There was a gap of approximately four and one-half months between Reverend Johnson’s surprising announcement on May 16, 1988, of his impending resignation as Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Manlius, and his departure from Manlius on September 26, 1988. This unusually long time gave the Church a head start in its efforts to find a new Pastor to succeed Reverend Johnson.
The transition process began very early with Sumner Grant of the Baptist State Office in Syracuse attending a May 26, 1988, meeting of the Church Advisory Council. He offered to consult with and guide the Church in forming a Pulpit Committee and to help them begin their search for an interim Pastor, and ultimately a full time Pastor.
The By-laws of the First Baptist Church of Manlius directed that the Search or Pulpit Committee be comprised of one member chosen from each of the four Boards (Diaconate, Trustees. Christian Education, and Mission) by the members of each Board, and three from the Church-at-large, to be chosen by the Advisory Council.
In order to enable the choice of effective Pulpit Committee members, the Boards and the Advisory Council were asked to consider how the prospective members measured up to the following criteria:
The Committee should include the following:
The Boards had anticipated these requirements and had already chosen their representatives, however, one can be assured that the members chosen readily met all of the proposed standards. The members chosen by the Boards as their representatives were:
In addition to the Board members the Constitution required that three at-large members be chosen by the Advisory Council to complete the seven member Committee. Ray Heller moved (Lloyd Slentz seconded) that a Sub-committee comprised of the Church Moderator and the Chairs of each Board be appointed to receive and screen the at-large nominations for the three vacancies. The motion was carried. Six names were eventually submitted to the Sub-committee. Three were rejected: Rick Heller because his father was already a Committee member, and two others because they asked to have their names withdrawn. The remaining three, Ross Binder, Betsy Burt and Sandra Haase, were unanimously selected to complete the membership of the Pulpit Committee.
| RAYMOND HELLER | TRUSTEES- CHAIRMAN |
| KEN WALES | DIACONATE |
| GRACE SHORT | MISSIONS |
| KATHY CLEMENTS | CHRISTIAN EDUCATION |
| ROSS BINDER | AT-LARGE |
| BETSY BURT | AT-LARGE |
| SANDRA HAASE | AT-LARGE |
There were several optional pathways available for the Church to take in choosing its new leadership, but the first step was to choose an interim Pastor. The traditional method was to find a free-lance Baptist Pastor (usually retired) from the area. The other possibility was to join the Ministry-at-Large program of the ABC/NYS. He or she would be provided housing by the local Church and would lead the Church until a permanent replacement could be found. The salary and conditions of employment would be arranged by the ABC/NYS. The Manlius Baptists were fortunate to be able to hire a local retired Baptist Pastor, who would not have to be moved to the area and provided housing, and with whom the local Church could make its own financial arrangements.
The next step was to search and find a candidate who would serve as a full-time and, hopefully, a long term Pastor. A new procedure developed by the Denomination involved gathering data, arranging the data in a format which placed the needs of the Church next to the gifts of the candidate being considered. This would be done under the guidance of Sumner Grant.
Another alternative was to work with Hazel Roper in a longer process involving a series of Church Group Meetings and Workshops. The history of the Church would be considered as well as the identity of the Church. Both procedures would require from the Committee Members and the Church much time, patience and prayer.
In discussing the options it was apparent that the Church was anxious to proceed as rapidly as possible. One comment made was that “the First Baptist Church of Manlius is of significant worth and would not want for Pastoral Candidates. Our only problem will be narrowing down the possible candidates to the one most appropriate candidate.” The Committee chose to pursue the option of working with Sumner Grant.
The first major effort of the Pastoral Search Committee was to engage an Interim Pastor to serve the Church while the search for a full-time Pastor continued. The Committee was successful and announced in the October 30, 1988, Bulletin that the Reverend Kenneth Hardy was given the approval of the Advisory Council to serve as Interim Pastor, starting on Sunday November 17, 1988. (Reverend Hardy actually began his service to the Church on November 10, 1988.) Reverend Hardy was well known as Staff Director for Youth Work and Camping for the American Baptist Churches (New York). After retiring from that position he served as Interim Pastor for several area Baptist Churches before coming to Manlius.
