After being
on the run for about 2 years, Rev. Kelley accepted his call from God. While pastoring the CME Church in Kernallsville,
North Carolina, God revealed to Rev. Kelley in a dream that he would build a long bridge
over a mighty wide body of water. Being
troubled by this dream and not knowing the meaning, he consulted with an elderly lady of
the church. She told him he would one-day
build a huge brick church.
September
of 1943, Rev. Kelley was sent to Cambridge, Ma by Bishop L. Russell to pastor a CME
Church. He served as Pastor of this church in
Cambridge for approximately 1 year.
In 1944,
Rev. Kelley left Cambridge and came to Roxbury, Ma, where he reorganized and started The
St. John’s Congregational Church located at 45 Cabot Street in Roxbury.
After
remaining as a congregational Church for about three (3) years, Rev. Kelley saw a great
need for a Baptist Church. Rev. Kelley was
baptized into the Baptist faith; he reorganized and had the church changed to the ST. J0HN
MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH to which it remains today.
After this reorganization, there was a remarkable growth in the church membership. There was one (1) ordained Deacon at this time and
he is still actively serving on the Deacon Board.
Times were
not easy; Rev. Kelley had to work without pay. He
made very little money as a shoeshine boy shining shoes on Tremont Street, but he took
what he had to buy wood and coal in the winter to keep the church warm. For many years, Rev. Kelley supported the Church
out of his own pocket. Because of his
dedication and his belief and faith in God the church began to grow by leaps and bounds. Due to this growth, the church moved to 145 Lenox
Street in Roxbury, MA...(Click Here for Part II of Our History) |
