The first brick church in Pasadena Texas stands before you. Memorial Baptist Church of Pasadena. It’s a testament to faith resilience and community.
Memorial Baptist Church of Pasadena wasn’t built overnight. It began in 1936. A group of Pasadena Baptists met in a high school auditorium. They held a two-week revival. Rev L S Chambers from Kentucky was the guest speaker. The revival ended with 120 charter members. Initially called The Pasadena Missionary Baptist Church the name changed to Memorial Baptist Church. This honored Christ Mrs T A Moore a faithful worker and the Texas Centennial.
For nine months they met in the high school. In May 1937 their first building opened at 323 S Main Street. It cost $6000. It was a significant achievement for the burgeoning congregation.
Brother H D Hale became pastor in 1942. The church experienced growth and prosperity. By 1945 they paid off their first building note. In 1948 educational space was added. Memorial Baptist Church of Pasadena was evangelistic and mission-minded. They adopted the Mexican Mission on Red Bluff Road in 1940. In 1953 they built Memorial Chapel in Deepwater. It later became Thomas Avenue Baptist Church.
In 1978 Memorial Baptist Church of Pasadena had a new vision. They voted to relocate to a new area of Pasadena. For four years they held dual services. One at the South Main site and one at Miller Intermediate School on Fairmont. Crews set up and took down chairs and equipment each week. In 1981 under Dr Fred Bender they traded their South Main Street property. They received fifteen acres of land on Fairmont from First Baptist Church. The Spanish and Korean missions of FBC moved to the South Main Street facilities. Groundbreaking for the new Fairmont location was on March 28 1982. On July 22 1984 all services moved to the new Fairmont facilities. By 1990 they added a new educational wing Fellowship Hall and more parking. A Multi-Purpose Building for worship and education opened November 4 2001.
Memorial Baptist Church of Pasadena continued to grow. They hosted Christian concerts. They established Gone But Not Forgotten for those who lost children. They created the Triple L group for older adults. They participated in local sports leagues. In 2016 Jason Havner became pastor. The church saw spiritual and numerical growth. They organized House of Hope to help people in need. Adults and youth went on mission trips. They hosted Hurricane Harvey victims. They opened a Christian daycare and partnered with a local football team. They planted new churches. Memorial Baptist Church of Pasadena continues its mission to dig deeper and reach wider. Its story is one of enduring faith and community service. It’s a legacy built brick by brick prayer by prayer and soul by soul.