OVERALL GOAL:

The intent of the following is to bring about the planting of a new multi-ethnic church in the Feltonville neighborhood of Philadelphia, building upon the history and investment of Wyoming Avenue Baptist Church.

1. This church will be committed to the community of Feltonville.
2. This will be an intentionally multi-ethnic church.
3. Reflecting the planting church, this new church will identify with the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA).

PROPOSITIONS:

• We believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ is powerful to transform people in our community.  There is transformative power in the gospel.

• Observationally, we see that people are open to the Gospel and willing to learn more about God, draw closer to Christ, and freely expose their children to the church.  There is opportunity for gospel ministry in Feltonville.

• However, Wyoming Ave. Baptist Church is in many ways disconnected from its community, without significant transformative impact.  There are barriers to effective ministry, some which can be identified, but many which cannot.
  • Many in the church do not live in the community.
  • The church largely reflects a singular white culture in a diverse neighborhood.
  • In its dwindling state, the church is effectively run by just a few families.
  • The church cannot afford to hire a pastor.

• We believe that the creation of a new church can create a new context for Gospel ministry that can provide more fertile soil for the effective spread of the Gospel in Feltonville.  New wineskins are needed for this new wine!
  • A new core group will be formed locally.
  • Multi-ethnic leaders will be identified, trained, and empowered for ministry.
  • With a new beginning, we hope that the whole of the church will be involved in its leadership, ministry and outreach.
  • With the support of partner churches, we hope to call full-time church planters to invest in a new work in Feltonville.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Pulpit Committee has recommended that the church pursue “replanting,” that is, ceasing “church as we know it,” with the hope that a new church can be born here in Feltonville, under the leadership of John Davis and Grace Church of Philadelphia.  (8/6/2011)

To this end, the Board of Deacons has unanimously recommended the dissolution of Wyoming Avenue Baptist Church, merging our ministry and resources with and under the leadership of Grace Church of Philadelphia.  (9/10/2011)

According to our bylaws, this matter has been considered by a super-committee consisting of all church officers and boards.  This committee deliberated the plan and has approved it for recommendation to the congregation by vote of an overwhelming majority.  (9/25/2011)

REPLANTING PLAN:

1. Wyoming Avenue Baptist Church dissolves. (October 2011)
   1. All present services, classes, ministries, and other activities will stop, with a final worship service on October 23, 2011.
   2. Active members will be given letters of transfer.
   3. Assets will be transferred to Grace Church of Philly, to be used in trust solely for the planting of a new church in Feltonville.
2. Grace Church of Philly will begin a new “mission church” in Feltonville. (November 2011)
   1. The new church will start on Sunday, November 20, 2011. Initial services are expected to be at 10am in the annex (“The Gathering”), with small group Bible studies (“Grace Groups”) on Wednesday night.
   2. Members of Wyoming Ave Baptist will be invited to remain and invest in the forming of the new church, becoming members of Grace Church of Philly.
   3. The church will tentatively be called “Grace Church Feltonville,” and will operate under the leadership of Grace Church of Philly.
   4. Pastor John Davis and the leadership team of Grace Church of Philly will work to form partnership with the Evangelical Free Church of America and other EFCA churches to invest in the new work, and call pastors and/or church planters to lead the church.
   5. Grace Church of Philly will form a provisional leadership team in Feltonville, initially to consist of Joey Muñoz, Walt Rice, Jr., and Theodor Yonkeu.
3. The new church will be independently chartered. (Within 2-3 years)
   1. The church will incorporate and come under its own constitution and bylaws.
   2. The church will have a distinct membership.
   3. The church will seek affiliation with the Evangelical Free Church of America.
   4. All assets from the original Wyoming Ave. Baptist that were transferred and held by Grace Church of Philly will be transferred to the new church.

NEXT STEPS:

The next step is for the congregation to consider, discuss, and vote to approve or reject the plan for replanting.  This will occur at a special congregational meeting, held on Sunday, October 16, following the morning worship service.

