WELLER STREET MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH HISTORY

 

The Lily of The Valley Baptist Church was organized at 121 South Weller Street, Los Angeles, California on February 12, 1944, under the leadership of the Reverend Fullwood. The church functioned for only a short time. Later in that same year of 1944, with determination of Deacon James White, Deacon Homer Dixon, Deacon H.L Lloyd, and their wives, Sis. Mattie White, Sis. Mary Dixon, they came together to talk with the Reverend W.L. Stephenson about reorganizing the church. It was at this time they decided to name the church Weller Street Baptist Church. After many meetings and much prayer and discussion, they came together and reorganized the Weller Street Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend W.L. Stephenson.

It was on may 13, 1945 when the group called in the Union Baptist Church with Reverend Strofford to formerly organize the church. The Lord crowned this effort with his many blessings in ways we could never describe in words alone. The church grew in leaps and bounds, the lord added to the membership as he saw fit, until our building at 121 Weller Street was no longer suitable for housing our church comfortably. It was at this time we knew we had to move. So we began looking for and found a building at 154 South Gless Street in Los Angeles.

The Lord provided that we were able to move in that building in 1948. It seemed that the Lord has blessed us in a real big way and that building became too small, faster than the last one. So once again we had to start looking. Later in 1949, the Lord directed us to another building, and we were able to secure it. On December 20, 1949, we moved to 129 South Gless street, our present location. The Lord blessed us again.

On February 28, 1959 when the Lord saw fit to call Reverend W.L. Stephenson from labor to reward, after days of mourning had ended it was time for us to find another leader. In 1959 we called Reverend Doc Weaver. The church was again on the roll in a good way. In 1961 we called the Reverend Frank Davis who served until 1963. The Reverend Willie Lewis served for a short time. Reverend S.M. Malachi agreed to serve and he resigned in 1966, and in the same year we elected the Reverend T.E. Bills, who served for four years. In December 1970 we elected the Reverend Elijah Griffin and after nine years he resigned in 1979.

In March of 1980 Reverend Arthur Lee Tarver was installed as our new leader at Weller Street, and the first pastor to come from within our membership. He served faithfully for 17 years. On December 10, 1997 he heard the voice of Jesus say come unto me and rest.