The History of CBC Walbrook

The church now known as Community Baptist Church of Walbrook was started in 1947 by the late Reverend Carlton Orville Cook. He felt the inspiration of the Call to the Ministry in 1937, and was ordained on October 3, 1943 at Enon Baptist Church. Reverend Cook was inspired to establish a church and it was named the Community Gospel Mission.

The church was established in Turner's Station, the southeastern portion of Baltimore County, Maryland. The Turner's Station community is a peninsular partially surrounded by Bear Creek, which leads into the Patapsco River. Sollers Homes was one of four developments in Turner's Station. Turner's Station was a thriving close-knit community where practically everyone knew each other. A large portion of the residents was employed by the Bethlehem Steel Company in Sparrows Point, Maryland.

Services of the Community Gospel Mission were held in the Sollers Homes Recreation Center. The church was later set apart by Reverend Simon Williams as the Community Baptist Church.

The first Deacons under Reverend Cook's pastorate were William Carter, Cecil Gilliam, Leroy Knight, Levurse Mangum, Luther McNeil, Cliff Ransom, Edgar L. Richmond and Johnny Rogers. Brother Elmer Williams was the Superintendent of the Sunday School. Brother Walter Stokes was the Treasurer. The Trustees were Brothers Luther G. McLean, Raymond Aikens and Willie Flowers. Harriet Marie Robinson started playing the piano for the church at the age of twelve years. The first Church Clerk was Sister Vera Cook, Reverend Cook's wife.

Under Reverend Cook, baptisms were held in the body of water that partially surrounded the Sollers Homes Development.

Reverend Cook was called to the pastorate of the Union Baptist Church in Sparrows Point, Maryland on July 1, 1950. Reverend Arthur Brown succeeded him as Pastor. Both Reverend Cook and Reverend Brown had been associated with the Sharon Baptist Church in Baltimore City.

The church shared space for a few months with Pastor Lucille Calloway's Faith Tabernacle in Turner's Station. The church thrived and found a new residence in Baltimore City at 2311 Garrison Boulevard in 1954. The church was a three-story house when the members moved in. God continued to shower His blessings on the congregation. The building was remodeled, the top two floors were removed, and a masonry covering was added to the front of the building.

The church was incorporated as the Community Baptist Church of Walbrook in January of 1965. Those listed on the Articles of Incorporation to act as Trustees in the name and on behalf of said congregation to manage the estate, property, interest and inheritance of same were Luther G. McLean, Lester Cunningham, Willie Flowers, Ronald L Brown, Edgar L. Richmond, Claiborne B. Smith, Coplion P. Gundy, Jr., Coplion P. Gundy, John M. Thomas and Arthur Brown.

Reverend Arthur Brown was the Pastor until 1971. Reverend Joseph N. Johnson, Sr. began attending Community Baptist Church of Walbrook during the pastorate of Reverend Brown. Reverend Brown retired in 1971 to devote more time to care for his wife, whose health was failing. Reverend Johnson was elected Pastor.

Organizations of the church included the Senior Choir, Gospel Choir, Vocal Choir, Youth Choir, Baptist Youth Training Union (BYTU) and the Sunday School.

After serving for twenty years as Pastor, Reverend Johnson retired in January 1991. A Pulpit Committee, made up of Trustees Ronald L. Brown, Roland McCaden, Ruth H. Milliken, Emma I. Johnson and Deanna Pridgen and Sisters Vivian Brown, Pearl Gilliam, Minnie Richmond and Viola Richmond, prayerfully searched for a Pastor to recommend to the church. On February 28, 1993, the Pulpit Committee recommended Reverend Nathaniel L Barr, Jr. to become Pastor of Community Baptist Church of Walbrook. He was elected unanimously. Reverend Barr was ordained on March 28, 1993, started his Pastorship on April 11, 1993 and was installed as Pastor on June 13, 1993.

Under Reverend Barr's pastorate, the following Deacons were ordained on October 19, 1993: Thomas E. Berry, Herschel D. Milliken, Jay Slater and Warren B. Zimmerman. Deacon Herschel D. Milliken is the Chairman of the Deacon Board. He was preceded as Chairman by Deacons Warren B. Zimmerman and Jay Slater. Deacon Slater and Deacon Zimmerman have since been called to the Ministry to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Reverend Slater passed away in 2000.

The lot located at 2309 Garrison Boulevard has been purchased and settlement was held on March 6,1995. Plans have been underway to expand into that area to accomodate the church's growing youth population. In May 2010 the church purchased a double-wide classroom module and had it installed on the lot. On June 6, 2010 the module was officially dedicated.

The members of Community Baptist Church of Walbrook are believers who strive to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. God continues to bless us wonderfully and bountifully.

"O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." Psalm 107:1