If the congregation votes (by 2/3 majority of those present and voting) to dissolve the church according to this plan, it will go into effect immediately thereafter, with a final service held on October 23, 2011.  Services under Grace Church’s leadership would begin on November 20.

[The congregation approved this plan by a vote of 22 for, 1 against, at its October 23 meeting.]

Below are recordings of sermons that have been preached at our church. We currently do not have the ability to post many sermons, but as they are available, we will put them online. If there is a particular sermon that you would like to hear, we often have outlines or cassette recordings that can be digitized. Contact Walt Rice for more information.

Audio from the 2006-2007 CityNet Deacon Training sessions and the 2008 Mercy Ministry Conference can be found here: 2006 | 2007 | 2008.

	Dr. John P. Davis, Interim Pastor John is the lead pastor of Grace Church Philly, and will be working with us over the coming months as our interim pastor. John’s ministry is intentionally gospel-centered, seeking to make the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ the core of our message and our lives. You can email Pastor John at johndavis@gracechurchphilly.org.
	Walt Rice, Sr., Moderator Walt is the primary lay leader of the church, elected to preside at business meetings, and facilitate the work of the boards. He and his wife Cindy teach the new members class and serve on the worship team (piano and trumpet). Walt is also the treasurer of the church. You can email Walt at waltsr@gmail.com.
	Walt Rice, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Deacons Walt Jr. heads the Board of Deacons, tasked with assisting the pastor in the spiritual oversight of the church, and serving the church in various ways. Walt leads worship most Sundays, and also works with the youth group. You can email Walt at WaltRiceJr@gmail.com.
	Debby Crockett, Director of Children’s Ministry Debby has been working with kids her whole life, taking on the role of teaching our children from her mother before her. Debby (seen here with her husband Bob) leads our Sunday and Wednesday kids classes, as well as our annual Vacation Bible School extravaganza. You can email Debby at debrac1487@aol.com.

Church Officers (2011)

Moderator and Treasurer: Walt Rice, Sr.

Board of Deacons:
Walt Rice, Jr. (Chairman) – Worship and youth director
Debra Crockett – Children’s Ministry director
Jason Martinez
Ojilvia Martinez
Joey Muñoz – Pulpit Committee chairman
George Parcell – Adult Sunday School teacher

Board of Trustees:
George Parcell
Joanne Becker
Robert Crockett
Nancy Dambach
Jason Martinez
Joey Muñoz
Rev. Daniel Ndimantang
Cindy Rice

Board of Missions:
Rebecca Crockett
Ojilvia Martinez
Jeanne Muñoz
Rev. Daniel Ndimantang
Jennifer Rice

The most recent annual reports are at the top of the page; scroll down for older reports.

	2010 Annual Report Download PDF (9 MB)
	2009 Annual Report Download PDF (1 MB)
	2008 Annual Report Download PDF (1.4 MB)
	2007 Annual Report Download PDF (2.7 MB)
	2006 Annual Report Download PDF (3.6 MB)

Older Annual Reports

Older annual reports are available in our digital archive.

View copies of our church bulletin here.  Please note that these files are in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format, which requires the free viewer from Adobe.

January 23, 2011
January 16, 2011
January 9, 2011
January 2, 2011

…

November 1, 2009

October 18, 2009
October 11, 2009

…

June 14, 2009
June 7, 2009

May 31, 2009
May 24, 2009
May 17, 2009
May 10, 2009 (Mother’s Day)
May 3, 2009

April 26, 2009
April 19, 2009
April 12, 2009 (Easter)
April 5, 2009 (Palm Sunday)

…

February 15, 2009
February 8, 2009
February 1, 2009

January 25, 2009
January 18, 2009
January 11, 2009
January 4, 2009

December 28, 2008

…

May 25, 2008 (Memorial Day)
May 18, 2008 (Police Sunday)
May 11, 2008 (Mother’s Day)
May 4, 2008 (Children’s Sunday)

April 27, 2008
April 20, 2008
April 13, 2008
April 6, 2008

March 30, 2008
March 23, 2008 (Easter / Resurrection Sunday)
March 16, 2008 (Palm Sunday)
March 9, 2008
March 2, 2008

