HISTORY OF SAYRE WOODS BIBLE CHURCH

1956-2006

Choir in 1963. Left to right: Row 1: Ethel Clayton, Shirley Kirshman, Anna Bissig. Row 2:Jean Smith, Maxine Bertin, Myrna Koisa, unknown man, Frank Jones; Olive Smith Johnson, Norma Sylvester, Martha Dacus, Chris Kirshman, Ray Bissig, Al Murr. Bertha Williams, pianist, standing. Lou Bertin (not pictured) choir director

Choir in 1980’s: Left to right, Row 1: Selma Viner, Adele Grom, Bill Ryle, Ken Adams. Row 2: Joy Reinbrant, Barbara Bauerdorf, Ray Bissig, Anna Bissig. Row 3: Dick Lee, Cathy Adams, Darlene Adams. Row 4:Evelyn Cloud, Jean Smith, Wendy Ryle, Keith Brown, Nancy Douglass

Christian Service Brigade first met in February 1965. On March 12, 1965, the charter application was signed and fourteen boys were registered. On April 9, 1965, the Sergeant was Dennis Dacus, and squad leaders were Eddie Harrison, Chris Kirshman, and Ray Miller. On May 1, 1965 there is a report by Wilson Dacus, Chairman, in which he lists Pastor Jones as the Secretary-Treasurer, Brother Holley taking vacancy of Brother Harrison. Qualified leaders were Captain Bob Silva, Lieutenant Tom Clayton.

Report says non-coms were Dennis Dacus, Eddie Harrison, and Chris Kirschman. Non-coms attended three meetings with the Brigade in Old Bridge to get the feel of the meetings. This took place in January 1965 prior to their getting underway, and was very profitable and practical for the boys. In 1967, in the Christian Brigade for boys, Charles Plosky, the captain, oversees their program of nature studies, manual training, and hikes and camping trips. At another period of time, Ken Bauerdorf was the Brigade Chief Ranger.

Christian Service Brigade consisted of Stockade for boys, 8-11 years old, and Battalion for boys, 12-18 years old. Each club met in the evenings once a week for one and one-half hours. Chris Kirschman, Mitch Glaser, and Tom Detamore worked with the youth, and had clubs called Alphas, for 6^th, 7^th, 8^th grades, and Omegas, for 9^th through 12^th grades, which met on Sundays , 5:PM-6:15PM. In the seventies, they had a coffee house for the high school and college age youths in the church annex basement on Saturdays, 7:30-11:00 PM.

On November 4, 1963, a picture appeared in the Perth Amboy Evening News with this information. “Mayor John Keating and the Rev. Richard Jones, pastor of the Sayre Woods Baptist Church congregation, hold shovel at yesterday’s groundbreaking ceremony for new church structure in Browntown. At left is Thomas Clayton, senior deacon, while Wilson Dacus, building committee chairman, is at right. Construction now started is the first of a four part expansion program undertaken by the congregation.” This project was canceled about two years later since the membership believed it was no longer the will of God to build at that time.

Rev. Richard Jones was pastor from October 1962 to May 1968. During his pastorate, the church membership increased from the original 12 members to 50 families with 124 active members. He graduated from Kings College. Before coming to Sayre Woods, he had worked as chaplain at Ocean County Jail and had some contacts at Trenton State Prison. He was ordained August 1960.

An in depth article in the Perth Amboy Evening News on September 2, 1967 about Pastor Jones says he saw himself as “an old time pastor concerned with the families over whom the Lord has made me Shepherd.” While pastor at Sayre Woods, he was also the chaplain of Emery Manor Nursing Home in Matawan, NJ.

While at this church Pastor Jones advocated a balanced program of Christian counseling, educational, social, and recreational activities, in addition to his ministerial activities. A 42 passenger church bus was purchased to take members to outings, youth activities, sports events and activities associated with Conservative Baptist Association of New Jersey.

In September 1967 the parsonage on Adams Street was purchased and Pastor Jones and his family were the first occupants. The other house which used to be the parsonage was renovated and provided Sunday School rooms and nursery, and a meeting place in the basement for the youth activities.