In the January, 1989 Christian Carrier, the Pulpit Committee reported on their efforts thus far. The Committee had met every Wednesday evening since its inception and most Sundays after Church also. Sumner Grant provided 34 profiles of possible candidates for the Committee to evaluate. The Committee narrowed the list down to eight “highly qualified” finalists, and asked the Lord’s guidance and direction for their final choice. The Committee promised great things in store for the Church in the coming year. “Our prayers will be answered.”
While the Search Committee was busy looking for a new Pastor, activity in the Church continued unabated. The Sunday School teachers met in the Chapel in February, 1989. Unfortunately, the heat in the room had been shut off and some of the teachers referred to the meeting as an re-enactment of Valley Forge. In April, 1989 the old gas stove in the kitchen was removed and replaced by a new Garland Gas Stove, given in memory of Elizabeth Benedict by her daughter Myrna. This was a very appropriate dedication as the efforts of her mother in the church kitchen to help prepare food for Church Dinners (especially for the Harvest Dinners to which the community was invited and participated in large numbers) were legendary.
Reverend Hardy wrote about his first few weeks in Manlius for the 1988 Annual Report of the Church. He thanked the Church for its welcome, said his life was enriched by ”getting to know so many of you...saints, prophets, angels; that the community is enriched by the Christian programs and services you provide, and the ministry of mission is strengthened by your concern and generosity.” He ended his report with a quote, “For I am a stranger and a pilgrim, I can tarry but a night.”
In early 1989 the Pulpit Committee became aware that the Reverend Paul Bailey might be interested in a call to another Church and traveled to Sand Lake Baptist Church in Averill Park, New York, to hear him preach and to confer with him. The Committee was impressed with Reverend Bailey and he apparently became interested in the possibilities in Manlius.
As a result, Reverend Bailey agreed to visit the First Baptist Church of Manlius as a candidate for Church Pastor from March 31-April 2, 1989. A full weekend of activities was planned. A brochure with pertinent information concerning the Bailey’s was mailed to the Congregation. Members were enlisted to take part in a Prayer Clock extending from March 31 to April 2 with a different member scheduled every half hour to pray for the success of the Search Committee’s efforts.
Reverend Bailey may have been able to receive some advance information concerning the Manlius Church from his parents Ward and Ruth Bailey as they had served as coordinators for a weekend of a Macedonian Ministry at the Manlius Baptist Church on March 6 to 8, 1981. The theme was borrowed from the Telephone Company, i.e., Reach Out and Touch Someone.
On Friday night, March 31 during Reverend Bailey’s first evening in Manlius, he was to meet with the Manlius First Baptist Executive Committee at its regular meeting. According to Jean Jurick, Church Clerk, Reverend Bailey witnessed a complete meeting of twelve members of the Executive Committee representing all of the Boards of the Church (Diaconate, Trustees, Christian Education and Missions) and leaders of the King’s Kids and Hillside Committees, Men’s and Women’s Fellowship, the Church Treasurer and the Financial Secretary. The Executive Committee went through the usual agenda, replete with a discussion of the problems facing a normal, active Church. At the conclusion of the Business Meeting, Reverend Bailey was introduced by the Search Committee. Reverend Bailey asked about the accomplishments of the Church and different members responded. They spoke of the number of children for whom we have programs, the extensive use of the building, the services rendered to the youth of the community including Kings Kid’s Latch Key Program, Hillside Pre-School, Boy Scout Troop, basketball, the ministry of music, use of church for music lessons, strong missionary works, the sponsorship of Cuban and Cambodian families- all a “tangible expression of the love and sense of belonging which flows forth to both the stable and transient members of the community.” Reverend Bailey asked questions concerning the vision which the Church has for itself during the next eight years, leading up to the two hundredth anniversary of the Church. The response from Baptist Church leaders included the statement that theirs was an innovative congregation, willing to try new things. The Committee wanted to attract more young adults to its membership; to take time to reach out to new people, and , concerning the long time necessary to solve the problems of the Church at the current meetings, restructure the by-laws of the Church to make Boards and their meetings less cumbersome.
