9th Street Missionary Baptist Church

The lot on which Ninth Street now stands was deeded to the Emigrant Aid Society of New England by the Trustees of the Lawrence Township in 1855 and was transferred by deed of March 26, 1862 to Isaiah Adams and Henry Brayling. On March 3 1864, a deed was given to the trustees of the second Missionary Baptist Church by Isaiah Adams and Henry Brayling. Under the leadership of Rev. Bedford Drisdom, the church building was started.

In 1865 the church called Rev. Dudley to pastor the church at a salary of $300.00 a year, but he worked with the church for the next nine years without regular pay. A distention arose over the payment of the pastor’s back salary and a split developed. After a Sheriff’s sale in 1875, the church was deeded to Rev. Dudley and his wife justifying Dudley’s claim against the church. The split portion of the congregation purchased a site on the Tenth and Connecticut streets and was known as the little Gem Baptist Church, with Rev. B.T.E. James as pastor.

After the split Rev Robert Martin was called to serve as pastor for a short period followed by Rev. Washington Mercer. Mercer’s goal was to reunite the split church which he succeeded in doing. After nine years Rev. Dudley Lee and his wife deeded the church site back to the Trustees for $1,666.88. The reunited Church became known as Warren Street Baptist Church and with Rev. Mercer as pastor, the church building was completed and Mercer retired 1885.

Rev. E.M. Choron served from 1885 to 1990, followed by a succession of pastors who served for short periods. The longest pastorate was served by Rev. G. N. Jackson from 1910 to 1930. During his tenure with the church, the tower front of the church building was added, the basement remodeled, the restrooms installed, and electric lighting installed in the building.

In about 1945 the city of Lawrence changed the east and west streets back to numbers, and the Church was renamed Ninth Street Missionary Baptist Church. Between 1945 under the different leaderships, numerous additions were made to the church building including the addition of a choir stand and lecture rooms.

Rev Charles Kennybrew was called to pastor the church in 1983, and during ministry, structural changes were name to the church sanctuary, kitchen and vestibule along with many purchases for the advancement of the ministry.

In October of 1995 Rev. Rene’ F. Brown became pastor of the Ninth Street family. Under his administration many physical improvements have occurred. Brown, a strong advocate for spiritual growth as opposed to numerical growth, has led the church in the past 11 years into one large family. In 199- the Ninth Outreach Center was purchased and opened to the public.