OUR HISTORY

On Saturday, March 23, 1872, a four member council of ministers convened at the Baptist Meeting House of Bloomington, Indiana to constitute the Second Baptist Church of Bloomington. After organizing with 11 charter members, the church body selected six deacons to serve the newly organized fellowship of believers.

In 1890, they built a frame structure on the northeast corner of 8th and Rogers Streets. Rev. Henson was called to be the first pastor in 1890. Mrs. Amanda Ghan was the first candidate for baptism and was baptized in a pond west of Bloomington.

Including Rev. Henson, the church has had 18 pastors since its founding. First, the Rev. Moses M. Porter, who came from the Second Baptist Church, Bedford, IN, accepted the “call” and became the pastor in 1907. In 1913, Pastor Porter lent the church $4,000 of his personal funds to assist the small faithful congregation in the purchase of the property on the southwest corner of 8th & Rogers (the present location of the church) and led in the building of the beautiful stone structure at a cost of $40,000. It was the first church built of stone by African Americans in Indiana.

Samuel Plato, an African American from Louisville, Kentucky, was the architect. Thomas Gordon donated the stone and hauled it by horse and wagon. Rev. Porter’s 45 years of service came to a close in 1952 with his passing.

In August 1959, Rev. Dr. Ernest D. Butler, who was pastor of the First Baptist Church, Noblesville, IN, accepted the call to pastor Second Baptist Church, Bloomington. Under the leadership of Rev. Butler the exterior of the existing building was refurbished, the annex was completed, and plans for the renovation of the existing structure were created. After 43 years of service, on Sunday, October 20th, 2002, Rev. Dr. E.D. Butler delivered his final sermon. Rev. Butler was named the first pastor emeritus of Second Baptist Church and died in April 2003.