History
1941 - 2001
1941 -1991 compiled for the 50th Anniversary Celebration of EBBA in October 1991
by Eva Elick and Deane Church
Until the early l940s, people living in and around the San Francisco Bay Area thought "a Baptist is a Baptist." Then signs began to appear on store fronts and rented second story rooms that proclaimed a "Southern Baptist Church." Something new had come to the area.
The establishment and growth of Southern Baptist churches in the Bay Area, as in the rest of California, arose out of the influx of people migrating to the State from the South. These people wanted to join churches like the ones from which they had come. Not finding themselves at home in existing Baptist churches, they formed small groups which came together for prayer and sought to begin new work. It might be said that economic conditions in the South and World War II were in large part responsible for the early growth of Southern Baptists in this area.
In August l941, members of churches in Oroville and Port Chicago met at Port Chicago to form the Golden Gate Baptist Association. By the time the first annual meeting rolled around, the association included all of northern California and had 18 member churches. 1942 saw the appointment of W.J. Venable as area missionary and the organization of an associational W.M.U.
At the third annual meeting of Golden Gate Association in 1943, nineteen churches sent messengers. Some of these churches decided to form the Central Valley Association. Also at the 1943 meeting, the association voted to support the Golden Gate Theological Seminary. It was appropriate that the association become the first Baptist organization to recognize this institution, since the founding of the seminary stemmed from the leadership of I.B. Hodges, the pastor of the Golden Gate Church.
The establishment of the Golden Gate Seminary was one of the major achievements within the Golden Gate Association. In March of 1944 Pastor Hodges met with a committee of representatives from some of the churches in the association. This committee organized into a board of trustees, with Pastor Hodges as President. Golden Gate Seminary opened in September 1944 at Golden Gate Church, with an enrollment of 62. Because of its early locations in Oakland and Berkeley, the Seminary has made major contributions to the churches of Golden Gate Association.
G.B. Kendall served Golden Gate Association as area missionary in 1945. That year saw the first issue of the associational bulletin, and the first State Pastor's Conference at Golden Gate Church. There were seven new churches added to the association at the annual session.
In 1946, H.H. Stagg was appointed area missionary. The 1946 annual session of Golden Gate Association was held at First Southern Baptist Church of San Lorenzo, with 28 churches represented. Some of these voted to form other associations, leaving Golden Gate with 18 churches, and taking in from San Jose to Novato and from Vallejo to Antioch. Seven churches affiliated with the association that year.
There were some major organizational changes in the association during 1947. Early in the year, ten churches meeting at the First Baptist Church of Concord, formed Contra Costa Association. San Francisco-Marin Association was also begun. Ten churches withdrew from Golden Gate Association to form the New Golden Gate Association, with only six churches remaining in the original organization. This new association lasted only two years. In October 1949, with compromises made by each group, the old and new Golden Gate Associations were reunited.
W.D. Thomson served as area missionary in 1951. From 1952 to 1956, O. Ray Harris held that position. The first RA and GA camps at Sunshine Camp (later called camp RAGA) were held in 1952. In 1953 Contra Costa Association divided into East and West Contra Costa Associations.
Because of a desire for a strong city missions program with the Home Mission Board, 1956 saw the organization of East Bay Baptist Association, formed from the Golden Gate Association and the Contra Costa Association. It was decided to maintain the historical significance of Golden Gate Association by calling the l956 meeting the 15th annual session. At this meeting a constitution was adopted. There were 42 churches in the newly created association.
In 1957 W.A. Burkey came as area missionary. The first annual meeting of the associational WMU was held in 1957 at Central Baptist Church in Alameda.
In 1962 the Southern Baptist Convention was held in San Francisco. East Bay Baptist Association helped to host this meeting. B.E. Pitts served as Director of Missions from l962 to 1967. During this time there was a focus on "Fellowship Bible Classes", with the hope that these classes would develop into churches. Some did, adding to the association membership. One of the significant events of the mid 60s occurred in 1967, when the South Bay Association was aligned with the East Bay Association in October of that year.
1968 saw the appointment of C.A. Dabney as Director of Missions. In 1972, Buren Higdon was named to that position.
The East Bay Baptist Association was actively involved when the California Southern Baptist Convention was held in Oakland in 1983.
Larry Fisher began serving as Director of Missions in 1985. At the 1985 annual meeting several important actions were taken. Showing a concern of people world-wide, a resolution was passed condemning the South African system of apartheid. It was voted at that meeting to invite the State Convention to meet here in l99l. A recommendation from the associational council resulted in the appointment of a committee to study the question "Are we performing necessary ministries, and are we performing them efficiently?"
