By Jurry Taalib-Deen
Journal Staff Writer
For 67 years, Second Baptist Church, 9300 Maumee Western Rd, Monclova, Ohio, has been serving God, and those who worship Him.
Established by the late Rev. Frank Bowen in June of 1952, on Irwin Rd, the humble beginnings of the church stem from members having to use an outhouse, outdoor bathroom, to taking turns filling a heater up with coal, both of which, according to current members, have helped strengthen Second Baptist.
Two services, one on Sunday, June 2, and Sunday, June 9, helped commemorate the early years of the church.
Guest speaker, Pastor Cris Allen, and the members of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church of Chicago Illinois, celebrate with Second Baptist on June 2. While Dr. Willie Perryman, and the members of Jerusalem Baptist Church of Toledo, help conclude the celebration on June 9.
Elder Terrence Pounds, committee member for the anniversary, told The Toledo Journal the theme for the celebration was, “Second Baptist is good ground,” taken from the Biblical scripture of Matthew 13:8.
A six year member of the church, Elder Pounds said he and his wife were searching for a church family. He said his wife, Michelle heard Rev. Dr. Jerry Boose, senior pastor at Second Baptist delivering the Word of God, and instantly knew Second Baptist would become their home.
In addition to the church celebration, there was a renaming of their fellowship hall, to the “Bowen-Brown Fellowship Hall.” The name bared the founder, Rev. Frank Bowen, and the longest serving Pastor, Rev. Eddie Brown, who served for 23 years.
“We decided to rename the hall because we wanted to make sure the past beacons of light, which have helped pave our future would not be forgotten,” said Rev. Boose.
“The past 11 years, since I’ve been in leadership, have been mind blowing. And during that time, I’ve seen the great influence of both Rev. Bowen, and Rev. Brown, and I wanted to make sure we honored them and their family by renaming the hall,” Rev. Boose said.
Emma Brown, widow to the late Rev. Brown, said, “It feels so good to see my husband honored. It lets me know how much he was really loved.”
Deborah Roberts is the granddaughter to Rev. Bowens. She said she remembers when the church was first established, and they had to use an outhouse. “This is really a great honor. It shows how much the members care about my grandfather’s works,” she said.