On Saturday evening the Church planned a Family Night Supper in the gym where Church families could eat with and become better acquainted with the Bailey family. On Sunday morning, April 2, 1989, Reverend Bailey met the combined Adult Sunday School Classes in the Chapel, after which he preached to the Congregation at the Church Service. The prayers of the Pulpit Committee and very likely of most Church members had been answered. The Church members were pleased with Reverend Bailey’s personality, his preaching ability, the content of his sermon, and his family. In a Congregational Meeting after the service they voted unanimously to call Reverend Bailey to serve as their Pastor (a quorum of 75 people voting and 55 aye votes was required to call a minister.) The call was accepted enthusiastically by Reverend Bailey and a very important new chapter in the history of the First Baptist Church of Manlius had its beginning.
In the May, 1989 Christian Carrier the Search Committee sent its final message to the Congregation:
“We here at the First Baptist Church are about to embark on a new venture. In June we will welcome our new Pastor, Reverend Paul Bailey and his family to our midst. It will be exciting, stimulating and interesting to become a part of the changes that will be inevitable. But are we ready? We are certainly ready! We have been waiting for many months for this... We can hardly bear the waiting any longer. What then do we expect from this Pastor? Miracles? Wait- we can have miracles; but they come from Heaven, not from Reverend Bailey. They come from all of us working and praying together to find out God’s will for us, the First Baptist Church, and doing it.. All of us together.
What is the specific thing God has in mind for you to do? Are we ready? Let’s each do our part to be sure that we are!
The Search Committee
On July 1, 1955, Paul Lawrence Bailey was born to Ruth and Ward Bailey in Schenectady, New York. Paul was joined two years later by his new brother James.
Paul’s father was a design engineer for General Electric. His paternal grandparents were American Baptist Missionaries to Western China. At one time the Bailey family lived in Syracuse where Paul played the trumpet in the West Genesee Junior High School Marching Band. The family then moved to Scotia, New York, where Paul graduated from the Scotia-Glenville High School in June, 1973. During his teen years Paul experienced a “lightning bolt” type conversion which was to shape his life for years to come. Paul was a member of the Boy Scouts and achieved the highest rank of Eagle Scout.
After High School Paul attended Eastern College in St. Davids, Pa., where he studied Sociology and Religion under Dr. Anthony Campolo. It was during his college years that he met Phyllis Holbrook, courted her for two years and married her during his Junior year. Phyllis had already graduated in her chosen profession of nursing. Paul graduated from Eastern College, St. Davids, Pa., with a BA in sociology and religion in May 1977. He then entered the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Mass. and graduated in 1980 with a Masters of Divinity Degree. While in the Seminary he was at times Director of Youth Work at the Kittery Point Baptist Church in Maine, part of the Field Education Staff at Gordon-Conwell Seminary, and was said to have preached in churches and nursing homes, visited patients and participated in worship services for the Home for Incurables in Philadelphia.
After graduating from the Seminary in 1980 Paul was called to Pastor his first Church, the Sand Lake Baptist Church in Averill Park, New York. He became ordained by the Emanuel Baptist Church in Schenectady on June 29, 1980. He was welcomed into the Christian ministry and presented a Certificate of Ordination by Reverend Wesley Smith. Both Paul’s father, Ward Bailey, and his brother James participated in the service with Ward administering the vows of ordination and James relating his personal experiences with Paul as brothers growing up together.
Reverend Bailey had many things to accomplish before he could fully take over his new responsibilities in Manlius. He needed to inform the Church in Sand Lake of his plans and say his farewells to a Congregation he had been close to and an important leader of from 1980 to 1989., find a place to live in Manlius, move his family and belongings, and to consider his plans and goals for his new Congregation.
