January 1, 2000, was the beginning of a new century and the eleventh year of Reverend Paul Bailey’s ministry to the First Baptist Church of Manlius. Although we did not know it at the time, the year 2000 would also be the last full year of Pastor Bailey’s long and successful ministry to the members of the Church. While 1999 had been designated “The Year of the Bible”, the Diaconate and Pastor Bailey chose for the Church in the year 2000 four general areas in which they would like to measure significant progress:
While the Church seemed to be progressing in each of these categories, the result of updating the Church Member list was disappointing and a cause for concern. The established list of 250 members was found to include 47 names of people no longer attending church services for reasons known and unknown. Seven members had moved away and properly transferred their memberships to churches in their new locations; nine members had sadly, in Pastor Paul’s words, been “lost to eternity ( Jack and Norma Dougherty, Lloyd Slentz, Gertrude Mawson, Lora Shanahan, Edward Doubleday, Donna Foote, Rita Anderson and John Everingham).
Membership and attendance figures for 1998 and 1999 were reported in the 1999 First Baptist Church Annual Report:
| Year | Members | Yearly Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| 12/31/98 | 242 | 8255 |
| 12/31/99 | 250 | 7622 |
| 12/31/00 | 193 | 7387 |
The Church needed to be concerned with the loss in membership and the accompanying drop in yearly attendance.
The weekend of June 17 -18, 2000, was a special one for Reverend John Baker and the Manlius Baptist Congregation. He was honored by the Church on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of his ordination to the Baptist Ministry. He wrote a thank you note to the Church members: “The weekend of June 17-18, 2000, was one of everlasting memory for me. You were so generous and loving. For that I am eternally grateful. Much love to all. John J. Baker.”
The years most notable Church event will always be remembered as the installation of the elevator,. The years of building, whether it was a new church or expansion of an older church, have always been remembered as some of the most important and memorable times in Church history. The importance was not so much in the building as in the fact that needs of a growing or changing congregation were recognized and being met.
We built two churches and added a large educational wing to the present church because of the growth in our congregation and Sunday School. Our latest project, the installation of an elevator, was built because of the age and lack of mobility of some of the people in our church and the community in which we serve. We also hoped that an elevator would make it easier for youth with mobility problems to participate more easily in our youth programs; i.e. King’s Kids, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and Playschool. In 2000 a Rise Up Reach Out Campaign Committee led by Bob Mapstone, with the approval of the congregation, hired Ron Valet , Minister of Stewardship and Mission Support for the American Baptist Churches of New York State, to head a very successful financial campaign.)
The Board of Trustees reported a good financial year in 2000 with a starting balance in the treasury of $10, 697.00, income of $149,742 (above the anticipated $140,955), expenditures of $130,851 (below budget) and a end of year balance of $29,691.00. On Custodian Recognition Day, Sunday, May 25th, John Day was recognized for years of faithful service. George Caldwell, our interim custodian for six months, was also honored. Mike McCartney was hired as our new custodian; in 2009 Mike is still filling that position. The Church has been very fortunate in having been able to depend on his excellent service for all of those years. Betsy Miller was hired as secretary for the summer.
The Trustees decided to carpet the hallway floor from Sanctuary to the Educational Wing ($2000.00) and to replace the leaking vinyl-lined 35 year-old baptismal pool with a new fiberglass one with a water heater and pump. Hayner Hoyt, contractor for the elevator, did that installation for a total cost of approximately $10,500. Both installations were paid for from the Capital Fund.
The new elevator and its building enclosure were dedicated on April 1, 2001- a beautiful Spring day, during the Sunday morning Church Service. On April 8, 2001, the following Sunday, a public ceremony was shared with officials from the village of Manlius, including the outgoing mayor and his newly elected successor, representatives from neighboring Baptist Churches, and the participating architects and contractors from the builders, Hayner and Hoyt. The story of the building of a new elevator addition and its financing came to a happy conclusion on December 31, 2002. A balance of $513.00 remaining after all expenses were paid was transferred to the Paving of the Parking Lot Fund, the next major project. The story of planning for the elevator, structurally and financially, is told in “Elevator History,” an addition to the history of Rev. Paul Bailey’s Pastorate in Manlius.
