“God Focused” is the mission statement. Today, we are standing before what once housed New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church. This church had humble beginnings. It grew from a small mission in Phoenix Illinois.
Let’s step back to 1920. A small group of determined Disciples of Christ wanted to create change. They wanted to be a bright light. They established a mission. By 1923, the New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church was chartered. Rev. Walter Childs became the first pastor. Under his leadership, the first church building was erected. It was a small frame building on 8th Avenue in Phoenix. This marked a significant milestone. It was the first Baptist church in the village.
As more families moved to the south suburbs of Chicago, the church began to grow. But tragedy struck in June 1925. The church building was destroyed by fire. However, the congregation’s spirit remained strong. They believed the church was not just a building. They moved forward by faith. A new church home was established at 15211 Fifth Avenue.
After Rev. Childs’ tenure, the church experienced a period of instability. They had three pastors in three years. Rev. S. Sulls served in 1932. Rev. John West followed in 1933. Rev. J.B. Whittaker then served from 1933 to 1942.
In May 1942, Rev. A.H. Hester preached his first sermon at New Covenant. There were only 28 members. He became the pastor in 1943. Rev. Hester had a vision. He and the members purchased land for a new building. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on September 28, 1947. Excavation began in 1949. As the new church was being built, the membership continued to grow.
On March 25, 1951, Rev. Hester proudly led the congregation into their new building. The New Covenant Gazette community newspaper was formed in 1954. It was later known as the Voice of New Covenant. The church building was renovated and dedicated in 1957. A daycare center was established in 1972. Many improvements were made and ministries were added under Rev. Hester’s leadership. Rev. Hester passed away on January 27, 1980. He had served as pastor for 38 years.
Richard D. McCreary II was installed as pastor on June 20, 1980. He was a young preacher within the church. Under Pastor McCreary’s leadership, many physical improvements were made. These included remodeling the sanctuary and adding an educational wing. New audio-visual equipment was purchased and a new website was launched.
Pastor McCreary also added several ministries. These included the RDM Praise Dancers and the Health Ministry. Several members were inspired to enter the ministry under his guidance. The New Covenant Christian Academy was founded in 1986. It provided education for children from preschool through high school.
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the church to worship virtually for two years. The church used this time to meditate and reflect. They focused on how to conduct worship in the present age. New Covenant remained God Focused and Bible Focused. It also remained Character Focused Enabling Focused and Balanced Focused.