February 24, 2008
February 10, 2008
February 3, 2008

January 27, 2008
January 20, 2008
January 13, 2008
January 6, 2008

December 30, 2007
December 23, 2007
December 16, 2007
December 9, 2007
December 2, 2007

November 25, 2007
November 18, 2007
November 11, 2007
November 4, 2007

October 28, 2007 – no bulletin
October 21, 2007
October 14, 2007
October 7, 2007

September 30, 2007
September 23, 2007
September 16, 2007
September 9, 2007
September 2, 2007

August 26, 2007
August 19, 2007
August 12, 2007
August 5, 2007

Sunday

9:30 am — Seniors Sunday School (60+)

10:30-11:00 am — Coffee and fellowship

11:00 am — Worship Service

Children start in the  service for worship,
and are dismissed to their classes before the sermon.

Children’s ministry for age 4 to grade 4 is available every week.

Nursery is available for infants through age 3.

Wednesday

3:00-5:00 pm — After School Club

In partnership with the Whosoever Gospel Mission. For kids in grades 1-4.

6:30-8:30 pm — Wednesday@Wyoming

Dinner (free!) starts at 6:30 pm, followed at 7:30 pm by worship, prayer, and
classes for adults, those seeking membership, youth (teenagers), and children.

discipling God’s people, reaching the community for Christ

While we prepare a history of more modern times, please enjoy seeing Wyoming through the eyes of the generations before us.

Digital Archive

New! You can see many of our older photos and documents in our online Digital Archive.

Diamond Jubilee Book

As part of the 75th Anniversary celebration in 1966, the church published a book of its history from the very beginning of the Mission through 1966.  The book also includes current (1966) and historical lists of church officers, Sunday School workers, and members from 1900 through 1966.

Download PDF (26 MB)

Church Directories

The church has regularly published member and friend directories.  Early directories often included a short church history, list of current officers and Sunday School workers, and the by-laws.

1921 - Download PDF
1959 - Download PDF

The Onward

An early newsletter of the church, starting in 1911.

September 1911 (Vol 1., No. 7) - Download PDF
October 1911 (Vol 1., No. 8) - Download PDF

Inside Wyoming

A more recent newsletter, 1960s through 1980s, then 2000s.  Recent volumes are in the digital archive.

Annual Reports

Recent annual reports, and some historical ones, are available here.

The main sanctuary of our current church building was built in the 1920s by the Philadelphia architectural firm Heacock & Hokanson.  The back part of the church (the “Sunday School building”) was built earlier, in the 1900s, to serve the church’s growing need for space.

The "new" church building in the 1940s

The first wood-frame building to which that brick Sunday School building was attached was demolished to make way for the larger steel and stone building that stands today.

The first church building in 1897

]]> http://www.wabcphilly.org/wp/index.php/about/our-building/feed/ 0 http://www.wabcphilly.org/wp/index.php/about/our-community/ http://www.wabcphilly.org/wp/index.php/about/our-community/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:35:44 +0000 admin http://www.wabcphilly.org/wp/?page_id=36

Resources:

Download a map of our focus area as a JPEG image or Adobe PDF.

Our Community

Wyoming Ave. Baptist Church is located at the very north end of North Philadelphia in a relatively small neighborhood called Feltonville.  Always a lower-to-middle class neighorhood, Feltonville has seen waves of change as the city itself changes — from early large populations of ethnic Germans and Jews, to the current growth of the Puerto Rican community, Feltonville is in many ways a microcosm of the changing face of America.

We recognize that the gospel not only does not respect ethnic boundaries — but that Christ compels us to work towards breaking down the walls that divide us.  We are to live as One Body, working in our individual relationships and lives to mirror the love that Christ has for us.

Below is a short (and technical) demographic summary that provides some background on our community as of the 2000 Census.

Feltonville Demographic Summary:

• 45% of all residents classified themselves as Hispanic.
• Of non-Hispanic residents, 23% are Black, 15% White, 10% are Asian.
• 20% of the residents speak Spanish primarily and English “less than very well.”
• About 31% of all residents are school children age 3 – grade 12.
• Of those age 25 and over, only about half have graduated from high school.
• Over 25% of all families and nearly 33% of individuals live below the poverty level.
• Half of all families made less than $26,300 per year.