A welcome addition made possible by the construction required to house the elevator was the installation of two beautiful stained glass windows in the new entrance way to the church. They were given as a memorial to Jack and Norma Dougherty by their children Peter and Robin. A committee of Gail Carlsen, Margaret Vermilya and Jill Doss worked with Don Henry of Sullivan Studios in Chittenango to design the windows.
Vacation Bible School, with 98 boys and girls in attendance from August 14-18 from 9A.M till noon, was held in spite of the noise and turmoil of the elevator construction,. The theme was a Son-Zone Discovery Adventure, led by Shirley Mapstone, supported by 35 teachers and helpers. Their projects were to collect food items for the Manlius Mission and to support the Children of the Congo Program with $155.26 for their health and education needs.
The Baptist Youth Fellowship was active in the year 2000 and led by Kathie and Pete Shevchuk. The group net monthly for a variety of activities. The goal of the leaders was to provide one monthly activity to which members could bring friends if they wanted to and have fun. Some of the activities involved were volleyball, a Frisbee golf tournament, a Christian concert, a party at the Zieglers with sledding, pizza and games.
Pastor Paul planned a somewhat different schedule for the summer of 2000, because of the “noisy mess” in the church office due to the elevator building construction:
The Congregational support of the American Baptist Mission in 1999 was recognized as “outstanding.” Three certificates for the categories of top giving church, increase in giving over the previous year and per capita giving were given to the Church on July 4th by Dr. Ronald Vallet, minister for Stewardship and Mission Support for the American Baptist Churches of New York State.
In 2000 the Music Committee, wanting to give the Church and Community opportunities to hear “wonderful” music and to benefit the Church Scholarship Fund, presented a Master Concert Series featuring the Syracuse University Brass Ensemble, Hobart and William Smith College Chorale and the Fayetteville-Manlius Swing Sixteen.
Bruce Campbell, a well-known local musician, music teacher and music director, agreed to act as interim Choir Director and to help us find a permanent director. His love for music and singing “has proved to be contagious and he has signed on new singers every week.”
The American Baptist Women’s Ministries’ president, Shirley Mapstone, reported an active year. They completed a project of paying for the handicapped bathroom, sent White Cross items to the Dayton Christian Center in Ohio and much more.
Unity Fellowship met eleven times this year. Exceptional potluck dinners were followed by various programs including a Barbershop Chorus and Quartet, slides from 1950-1960 with John and Wanda Baker as guests, slides from the Newsom’s trip to Europe and a Puppy-in-Training Program. The Unity Fellowship continued its interest in and support for Bob Reed’s Prison Ministry with a $400 donation.
In Reverend Paul Bailey’s State of the Church Report for 2001 he gave no indication that this would be his last. Although his “Around the World” segment gave a somewhat gloomy outlook because of unpleasant national and world happenings (the September 11th terrorist attack on New York City and Washington, the Stock Market decline, Wall Street financial losses, etc.), he was pleased with the results of a full year of Church programs and activities and especially that three “looking ahead” goals were accomplished:
In 2001 First Baptist joined with the Manlius Methodist Church in sponsoring the Afet family, refugees from the Sudan in Africa with guidance from the Refugee Resettlement Program and others. Petero and his family became members of the Methodist Church.
Pastor Paul and most of the Church Members were happy to report no staff changes in 2001 and significant anniversaries for two of our special people:
The year 2001 appeared to be a good year for the music program of the Church. (The Music Committee took to heart the advice given in Psalm 92, i.e. “It is good to praise the Lord and make music toward your name, Oh most high.”) The Church music program was administered in 2001 by Linda Wiggins, who filled the new position of Music Coordinator. The 2001 Master Concert Series featured the Master’s Touch Choral, a concert by our Music Director, John Spradling and his wife Carol and a Mother’s Day Concert, which was the first stop on the Spring Tour of the Eastern College Choir. The Joyful Sounds Choir, made u p of Baptist Church young people and led by Shirley Mapstone, sang regularly and a Bell Choir was assembled for special occasions.
