[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 71 (Tuesday, May 2, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E924-E925]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 A CENTURY OF CARING, MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH--CASCADES BAPTIST CHURCH 
                               1895-1995

                                 ______


                            HON. NICK SMITH

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 2, 1995
  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, on May 7, Cascades Baptist Church 
will be celebrating its centennial with special services and an open 
house during the afternoon. The church, originally called Memorial 
Baptist, was founded in 1895 as a mission work of First Baptist Church 
in Jackson. The church changed its name in 1959 when it moved to its 
present location at Bowen and High Streets. Now, one hundred years 
after its founding, Cascades Baptist is taking a look back over one 
hundred years of service within the community.
  The roots of the church really go back as far as 1882, when a Sunday 
School was begun in the Griswold Park School by a member of the First 
Baptist Church. In May of 1882, it was formally made a mission of First 
Baptist Church under then Pastor L. Kirtley. It was called the 
Summitville Mission first, then the Butterfield Mission in memoray of 
Rev. Isaac Butterfield of First Baptist. In 1892, a weekly prayer 
meeting and Sunday afternoon preaching service began, and in 1895, the 
cornerstone was laid for the new building on a lot next to the school, 
right on the northwest corner of Griswold and Third Street. This 
ceremony was the second of the day for the First 
[[Page E925]] Baptist Members, as that same afternoon, they also laid 
the cornerstone for another mission work, the East Main Street Baptist 
Church, now the Loomis Park Baptist Church.
  The new church faced an early disaster when their building burned in 
May of 1897. The made the decision to rebuild, and also to become an 
independent church the same year. In August of that year, they 
organized with a membership of 34, and laid the foundation for their 
new building in October. When finished at the end of that year, the new 
church had taken the name Memorial Baptist.
  The church prospered in the years leading up to World War I. During 
the war, when the school required more property, the church sold its 
property to the school and moved their church and parsonage both across 
the road to their present location, at the southeast corner of Griswold 
and Third. The building was greatly expanded in 1934 with an addition 
to the east that increased the seating capacity to 249 in the upstairs 
auditorium. In 1930, the church had begun regular broadcasts on WIBM 
(then 1370 kHz) that continued periodically up through 1959.
  As the church continued to grow, the facilities became much too small 
in the 1950's. The church decided to build a new facility to 
accommodate the needs. Accordingly, in 1954, lots were purchased at the 
corner of High and Bowen, ground was broken in 1955, and a new building 
completed in 1959. When the church moved in October 1959, the name was 
changed to Cascaded Baptist Church. The building was built for a cost 
of $165,000, though valued at $250,000. Volunteer work had greatly 
helped reduce costs. The mortgage was burned in November 1964.
  Later, in 1978 under Paster A.R. Gould, the church underwent a major 
redecorating on the inside to give it the present warm and attractive 
interior. Also during Rev. Gould's ministry, the church undertook the 
ministry of Jackson Baptist Schools, which has grown greatly to a 
present enrollment of over 375 students. Recently, under present 
paster, Rev. Berry Jones, the church has added a gym and band facility 
to their high school. Though valued at nearly a million dollars, the 
building cost much less due to volunteer labor, and the construction 
was paid for almost entirely in cash.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to salute the Cascades Baptist Church as it 
celebrates a century of caring. This honor is a testament to the past 
members and those today whose personal interest, strong support, and 
active participation contributed to this accomplishment. Their future 
is God's work and I wish them continued success.


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