The l985 report on youth ministries stated that Associational Youth Rallies were held for the first time. However, other records reflect such rallies held in earlier years. The youth program was organized with elected officers, and with rallies held each month. Information on when this program ceased was not found.
At the l986 meeting, a constitution amendment was passed, stating the purpose of the association thusly: "This association exists to provide opportunity and means whereby Southern Baptist churches may participate together in a strengthened response to the Commission of our Lord, and to encourage each church to support with leadership and finances, the mission effort of the association and the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention." A change was also made in the By laws, to elect the moderator and vice moderator at the mid-year meeting. The study committee presented recommendations on priorities, objectives and goals of the association. The Office Feasibility Study Committee recommended at the l986 meeting that the Association buy and convert by 1987 when the lease was due to expire. At the 1987 meeting, this committee recommended that the Association purchase property from Pacific Avenue Baptist Church. A permit to build on this property was refused, and the 1988 meeting called for the building committee to continue to function.
The most significant event of 1989 in the area was the earthquake in October. Some churches in the association were badly damaged, some others were designated as collection stations for relief supplies. There were offers of help from churches in other parts of California, and even from churches in other states. Churches of the association provided help to the community where they were able.
The 1990 meeting created a permanent position of Church and Community Ministry Director. Dan Cookson, who had been serving as a Ministry Apprentice, was appointed to this position. A committee was appointed to plan the 50th anniversary celebration of the East Bay Baptist Association in l991. A special presentation at the State Convention in Oakland was included in these plans.
East Bay Baptist Association has the oldest history of any association in Northern California. The Association has made many contributions to Baptist work in the state and nationally.
The Association now includes approximately 90 churches and missions. Many of these churches and missions serve the various ethnic groups in our area.
Still to come is the move of the associational offices from Oakland to San Leandro. As 1991 draws to a close, the East Bay Association looks forward to hosting the 1991 California State Convention in November.
1983-2001 Prepared for the 60th Annual Meeting in October 2001
by Jane Thornell
In 1983 the association began its first involvement in Mega Focus Cities, a new program jointly sponsored by the Home Mission Board and the State Convention. The goal was to find ways to make "Bold Mission Thrust" a reality in the East Bay. Over the next twenty years the association would go through two more cycles of the Mega Focus process, which would provide national leadership personnel for conferences, and considerable funds and other resources for various ministries.
DOM Buren Higdon wrote in his annual report for 1983 that one the needs of the association was for more office space. The increase of programs and ministries in EBBA had caused the office to outgrow the rented facilities on West Juana street in San Leandro. On January 31, 1984 a fire almost totally destroyed the association office. Some records and legal papers were able to be salvaged, but everything else was completely destroyed. Temporary space was made available at Elmhurst Baptist Church. An office search committee was formed and after studying the options they recommended leasing office space at the Edgewater Corporate Center in Oakland for three years. It was to these offices that Larry E. Fisher came as DOM in early 1985.
It is interesting to note that until 1986 the annual meeting was a two day event. The meetings would be held on two consecutive nights at different churches, usually at one church in the northern end of the association and one in the southern part. 1986 marked the 45th anniversary of EBBA and it was decided to have a special celebration to focus on the anniversary. The decision was made to have the annual meeting celebration on a Saturday. Since then the annual meeting has always been scheduled on a Saturday.
A highlight of 1988 was the centennial anniversary of the start of Woman's Missionary Union. The association planned a "Centennial Fair" at Elmhurst Baptist Church to celebrate the 100th year of WMU.
1991 was a very busy year. It marked the 50th anniversary of the East Bay Association. A big celebration took place at the annual meeting, which was held at First Southern Baptist Church in San Lorenzo, the oldest congregation in EBBA. The association received a resolution written by the Alameda County Supervisors and a letter of congratulations from California Governor Pete Wilson. Also that year the associational office moved to the facilities of Pacific Avenue Baptist Church in San Leandro, and we hosted the State Convention in Oakland. Extensive remodeling was done to the buildings in San Leandro, most of the work being done by Don Dent and Don Thornburg.
The association has increased significantly in assets over the last 10 years. In 1992 the First Baptist Church of Rodeo disbanded and gave all property and assets to the association. The Pacific Avenue Baptist Church disbanded in 1994 and, wanting to see its long ministry continue to serve the Lord, deeded its property and assets to EBBA. In 1995 we received ownership of the church site in Pinole. Each of these properties continued to serve as meeting sites for mission congregations.