For the summer the youth of the Church who were interested took an Appalachia Mission Trip July 29-Aug 4. 2001, led by Mary Schwarz and Ross Binder. Those on the trip were Isaac Bailey, Cameron Bates, Grace Binder and Michael Binder. Their work project was to improve the home of Mrs. Janice Lyons (painting, replacing a sliding door, and other repairs, inside and outside.)They would also help with the local Kids Club program during the week. One member of the team answered the question, “Why are we going?” “Because I sense that God is going to be doing something among us that week, and I would like to join him.”
The Vacation Bible School was held from August 13-17, 2001, from 9:00 A.M.- 12:00 noon and was directed by Shirley Mapstone. The theme was Son Creek Junction. The program was very successful as usual with 104 students and 50 teachers and helpers. By the end of the week the VBS students and leaders had contributed $400.00 (mostly in coins) for their mission project, the Hopi Mission School in Arizona.
At times events happening in the world outside the Church were serious enough to attract the full attention of Church members and leaders. On September 11, 2001, the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York City and the partial destruction of the Pentagon in Washington shocked the nation and our possible vulnerability in other areas was of great concern.
The many talented young people in the Church were continuing their series of talent and variety shows (Annual Coffee House Variety and Talent Show) on May 18, 2001. The title for the latest of these shows was “Time Travel Thru the Decoder.” Members of the Church were asked to join in by “sharing songs, skits, jokes…,the possibilities are endless.”
The year 2002 was going to bring with it the first major change in the pastoral leadership of the First Baptist Church of Manlius since the Reverend Paul Bailey was installed as pastor on September 24, 1989. By the end of 2001 Reverend Bailey had made up is mind as to what he would like to do in 2002 and the years that would follow. He wrote a letter to the leadership of the Church inviting them to attend a special meeting of the Executive Committee on January 8, 2002 at 8:00 P. M.(the committee would have been in session from 7:00-8:00) to discuss a proposal he was considering to present to the Church membership. Gary Baker was asked to be present and to moderate the discussion. The meeting was meant by Pastor Paul to be informational, with no decisions being madeuntil later. Pastor Paul then wrote two letters to his “Brothers and sisters in Christ” (all members of the Church). On January 9, 2002, in the first letter he wrote, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now.” (Phillippians 1:3-5). He invited everyone to come to the annual Church Meeting on January 13, 2002, where he would present some proposals for a future ministry which would allow him time for evening studies at LeMoyne College for acquiring a MST Degree.
In his second letter to the Congregation he wrote that he had long believed that the Bible taught that all Christians are ministers, and that he would like to explore a “new area of Ministry,” that of teaching children in public schools,. However, he wished to emulate the Apostle Paul, who was both a missionary and a maker of tents. Before he could teach in public schools, however, he needed to attend college (LeMoyne) to acquire a MST Degree, necessary for his certification as a teacher in the public school system. Pastor Paul would be unable to serve full time as Pastor of the Church, and would need assistance from additional staff.
Two other possibilities had been noted, i.e., Pastor Paul would serve the Church 20-25 hours per week until June 1, 2002 and then resign. A third possibility was for Pastor Paul to resign February 15, 2002. The Church met to discuss the solution on January 27, 2002, and voted to proceed with Rev. Paul Bailey as Pastor on roughly a 2/3 basis. ( A provision was made that either party could change the decision after May or December each year.) On February 20th a Ministry Staff Search Committee was formed for the purpose of finding additional staff and to expand the Church ministry goals as expressed in Doug Anderson’s Consultant Report.