Reverend Bailey was one of the new breed of ministers who became aware of the value in owning their own homes. Protestant Church owned parsonages were becoming rare. Reverend Bailey and his family did live in our Baptist Parsonage for a short time until they could find a suitable home to purchase. (The Parsonage was listed with Coldwell Bankers at $107,900.00 on September 25, 1989. An offer of $96,000.00 from Mr. and Mrs. S. Pratt was accepted. Net proceeds were $88,000.00, for which a special bank account was opened. The Trustees were happily relieved of their major responsibility of maintaining a parsonage in good condition.)
Reverend Paul Bailey returned to Manlius on May 31, 1989, for a short time to meet with the Board of Deacons and to look into purchasing a home for his family. He was a guest at the home of Ken and Beth Greene.
The Church experienced a very full schedule of events to celebrate and people to thank in the spring and summer of 1989. Jan Green, our former assistant pastor, was ordained. Bill Carlsen celebrated with the Church the twentieth anniversary of his ordination at a Church dinner on May 7, 1989. Reverend Hardy preached his last sermon as interim pastor on June 4, 1989, and was honored at a farewell reception by the Church. Reverend Kenneth Phelps, son of Ken and Ada Phelps, received a Doctor of Ministry from the Gordon Conwell Seminary.
Reverend Bailey returned to Manlius and lived alone in the Parsonage until his children finished school and his wife completed family business in Maine. In the meantime Reverend Bailey hopefully ate well as Church Members were given the special opportunity to invite him to dinner and to get to know each other better. Trudy Siegenthaler, Hospitality Chairperson for the Diaconate Board signed up interested Church Members.
Reverend Bailey preached his first sermon after accepting his call to the Church on June 11, 1989. His topic was the very appropriate, “It’s Time For a Change.”
Mrs. Bailey and the children and their furniture and belongings soon joined Reverend Bailey in the Parsonage. They found a suitable house for sale at 124 Vanida Lane in Fayetteville and purchased it. The Baileys were helped by many Baptists to move their belongings from the Parsonage to their new home.
An early request of Pastor Paul to the Diaconate Board was that full Church Services be conducted in the Baptist Church in the summer of 1989. For several years the Baptists and Methodists had combined services for July and August, with each Church being closed for a month on Sundays for the summer. Both Reverend Bailey and Reverend Courtney (Methodist Minister) realized that closing either Church for a month in the summer was not in the best interests of either congregation and the Churches agreed on a compromise where the combined services were held for one Sunday only in each Church. (This agreement was still being honored in the summer of 2005.)
In his first weeks as Pastor, Reverend Bailey shared with the Congregation some of his plans and hopes for our first year together. He said he needed to watch how the Church was run, learn its traditions, get to know the people and get settled. He wanted to know the needs we had, as a Congregation and as a part of the Manlius community. A question he sometimes asked was, “Who in the Church has the power to get things done?” He wanted to organize a group of men with whom he could meet weekly for thinking and praying, to encourage and maintain a strong lay leadership, to be able to reorganize the worship service, to make the Church and its programs more inviting, and to establish weekly evening programs for all ages. He also became interested in our by-laws and eventually proposed several changes to bring them up-to-date and more applicable to changing conditions.
Ellen Everly, our Church Secretary for five years and sometimes called our Secretary-Pastor by Reverend Bailey because of her knowledge of the Church and its members, resigned on June 30, 1989, to become a teacher in the Fabius-Pompey School District. Ellen attended the Green Lakes Leadership Conference with Sandy Haase in August 1989. The Church as a farewell thank you helped to pay her expenses. Ellen Everly was replaced temporarily by Linda Martin, and permanently by Lorraine Hall in October, 1989. In the fall of 1989 the Church office was brought into the Computer Age with the help of Erman Ferris.
As the public schools closed during the summer, now also did the Baptist Sunday School. For many years, however, a great effort has been made by Baptist women for the success of the week long Vacation Bible School, which was, and continues to be, a very popular program for the young children of the Church and community. In 1989 the VBS leader was Betsy Burt. The school was open from August 14-21 and a total of 85 students, teachers and helpers were involved.
Reverend Bailey was a firm believer in good planning. He had arranged for the Church Officers to meet at the Federated Church of New Woodstock from 2:30- 8:30 P.M. on August 27, 1989, to get better acquainted with their new Pastor and to set goals and programs for the 1989-90 Church year.
