For more than half a century, Arlingtonians have gathered under the auspices of the Memorial Baptist Church to worship together and form a community.
This past month, the church celebrated its 60th year of existence by holding a celebration. All four of its former pastors returned to address the congregation and recall their memories of the church’s inception.
"Who says you can’t go home again?" Rev. Paul Harrell said. Harrell was the church’s first pastor, serving from 1950 to 1965.
The first meeting of the Memorial Baptist Church was on Feb. 27 in the home of Mr. and Mrs. M. T. Broyhill and was attended by 13 people.
From there the church grew exponentially. Two and a half years after the first meeting construction was completed on a chapel located on the corner of North Glebe and Dittmar Roads. After several more years of growth, a sanctuary was dedicated in 1957.
"One Sunday afternoon we gathered and started shoveling and we broke ground on the sanctuary," Harrell said. "We lit a light on this corner of Glebe and Dittmar."
The church was full nearly to capacity to hear their former pastors reflect on their time at the church.
Rev. Jack Lowndes, pastor from 1967 to 1975, spoke of the permanence of religion in people’s lives.
"There have been a lot of changes," he said. "But some things don’t change."
Rev. Randy Robinson, pastor from 1976 to 1990, recalled how the church personally affected him and his family.
"You took faith in a 27-year-old and you allowed me to grow," he said. "It’s been a tremendous experience for [my wife and I]."
Addressing the congregation, Robinson thought back on all the milestones he presided over during his time as pastor.
"I look at all the faces here and I remember the weddings and I remember the anniversaries and I remember all the great times here," he said.
During the service, the congregation was treated to a hymn from 86-year-old soloist Rogers McClung. The title seemed apropos for the ceremony at hand: "The Longer I Serve Him, The Sweeter He Grows."