St. John Missionary Baptist Church West Palm Beach

“Upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18

On the dawn of the twentieth century, Reverend James B. Ealy, (affectionately known as Parson Ealy) and a small group of devoted men and women of God established our predecessor Bethel Baptist Church in Palm Beach, Florida.

Humble Beginnings

Our church was founded in the Black Shantytown known as the “Styx”. Black families lived in this area called "The Styx" for about 20 years establishing businesses, churches, religious and fraternal institutions. The Styx was located on North County Road and Sunrise Avenue in Palm Beach, Florida. More than 2,000 workers who lived and worked in the homes and hotels in Palm Beach lived in the Styx. After completion of a footbridge and railroad from Palm Beach to West Palm Beach, a plan to eliminate the "Styx" community to make way for tourists was implemented. The exodus of blacks from Palm Beach began in 1906 and ended in 1912.

St. John (f/k/a Bethel Baptist Church) was relocated from Palm Beach to Nineteenth Street and Spruce Avenue in a Township Range called Pleasant City. In 1922 the church was relocated to a building on twenty second street between Spruce and Contentment Avenue. The building housed a church and a school. Mrs. Daisy Washington Thomas was the teacher.

Our Vision: God’s Provision

The church was destroyed by storms in 1926 and 1928. Under the leadership and labor of Rev. Lambert the church was rebuilt in 1929 at the corner of Nineteenth Street and A.E. Isaacs Avenue (f/k/a Contentment Avenue). That structure currently houses our beautifully remodeled multipurpose chapel. In 1981, under the leadership of Reverend A.E. Isaacs our current sanctuary was completed.

The survival and growth of the church has been due to the leadership of thirteen men who each formed a link in the legacy of our church. The visionary shepherds of this flock were Reverend J. B. Ealy, Rev. J.R. Thompson, Rev. R.L. Thomas, Rev. C.C. Harris, Rev. J. McCord, Rev. E.J. Thompson, Rev. M.J. Lambert, Rev. Jake Parson, Rev. A.J. Collier, Rev. Arthur H. Lockett, Rev. Adcocy E. Isaacs and our current pastor, Reverend Joseph B. Tyson. The longest serving pastors were Rev. Ealy (20 years), Rev. Collier (15 years), Rev. Isaacs (21 years) and Rev. Tyson (30 years).

Our church history is a testimony to a people’s ability to overcome and achieve with God’s sustaining grace.