. NW decided to relocate to make their ministry more visible to young families.

"We have a lot of good memories here," he said. "A lot of weddings, funerals and revivals. But we're hoping to preach to younger adults, people married with kids, in a more contemporary-type building. Unfortunately, stained-glass windows and red carpeting are no longer attractive to young people."

Parsons said he has hopes that his son Charlie, a former youth pastor and current associate pastor, will succeed him in the pulpit.

Jordan said Antioch had been in discussions since 2015 to buy its building but couldn't come to terms with the owner. After acquiring their own appraisal, the church decided to move on.

Jordan and members of the Antioch Vision Team visited four area churches, including Arlington Avenue, to possibly rent space before the members informed him they didn't want to share a worship space or enter another lease.

Jordan said the Rev. Dana Gammill, a mutual friend who was aware of their respective situations, connected the two.

"I had never seen Arlington Church. I had never met Pastor Webb," Jordan said

The two-story brick building, which includes a gymnasium, was built in the 1950s.

The Father's House gets a new home

"This building is double the size of the building on Ira Turpin," Jordan said. "It was a little intimidating. After a week's work of thinking and praying, the Lord said, 'Why is it too big?'"

Parsons' church, now re-named The Father's House, moved to 3951 Fulton Drive NW in Plain Township. He said that while the new church, a former Assemblies of God building, is half the size of Arlington Avenue, it seats about the same number of people and sits on five acres of land.

"And no steps!" he said, laughing. "It's crazy how this worked out. I heard through the grapevine that the Assemblies of God Church had moved. There was a sign on the door. I called the pastor's number. They had a couple of offers for $800,000 but nobody was moving on it."

Parsons said his church's offer - for substantially less - was accepted.

Last month, as each moved into their respective new spaces, the churches held two joint worship services at Arlington Avenue before Parsons' congregation of 150 completed their move.

The Father's House held its first service in their new building on Dec. 26.

"Pastor Jordan brought his congregation," Parsons said.

Antioch conducted its first service on Jan. 2. Jordan said attendance averages 70 to 90 people a Sunday, due in large part to the pandemic.

"What I have learned is that no matter how much of a dead end you're looking at, it's not a dead end when God is part of it," he said.

Parsons said he cherishes the time shared with Antioch.

"I so enjoyed our congregations coming together in unity," he said. "Not only as Black and white, but also because we have completely different theologies. But first of all, his congregation and members are precious people who are kind. We've made a covenant that doesn't stop here."

Jordan agrees.

"The fellowship has been tremendous and unanticipated," he said. "We weren't planning on overlapping together. They've been very cordial and inviting."

In Canton's Black community, Antioch is known as "The Mother of Black Baptist Churches" for producing many pastors under the leadership of the late W.C. Henderson, who served Antioch for four decades.

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They include the late Rev. George Dunwoody Jr. and Warren Chavers; Sherman Martin Jr., Rickey Brown, Tommie Brewer, Hector McDaniel, R.B. Holmes, Fred Gray, Lisa Hightower, and William Wallace Luke, who retired from active ministry and is serving as an associate pastor.

"A God thing"

Jordan said this marks the third time Antioch has moved since he assumed the pulpit 27 years ago. Antioch moved to Ira Turpin Way NE in 2009, a site originally built for the Canto Negro Oldtimers Athletic Association.

Parsons, who calls their meeting "a God thing," noted that although their deal has not been formally completed, it has already benefited both congregations.

"We needed to get into our place, and we weren't going to wait on the legal paperwork to stop a spiritual thing," he said. "We were moving things out in trucks and vans, and they were pulling up with semi-trucks. You can't put a brother out on the streets. It's what Jesus would have done."

Jordan smiled.

"I'll say it publicly - and I've said it privately - that I've appreciated the spirit of Pastor Webb to accept and work with us so that we can further God's kingdom," he said. "It was a lot of juggling that somehow God organized."

Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or [email protected]

On Twitter: @cgoshayREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Antioch Baptist get new home, finds new friendships