Church a pillar for 120 years — and today
Pilgrim Rest pastors say the pandemic spurred outreach
CONROE — For more than a century, Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church has been a pillar of the Conroe community.
Pilgrim Rest church was organized by the Rev. P.A. Northington in 1901. In records from the Montgomery County Genealogical and Historical Society, Northington also founded Mount Sinai Baptist Church in Montgomery in 1897.
Services for Pilgrim Rest took place in a small house until 1903, when the first Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church building was erected at South Third Street and Avenue H.
Current pastors B.J. Plattenburg and Rosie Plattenburg came to Pilgrim Rest in 1989.
Rosie grew up in the Evergreen community and has attended church her whole life.
B.J. grew up in nearby Livingston and, as a young man, his studies led him to Conroe Normal & Industrial College on 10th street. He began his studies at the campus dedicated to educating Black students in 1986.
He was pastor to a church named Pleasant Grove in the Punkin community between New Waverly and Coldspring.
He still participated in preaching sessions at Conroe College though. One Monday night, his preaching caught the attention of Pilgrim Rest member Nellie B. Johnson.
She invited him to preach at Pilgrim Rest. He did two Sunday sermons.
The ladies of the church wanted the 26-year-old to be the new pastor. The old-school deacons of the church were unconvinced.
“They thought I was too young and too inexperienced,” B.J. said.
They gave him a 90-day trial. After that, they extended the trithe al another 90 days.
Then having the blessing of older church members, congregation regulars were drawn back to the church after it was determined B.J. was “aight.”
Now, 30-plus years later, the Plattenburgs form a strong foundation for the church. Over the years, “Lady P” as she’s affectionately known has grown into the word herself and offers a wise and guiding hand to congregation members.
In the past year and a half, the church has seen new opportunities open to reach out, even when the pandemic had the community in a holding pattern.
Throughout the pandemic, they’ve been able to expand their outreach beyond the four walls of the church building.
“We knew there was need, but we didn’t know how to open the door. But God opened that door. The pandemic has been a blessing for the church and has allowed it to blossom. In serving others we found such delight and brought the church out from being confined to the four walls of the church,” said B.J. this summer.
The church has hosted regular food and appliance drives throughout the pandemic.
The church also recently launched the Doyen Project, which is focused on housing veterans. The project was inspired by a Vietnam veteran who is also a member of the Montgomery County Veteran’s Memorial Commission.
They are working with the city to build six units at Avenue E and South Third Street in Conroe.
“(Our projects) have made people aware that we are here and we do care,” B.J. said.