Race & Ethnicity:

Nearly half (45%) of residents classified themselves as “Hispanic.” Of the non-Hispanic residents, 23% are African American, 15% are White and 10% are Asian. 6% are two or more races.  Our “focus area” (see map) contains a little over 8,600 people in total.

Education:

Of the residents over 25 years of age, nearly half have not graduated from high school. Only 10% of the residents have achieved any post high school degree, such as an associate, bachelor’s or graduate or professional degree.  The number of students in college or graduate school is fairly low, but children age 3 to grade 12 represent nearly a third of the total population of our neighborhood.

Economic Situation:

Over a quarter of all families and nearly a third of all individuals in our area were below the poverty level in 1999. Half of all families in our area earned less than $26,300 per year. Only 15% of all families took in more than $50,000 per year.

Language:

In the neighborhood surrounding the church, the two notably dominant languages are English and Spanish. Though census data indicate that English is slightly more prominent, the two are roughly equal in usage. A small minority of the residents of the neighborhood speak other Indo-European languages, while another minority speak languages from Asia or the Pacific Islands.

The census data are further specified by recording the number of residents who speak English “less than very well.” Roughly 30% of the residents in our neighborhood fall into this category, of which residents, about two thirds are native Spanish speakers.

These data suggest that the largest communication gap at present between our church and much of the surrounding community is the English–Spanish language barrier. About 20% of the people in our community speak Spanish primarily and English poorly.

Jesus offers hope.

But hope for what?

Hope for the future, hope for today, hope that gives us purpose and meaning in this life. Hope for freedom from depression and loneliness, freedom from addiction and sin, freedom from bitterness and hate. But the best hope Jesus gives is the hope of a true relationship with God, our Father. He is a faithful father who loves and cares for his children.

This hope is greater than any other hope, for it is not a wish or a dream, but an assurance of salvation. Jesus promises rest for the weary who come to him. He promises guidance in daily life for those who follow him. He promises eternal life for those who believe in him.  Jesus says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

We desperately need this hope. We can look around at our world, at our communities, even at our families, and see the brokenness in every person. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  We have all fallen short of God’s standard and we all need to be rescued. There is no exception. We cannot please God or heal our brokenness by our own efforts. The desire to serve ourselves, which is disobedience to God, is central to every person.

This is why Jesus died on the cross. The just and proper punishment for our sins is death.  As the only man without sin, Jesus was able to take all of our brokenness, selfishness and disobedience (sin) and die for it on the cross. But he didn’t stay dead – He rose again, showing that his death was not pointless, but that it truly takes away sin.  “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23)

When we turn to Jesus to take away our sin, we are indeed rescued. By believing in Jesus Christ as our Savior, we can know God as our Father.  “To those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”  (John 1:12). We can have strength to turn away from addictions and hate because Jesus fills that emptiness. We can trust God to provide for us as we work and raise families. We can know that when we die, we too will one day rise from the dead and be with our Father in heaven forever.  The Bible says, “By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also” (1 Corinthians 6:14)

Jesus says,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and
learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:28-29

Jesus offers you true hope! But to accept it is to give up all other hopes rooted in anything but Christ.  You must give up control of your life and trust God to do what is good (Romans 8:28), as you walk in obedience to Him.  Only then will you enjoy life as you were made to – in relationship with God.

How can I receive this hope? The hope and salvation that we write about is a free gift of God.  To receive it, you need to:

1. Recognize that you are a sinner before the holy God. (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent – turn away from your sin and toward God, and confess your sins to Him. (1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that Jesus died for you on the cross and rose from the dead. (Romans 5:8)
4. Pray and invite Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Savior and Lord.  (Romans 10:13)

Prayer is simply talking to God.  The words don’t have to be fancy, and you don’t even have to speak out loud.  Simply put your faith in Him and pray something like this:  “Lord Jesus, I know that I have done things that are evil in your sight.  I know that I deserve to die for my sins.  I believe that you died on the cross for my sins. I ask you to forgive me and take my sins away.  I want to follow you as my Lord and Savior.”

