Historic Eureka MBC to celebrate 135 years
Members of the Historic Eureka Missionary Baptist Church and its pastor, the Rev. Steve R. Lake, will celebrate their 135th Church Anniversary at 4 p.m. Sunday. The theme is “Giving Back to Those Who Helped Us Make the Journey.” Guests will be members of Union Missionary Baptist Church and their pastor, the Rev. Douglas Jones.
This year’s anniversary program will celebrate the following senior members: Sisters Roxie Clayton, Dorothy Hunter, Lucille Poland, Minnie Flint, Elaine Jones, Eloise Blackmon, Gladys Tripp, Betty West, Viola Elliott and Carol Tucker, Deacons Oscar Hunter Jr. and William Green, and Brothers Wilmington Charles and Swazye Pruitt.
Eureka Missionary Baptist Church was founded May 5, 1883, by a few families and their neighbors in the Gaines and Eureka Street area who decided to organize a place of worship under a brush arbor under the leadership of the Rev. B.B. Dilloney, who would become the first pastor.
Through its 135 years, the church has stood as a pillar for the Gaines Street and surrounding streets in the community. On Dec. 4, 2013, Eureka Missionary Baptist Church was granted “Arkansas State Historic” status by the Arkansas State Review Board of Little Rock, which approved the induction of Eureka Missionary Baptist Church by Arkansas Historic Preservation Program as an Arkansas Historic Site, therefore changing its name to Historic Eureka Missionary Baptist Church.