After a several month trial, it became evident that no additional paid staff to help with the Church Programs would be available and that Rev. Bailey needed more time for his teaching duties. Pastor Paul wrote another letter to the congregation on July 28, 2002: “It is with great sadness and great love that I announce my resignation as Pastor of the First Baptist, Manlius effective September 8, 2002. May God who has been our help in ages past be our hope for years to come.” - Pastor Paul Bailey
Pastor Paul Bailey had spent a remarkably active and successful 13 year ministry with the first Baptist Church of Manlius and the Ministry Support Committee planned a grand thank you and farewell party for Sunday September 8, 2002 after Reverend Bailey’s last worship service. There was to be an outdoor picnic, catered by Dinosaur Barbeque. The Committee created a Memory Basket for Pastor Paul and his family and a large collage-type poster display for the picnic. Members were asked to bring appropriate cards, special notes, pictures, poems or other memorabilia. Donors could pick up their contributions after the picnic, or if they wished, the items would be condensed in an album to be presented to the Baileys at a later date. A large number of Church members attended the barbecue. The weather was very supportive and it was a memorable afternoon.
The Annual Report for 2002 of the First Baptist Church of Manlius was the first in many years without a Pastor’s report to the Congregation (although he was pastor from January to September) concerning his feelings about happenings in the Church during the year, his comments on things happening in the world about us that might have an effect, good or bad, on Church programs and goals, and his hopes for the future. Pastor Paul did, however, write very personal and revealing messages to the Congregation in the March and October 2002 Christian Carriers. The message in the March issue was entitled “From the Pastor.” Pastor Paul wrote concerning his early years in his family’s church. As a child he did all of the things concerning religion expected of him in a home with Christian parents and grandparents, who were missionaries to China. He went to Church every Sunday, never missed Sunday School, and was baptized at the age of 13. He declared publicly by his words and actions that he believed in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior but confessed that in his heart he did not. Pastor Paul explained the situation partially by quoting Billy Sunday, “Going to Church will make you a Christian just as going to a barn will make you a horse.”
Pastor Paul did not tell us exactly how, but after several years of being part of the Church he finally found Christ “in an unexpected place and through an unexpected person.” In Pastor Paul’s first farewell to the Congregation written in the September 2002 newsletter, he thanked God for sending a stranger to him in the summer of the early 1970s who told him the good news of salvation and for compelling me to commit my life to Him. Pastor Paul described the incident as a “lightning bolt” type of conversion in his teen years that would shape his life for years to come. The purpose of telling his story was to encourage those who experience difficulties as Pastor Paul had and tio show them the way to truly become a Christian.
Pastor Paul’s last letter to the Manlius Baptist Congregation appeared in the October 2002 Christian Carrier.
“As Phyllis and I (and Josh, Andy and Isaac) settle into this new chapter in our lives, we have nothing but gratefulness in our heart for all of you. Thank you for the joyous worship and great celebration picnic and for the wonderful gifts. It was overwhelming. I met this weekend with some pastoral friends and one asked me how the Church showed their love to me that day. I thought of the celebration and the gifts, but first remembered that you washed my feet. Thank you all, Your Servant in Christ.”
Our former Pastor Bailey concluded his letter with a humorous list of things to do (inspired by All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Filghun): share, play fair, don’t hit people, wash your hands, take afternoon naps, etc. While Pastor Bailey was unable earlier to balance his love and time needed for the Pastoral Ministry with his love and time for teaching in our public schools, the Congregation was pleased to hear that conditions had improved for Pastor Paul and that as noted in the Neighbors East section of the Post Standard, he was now able to accept a call to the Camillus Baptist Church to serve as their Pastor as well as to be able to continue with his teaching duties. Congratulations, Pastor Paul.
A special printed program entitled Dedication and Celebration was prepared for those attending the Dedication and Celebration of our new Entrance-Elevator building addition. The members of the building Committee and the Rise Up-Reach Out Campaign Committee and pertinent scriptures were listed as well as a statement of how we will celebrate our mission (inviting others to unite with us as part of the Family of God) and our goals (accessibility for people with disabilities.) A copy is included. The Building History of our Baptist Church starting on December 8, 1797, when the early Church members may have met in homes, a schoolhouse or a barn, to the modern day Church was also presented.