The History of Our Historic Rehoboth Church in Baltimore, MD

Rehoboth Church of God in Christ Jesus Apostolic in Baltimore, Maryland firmly believes and admonishes this true word; being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, (Philippians 1:6).

In the early 1930s, Mother Mayfield started a church with five members in her house on Pressman Street in Baltimore, Maryland. However, she was in need of help and called on Bishop C.H. Mason, presiding Bishop at the time of the Church of God in Christ organization, who called on a young Elder by the name of Randolph A. Carr. Similar to the journey of the Ethiopian eunuch, Elder Carr had the scriptures opened up to him, and he was baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in New York. The young elder moved to Maryland and began to help Mother Mayfield with Church of God church #3. He was moved by the Holy Ghost, and inspired to know more about the mystery of God.

Elder Carr began to have tent meetings twice in the summers on Gilmore Street. He then purchased a house, remodeled it, and began having church services there. A short time later, eventually leaving the Church of God in Christ organization for preaching the Apostolic Doctrine in Jesus’ Name; this small five member Church of God in Christ Church was reborn and renamed to Rehoboth Church of God in Christ Jesus Apostolic, Inc.

At that time, some of the members were the Brockingtons, Mother Alice Green, Deacon and Sister Agnes Hall, Deacon Duncan, Sister Ann Cherry-Bethea, Sister Naomi Weeks (Banks-Collier), Sister Catherine Williams (Woods), and Brother Monroe Saunders, Sr., to name a few. Undaunted by the small number of members, the work in Baltimore became a great challenge and the opportunity to prove God in Elder Carr’s life was realized. The church continued to outgrow its various locations on Mount Street then eventually Fulton and Riggs Streets.

Now a Bishop, Randolph A. Carr championed many causes and triumphed in very challenging times. However, with those challenges, Bishop Carr triumphantly overcame the many obstacles that were presented to him, and he along with the other great men of God, decided to incorporate in 1945. That year proved to be a benchmark of where God was taking Bishop Carr, for he along with a newly established Board of Bishops branched out and also incorporated the organization called: Church of God in Christ Jesus Apostolic.

With this groundbreaking endeavor, the Rehoboth Church of God was able to acquire properties located in Carroll County and around Baltimore, Maryland, which the people of God enjoyed. The Lord greatly looked over Rehoboth and expanded the church not only with properties but church members as well, so much so that Bishop Carr was able to move the expanded congregation to its current location at 700 Poplar Grove Street in 1955. The church went through tumultuous and victorious times for many years thereafter.

Many of Rehoboth members who sat under Bishop Carr’s teaching and preaching of the Apostolic Doctrine left the church and started their own ministries and other organizations to spread the Word of God throughout the world. After much labor, in Gospel and building up churches and the Kingdom of God, the Lord called Bishop Randolph A. Carr from labor to rest in fall of 1970.

After the passing of Bishop R.A. Carr, Bishop Fisher of Ohio and Bishop Coleman from Washington, D.C., would come and encourage the saints. Not long after, Bishop W.S. Barnes, Sr. became the pastor of Rehoboth Church of God and Presider of the organization. Those who continue on at Rehoboth Church were Mother Catherine Woods, Deacon Buster, Sister Williams, Deacon Mother Hall, Sister McCleary, Sister Bethea, Sister Banks-Collier, and Sister Hill.

Bishop Barnes, Sr. and Mother Olivia Barnes labored tirelessly to manage and keep the two churches, for Bishop Barnes, Sr. had built the first Apostolic Church from the ground up in Baltimore, Maryland. Under Bishop Barnes, Sr.’s leadership, many auxiliaries, such as the men, women, youth, usher, and choir were able to organize and celebrate annual days, which continue to this day. Bishop Barnes, Sr. appointed a Rehoboth member, Evangelist Catherine Woods, the office of the General Secretary of the Church of God in Christ Jesus Apostolic. He, along with Evangelist Woods, would travel the United States and abroad building the kingdom. Evangelist Woods also started a day nursery where she watched nursery to school-aged children during the day, and also employed members of Rehoboth to work in the nursery.

The duties of pastoring two churches at once, as well as the Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ Jesus Apostolic, Bishop Barnes, Sr. asked Bishop William Coleman from Washington, D.C., to come and help him in his part of the vineyard; which Bishop Coleman did for many years through the late 1970s and early part of the 1980s. After much labor in Gospel and building up churches and the people in the Kingdom of God, the Lord called Bishop Barnes, Sr. home in 1987.

Contact us to learn more about the rich history of The Historic Rehoboth Church in Baltimore, Maryland. We are proud to continue the hard work of those who came before us in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.