If you accepted Jesus as your Savior, you can know for sure that you are saved.  The Bible says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Enjoy our photos, but please be respectful.
All photographs are copyrighted by their photographer, and may not be used without permission.  In addition, the individuals pictured have publicity and privacy rights, and any further use of these images would require appropriate release.

1. We believe that the 66 Books of the Old and New Testaments, commonly known as the Bible, being the Word of GOD, are uniquely inspired by the HOLY SPIRIT so as to be without any error in their original manuscripts and are the only and final authority in matters of faith and practice.

2. We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

3. We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, that He is true God and true man, and is the only and sufficient Mediator between God and man.

4. We believe in the personality of the Holy Spirit, and that His principal ministry is to reveal Christ to individuals in the regeneration and sanctification of their lives.

5. We believe that mankind was created by God in His image; that man sinned, thereby incurring spiritual death; that sin was passed to all people, making them totally in need of salvation.

6. We believe in the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus Christ for our sins, in the resurrection of His body, His ascension into Heaven, and His personal and visible future return to the earth; and that salvation is received only through personal faith in Him.

7. We believe that Christ instituted two ordinances to be observed by the Church: Believer’s Baptism (Matt. 28:19) and the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:23-26).

8. We believe that believer’s baptism is a physical sign that gives witness to the washing away and forgiveness of our sins through Jesus Christ (Acts 22:16, Eph. 5:25-27) and testifies of our spiritual rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). This baptism is by water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19). We believe that immersion of the believer is the best expression of baptism because it best symbolizes the believer’s identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:3-7), and his newness of life in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17).

9. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of the Lord’s death until He comes again.

10. We believe that the Church of Jesus Christ around the world and throughout the ages (the invisible, universal Church) consists of all those, and only those, who, by faith, have received Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord (Rom. 10:9). This one Church (Eph. 4:4-6) is the family and flock of God (John 10:16, Eph. 3:15), the body and bride of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23, 5:25-28), and the temple in which God dwells by His Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16, Eph. 2:19-22).

11. We believe that the local church is a body of baptized believers associated for worship (Heb. 10:25, Eph. 5:19-20), mutual strengthening in Christ (Heb. 10:24, 1 Thess. 5:11), service to others (1 John 3:18, Gal. 6:10), and the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire world (Matt. 28:18-20).

12. We believe in religious liberty. This includes the right to worship God according to the dictates of conscience, the privilege of reading the Scriptures for oneself, and the priesthood of all believers, that is, the direct access of each person to God through the sole mediation of Christ.

13. We believe in the autonomy of the local Church.

Discipling & Equipping God’s People to Serve

“Follow me.”

So begins the journey of all who take the gospel seriously.  Those who experience radical forgiveness, freedom from sin and despair.  Those who enter into relationship not with some moral philosophy, but with God Himself!

Discipleship is following Jesus Christ, with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength.  Discipleship is learning to take up our crosses and follow Jesus.

We must seek to love God and glorify Him in our lives.  We must give the best of who we are and what we have, with thanksgiving to the One who gives us all good things.  And at the very heart of our being as the church of God, we must fulfill the Great Commission.  “Go and make disciples of every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

We find that God has brought all nations here, not only to Feltonville, but also to our church.  We have grown from a monthly average of 42 to an average of 154 in our worship service.  While we continue to reach into our community with the gospel message, our vision is to make disciples of those who God is already bringing to us, teaching them to obey, setting their lives apart from the world, and preparing them for service in the Kingdom.

Preparation involves putting on the full armor of God, not only to withstand the flaming arrows of the devil, but to advance the Kingdom of God and reclaim lives for the Light.  Equipped with the holiness that only God provides, the practical righteousness of radical obedience, and the awesome power of the Word of God, we are indeed salt and light to our families and our communities.

We pray not only that the Lord of the harvest would send more workers into the harvest, but that He would make us, the people of Wyoming, into effective workers in His harvest, all to His praise and glory.