| |
|
| |
Hartford
Church
celebrates
100
years of
worship
and
community
service
in
Detroit
By
Laydell
Wood
Harper/Tell
Us
Detroit
DETROIT
-
Hartford
Memorial
Baptist
Church
is
celebrating
its
100th
Anniversary
this
year
with a
huge
Gala
Celebration
on July
7th. 100
years of
working
and
helping
the
community
flourish,
especially
the
community
surrounding
Hartford
Church.
Community
development
is
extremely
important
to
Hartford.
It was
the
vision
and
leadership
of Rev.
Dr.
Charles
G.
Adams,
Pastor
HMBC
that led
the
Church
to
purchase
the
commercial
real
estate
along W.
Seven
Mile Rd.
that now
supports
a
McDonald’s,
Kentucky
Fried
Chicken,
Subway
and most
recently
Hartford
Village
- a
gated
senior
residential
community
at W. 7
Mile Rd.
and
Meyers.
The
church
continues
to
reinvest
in the
community
it
serves.
The
commitment,
hard
work and
dedication
of the
people
and
leadership
at
Hartford
has not
gone
unnoticed.
In May,
2016
Hartford
Memorial
Baptist
Church
was
proudly
designated
a
Michigan
Historical
Site by
the
State of
Michigan
Historical
Commission
with a
historical
Marker.
The
Marker,
located
on the
front
lawn
reads:
The
Hartford
Memorial
congregation
was the
first
African
American
church
on
Detroit’s
west
side. It
began
under
Rev.
Edgar
Edwards
(1875 –
1942) As
the
International,
Interracial,
Interdenominational
Institutional
Baptist
Church
in 1917.
Under
its
second
pastor,
the Rev.
Charles
A. Hill
(1893 –
1970).
It was
incorporated
in 1921
as
Hartford
Avenue.
In 1924,
it built
a new
church
at 6300
Hartford
where it
remained
until
1977.
The
church
through
its
ministries
led
civil
and
equal
rights
efforts
to
organize
Ford
Motor
Company
United
Automobile
Workers,
prevent
the
exclusion
of
blacks
from the
World
War 11
era
Sojourner
Truth
Housing
Project,
and
support
the 1986
Dearborn
economic
boycott.
Throughout
Hartford’s
long
history
it has
been a
beacon
for
advancement
of the
community.
In its
100 year
history,
Hartford
Church
has only
had
three
Pastors.
Now with
more
than
5,000
members
Hartford
has a
huge
footprint
in this
community
in all
areas,
but
particularly
in the
area of
music.
Well
known
for its
music,
in the
1940’s
Hartford
presented
some of
the
world’s
most
famous
singers.
“As an
adolescent
I was
worshiping
in a
newly
completed
structure
where
city
wide
attractions
were
held in
the
1940’s,
such as
the
world
famed
concert
tenor,
Roland
Hayes
and
multiple
appearances
of
singer,
actor
and
activist
Paul
Robeson,
said
Rev. Dr.
Charles
G.
Adams.
“With
its many
choirs--Senior
Choir,
Ever
Ready
Chorus,
Young
People’s
Choir,
and
Ladies
Aid
Chorus--and
outstanding
music
directors;
Johnnie
Reid,
Marvin
Dupree,
Dr.
Robert
Harris,
Hartford
was
becoming
the
music
mecca
among
Detroit
African
American
Churches.”
Rev.
Adams
comments,
“When we
became
Hartford
Memorial
Baptist
Church
in 1977
we
continued
the
tradition
of
annual
Messiah
performances
now in
its 66th
year,
conducted
alternately
by
Brazeal
Dennard
and Dr.
Robert
Harris,
professor
of
choral
conducting
at
Northwestern
University
in
Illinois.
Under
the
music
ministry
of Dr.
James
Abbington,
Hartford
built
the
Petty
Madden
Pipe
Organ
which
was the
largest
such
instrument
built in
a black
church.”
“Hartford
was
organized
in 1917
as
Institutional
Baptist
Church
which
meant
that it
was
deeply
rooted
in its
community
and
heavily
involved
in the
daily
life of
its
members”,
says
Adams.
“Along
with the
message
of
Salvation
through
Christ,
we
preached
human
dignity
and
rights.
Rev.
Charles
A. Hill
changed
the name
to
Hartford
Baptist
Church
and he
led the
fight
for fair
housing
practices
and job
opportunities.
The UAW
was
organized
in
Hartford
church
facilities.
Both Rev
Hill and
I were
leaders
in the
NAACP.”
“As only
the
third
pastor
in 100
years,
I’m
proud of
the
profound
legacy
Hartford
Memorial
Baptist
Church
has and
continues
to build
throughout
the
world”,
comments
Rev.
Adams
Each
step of
the way
Pastor
Adams
has been
a proud
leader
and
supporter
of the
community.
He has
been
invited
to
preach
the
Eulogy
at the
funeral
services
of some
of the
great
leaders
of our
time;
Coleman
Young,
Rosa
Parks
and
others.
Most
recently
on May
9, 2017
Wayne
State
University
bestowed
Dr.
Adams
with an
honorary
doctor
of laws
degree
at the
commencement
Ceremony.
Adams
was
recognized
for his
continued
commitment
to the
spiritual
growth
and
development
of the
church
and his
service
to the
city of
Detroit.
On April
29, 2017
Dr.
Adams
was
presented
with the
prestigious
Harvard
Divinity
School
Peter J.
Gomes
Memorial
Honors
Award at
Harvard
University.
The same
award
given to
Rihanna
this
year.
Pastor
Adams
continues
to be a
respected
strong
voice
for the
church
in the
news
media
spotlight
for many
of the
significant
events
that
affect
the
community.
The
100th
Anniversary
Celebration
will be
held on
Friday,
July 7
at Cobo
Center
at 5 pm.
Special
Performance
by Award
Winning
Gospel
singer
Shirley
Caesar.
Keynote
Speaker
Rev. Dr.
Otis
Moss
III.
Tickets
are
available
at
Hartford
Church,
visit
the
website
at
www.hmbcdetroit.org
or Call
(313)
861-1285
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
I
HI TECH NEWS
I
SPORTS
I