The King’s Kids Latch Key Program reported a good year in 1989 with enrollment growing to 65 children. The King’s Kids Committee credited this to their “wonderful Director Sue Crayton and her staff.”
The Sin family was still in Manlius making good progress. The parents were working; the children were in school. The Church remained concerned for their welfare and well-being and Gertrude Mawson and Barbara Richardson continued to work with
them as needed.
Bible Study remained important with many members of the Congregation. Three groups met most Wednesday nights led by Gordon and Ginny Noble, Millie Skinner and co-led by Sandy Haase and Betsy Burt. They were joined by Pastor Paul for four weeks in December, 1989, who led the groups in a teaching of the Messianic prophecies. Some of the women of the Church met Friday mornings in the church library to study the Bible and its application to their lives. The Church actively supported the Fayetteville-Manlius Meals on Wheels program with financial contributions and volunteers to work in the kitchen and to deliver the meals. Boy Scout Troop 215 sponsored by the Church, met in the Church weekly and enjoyed an active program.
Although our new pastor preached regularly after Reverend Hardy left, Reverend Paul Bailey was not installed as our 37th Pastor until September 24, 1989, at 3:00 P.M. In the first part of the Installation Service, the Pulpit Committee made its recommendations for Reverend Bailey, which was followed by the litany of installation and a prayer of installation. The newly installed Pastor Bailey was welcomed by the Iroquois Association, the area clergy, and by the community leaders of Manlius. The Installation Service was concluded with three dramas. “Picking a Pastor” was followed with a charge to the Pastor. “Choosing the Perfect Church” was followed by a charge to the congregation, and “A Church for the Whole Family” was followed by a meditation. After the service the participants and audience were invited to the gymnasium for a time of greeting and an Ice Cream Social.
On November 22, 1989, our Church Clerk wrote a letter to the Sand Lake Baptist Church requesting Paul and Phyllis Bailey’s membership be transferred to the First Baptist Church of Manlius. It was reported done in a letter from the Sand Lake Baptist Church dated December 27, 1989, to Jean Jurick, Church Clerk.
The Hillside PreSchool reported a full enrollment and a continuing harmony between the Hillside Board and its Director, Mrs. Julia Tien (completing her fifteenth year.) Her philosophy was to “teach only what the child is ready to learn on an individual basis. The most important ingredient is “love.” The annual report tried to answer a growing criticism from some Church members that the Christian religion was not emphasized. The Hillside Board stated in their annual report that “we trust the Lord will continue to lead the school in the direction He would have the school go.....We do make impact on the community and although the school is not religious, the good will and love generated speak for itself.” Since Mrs. Tien’s arrival, the enrollment of the school had doubled. The problem of religion was due to the fact that many of the children were from Jewish families who would not approve of the Christian religion being taught or exposed to their children. The removal of pictures of Jesus from the Sunday School rooms used weekdays for Hillside was particularly offensive to some of the Church members.
In 1985 the Trustees were becoming concerned with access to all parts of the church for people with physical disabilities. Andy Burt, son of Bill and Betsey Burt, and wheelchair bound, was a special concern, but older members were also having difficulties in attending meetings and dinners on the basement floor. The Trustees looked into the idea of purchasing a stair climber to move wheelchairs and their occupants up and down stairs in the Educational Wing of the Church but did not follow through with this possibility.
In November of 1989 the Diaconate Board was planning START (Sharing Together A Round Table) Dinners for the congregation.
The dinners were given for small groups of people in a Church Member’s home. The Diaconate arranged the gatherings so that new members could get to know better some of the established members of the Church.
In Pastor Paul’s 1989 annual report to the Congregation (his first), he humorously reported that it was his tradition to use his section of the Annual Report to review a list of goals that were supposed to have been achieved in 1989, but since he was not here to have announced them, he claimed a 100% success in meeting the non-existent goals. He then listed goals that he might have accepted for 1989 if he had been our minister for a full year:
Many of these goals were fulfilled in the Pastoral year of 1989; others were reached later.