The start of the Leadership Education and Development Center in 1993 was the fulfillment of a dream of Larry's to provide quality training opportunities for the churches of EBBA. Diane Varady was enlisted as the volunteer director of the LEAD Center. One part of the LEAD Center was computer training and in 1998 the Computer Lab located at the EBBA Ministry Center in San Leandro was dedicated.
Beginning in 1993 an Association Organization Study Committee was formed to study the organization of the association and suggest ways to improve its effectiveness. Out of this committee came our present five council structure and elected governing Executive Board. Newly developed bylaws were adopted in October 1994.
The trustees of EBBA have worked hard over the years to get the best use of the church sites that we have acquired. The property in Pinole was sold to a development company in 1998 and the money was invested to provide for future ministries. The group has not done anything with the property as yet, and an East Bay congregation is still using the facilities. The trustees completed (in 2001) the sale of the property in Rodeo to the Trinity Faith Baptist Church, where they have been meeting for a number of years.
1999 was a "ground breaking" year for the association in a number of ways. A Christian Women's Job Corps site was established at the Ministry Center, under the direction of Irene Wolfe. CWJC is a program that offers a "hand up" to women who are seeking to re-enter the job force, through job training, personal enrichment and mentoring. In August the association held the first "Multicultural Fair" which focused on the different cultures that make up the association. The Fair featured foods, games, music and worship from many different nationalities.
In April 1999 an architect was hired to develop plans for extensive remodeling of the Ministry Center property in San Leandro. Plans included replacing all windows in the auditorium, exterior painting, resurfacing the parking lot, redesigning the upstairs to provide office space and an expanded media center, landscaping and other improvements. The City of San Leandro negotiated with EBBA trustees for the purchase of an 8 foot wide strip of land along the north side of our property. The funds received for the land provided additional resources for the remodeling project that was under way.
The year 2000 marked the 15th year of Larry Fisher's ministry as DOM. The association presented him and his wife Clista with a trip to Europe. Steve Weaver was formally introduced as the new director of the Telegraph Community Center in Oakland, and the association entered into discussions with the North American Mission Board and the State Convention about the possibility of EBBA assuming ownership of the Center. At the annual meeting Larry announced his retirement, which would be effective in September 2001.
The association received two tremendous gifts in the year 2001. First of all, we received ownership of the Telegraph Center in Oakland. Representatives from NAMB and CSBC attended the July Executive Board meeting to formally present the deed to Larry Fisher and the leadership of EBBA. Also, the congregation of Gracemont Baptist Church in Albany voted to transfer ownership of its church site and parsonage to the association. Total property and assets of East Bay exceed $5 million as of October 2001.
The remodeling project on the Ministry Center in San Leandro began in late 2001. Pastor Charlie Leffingwell of First So. Baptist Church in San Lorenzo served as the construction coordinator. The project included adding an enclosed foyer to the office building, with inside stairs to the second floor Christian Leaders Resource Center; an entry hall with two classrooms on the worship building; paving of the parking lot; and extensive landscaping. The remodeling was completed in May and a dedication service was held on June 30, 2002. Larry & Clista Fisher, several representatives from the State office in Fresno, the mayor of San Leandro and many members of EBBA were present for the celebration.
As the association moves ahead in the 21st century, a search committee is at work seeking a new DOM to lead the 109 churches and missions of EBBA in ministry. The rich history of outreach to the many nationalities represented in the East Bay will continue. Leadership development and training opportunities through the LEAD Center continue to expand. An annual calendar filled with retreats, workshops and conferences offers opportunities for men, women and children to grow in the Lord. To God be the Glory!
Further History 2002 - 2003
by Jane Thornell, Association Clerk
Lyman Alexander was called as new Director of Missions by the Executive Board in February 2002, and he officially began his duties in June. He had formerly been the DOM for Crescent Bay/West LA Baptist Association in Southern California. His personal "passions" included missions and evangelism, so he set to work making those priorities for the Association.
At the Annual Meeting in October 2003 the Association voted to enter an Associational Strategy Development process for 2004-2006. A consultant will guide the process of setting core values, goals and actions plans for the Association. Several churches were approved for affiliation with EBBA, bringin our total number of churches and missions to 112. The Association also voted to adopt two Migrant Centers for ministry during the harvest season of April to October 2004. Sherry Hsu, a volunteer from First Baptist Newark, served as the coordinator. Food (beans, rice, flour and cornmeal) was given to each of the 302 households, new clothing will be given to each of the children, and a variety of ministries were conducted throughout the summer.
