Houses Of Worship

Several things have prompted me to write this article one was the entry of photos of the Fellowship Temple and Saint Pauls Baptist Church in our photo contest last year. Another was the old churches depicted on our holiday ornaments. Still another was remembering as a child sitting in church and having Hattie Hauck always mention in her prayer the fact that Clayton a small town had seven churches and one synagogue.

The Fellowship Temple property, located on Centre Street between New and Vine, was purchased by the Churches of God In Christ in 1930 from William and Rose Graviano. The first pastor was William Baxton followed by Elder George Miller, Elder John L. Broadnax. Over the years the building changed hands several times ending with the Fellowship Temple. Under the State Jurisdiction of Fellowship Temple Bishop Esau Courtney, the present pastor Eric J. Taylor.

In approximately 1930 a group of Jewish men purchased the Church on east Centre Street, which was built in 1909 to use a Synagogue. An addition was built in 1956. The building has served its congregation well, being used for several functions such as dinner dances, card parties, raffles, community breakfasts, community dinners, Hebrew school classes.

Saint Paul’s Baptist Church was organized in 1910 by a group consisting of Addie Lee, Mr. and Mrs. George Bates, Mr. james Green, Mr. David Butler, and the Reverend J.T. Plety of Kaigh Avenue Baptist Church. The first services were held in private homes, in 1914 the present lot was purchased from Ruth Ann Stanger, and a small building was donated and moved to the site. In the 1930’s the present building was erected under the guidance of Reverend S.E. Harris. Over the years many additions and improvements have been made.

Trinity United Methodist Church was started in a private home also. The home of John Early was used n about 1770 for Methodist Class Meetings. In 1812 Jacob and Jane Fisler gave two acres of land to the trustees of the Methodist Society to build a Useful School House to be used for a school during the week and a church on Sunday. This was located on the point of West Academy Street. In 1868 the original parsonage was built across Delsea Drive. In 1884 the next building was built for a cost of $11,500 on an old Brickyard. In 1868 the parsonage was built for $6000. In 1870 Manse was built and in 1879 the upper room was built. The new building was dedicated in 1992.

The First Baptist Church was incorporated in 1889 under the direction of the Reverend Issac Leonard the first minister. The first building was built in 1891 on the present location. The education wing was added in 1969 and the second