Tom Clayton, Charlie Miller, Wilson Dacus, Al Murr and Chris Kirschman were trustees, deacons, or elders in the sixties and seventies, along with Art Anton, Hank Merkel, Bill Layton, Bob Craw, Ed Holley, Manny Knaus, Ken Cadwell, Harry Pinnow, John Keck, Ed Fisher, Dick Lee, Al Striffolino , Jeff Pulcini, and others whose names I do not have. Wilson Dacus was Sunday School Superintendent in the late seventies. Martha Dacus was on the mission board several times over the history of the church. These are some of the heroes who were here during the most formative years of the church.

In the sixties Albert Murr was Superintendent of the Sunday School, assisted by a staff of trained teachers. Mr. Murr was also adviser to the Young Peoples Group which had both spiritual and recreational programs. Many years over the history of the church Al Murr served as an elder or deacon, Christian Education chairman, and his wife, Marianne Murr was a deaconess, church clerk for a time, and church secretary from 1975 through 1992 when they moved to Lexington, North Carolina. As soon as Sharon Murr, their daughter, could climb up on the bench, she was playing piano for the church services.

In the 1967 period, Herbert Mitchell was an adult Sunday School teacher; the Women’s Missionary Society was active in the church with Mrs. Carol Cadwell as the leader. These women sent gifts and assistance to several missions in South America, New Guinea, and New York.

The split rail fence was installed about 1968 by some young people from the church. They had helped clean up a Gulf gas station at the corner of Rt.9 and Ernston Road and the owner gave the fence to them.

A motion was voted on November 11, 1969 to build an addition to the church measuring 24 ft. X 36 ft, the present education building. Approval was granted by the trustees to proceed with the addition in 1970. City water was brought to the church property in 1972.

Ground breaking, published March 23, 1970 in the Perth Amboy Evening News. Unknown man, Chris Kirschman, Unknown man, and Pastor David Pollock. In the background are Bill, Faye, Carolyn and Jeffrey Prince, my family and I.

A side door was built as entrance for the education building and the sanctuary. At that time the stairs up to the church building were taken down ; the front of the church building was covered in brick and the white cross from the church building was placed on the left side of it. The placement of the brick covering and the cross were the suggestion of building chairman Chris Kirschman. This was to prove very fortunate, because the design blended in perfectly with the expansions to come.

Rev. David C. Pollock was the interim pastor from September 1968 to January 1969, and pastor from January 1969 to June1975. He graduated from Houghton College, Houghton, NY. in 1963, and attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago for three years. Prior to coming to Sayre Woods, he had served as director for Youth For Christ, and had recently co-formed the Manhatten Christian Youth Service in New York City, an organization working with youth in the metropolitan area and training personnel for youth work.

Pastor Dave was ordained on Saturday, March 21, 1970 at Sayre Woods Baptist Church. Opening prayer by Rev. William Tarr, First Baptist of Metuchen; scripture read by Rev. Charles Phillips, First Baptist, Southard. Rev. Charles Pollock, of Troy, N.Y., the pastor’s father, was among the pastors officiating. Rev. Arthur Gay, Bethlehem Community Church, was the main speaker. Rev. Earl Cook, New Dorp Baptist gave the ordination prayer and laying on of hands.

After leaving Sayre Woods, Pastor Dave became a missionary with Interaction, Inc. He died in Vienna, Austria on 11 April 2004, Easter Sunday morning, after an unexpected cardiac arrest three days after gallbladder surgery. He was in Austria going about his Father’s business. He will be remembered here in this church as a gifted and charismatic communicator, as a man dedicated to the Lord and as a pastor instrumental in the formation and growth of our church. You may read more about him in his own words on this site.

In January 1973, a building fund was established to prepare for a larger edifice as the church building had become inadequatefor the number of people attending services. On February 4, 1976, a motion was carried to build an All Purpose building. Worship services moved from church building to the All Purpose Building on May 17, 1978. The new building provided a reception area, offices for the pastor and secretary, a kitchen, and bathrooms, as well as a large meeting room for services. A new baby grand Yamaha piano was purchased in May 1977 for services. Ross Britain was interim pastor September 1975 until September 1976.

In September 1976, our beloved pastor, Dr. Joseph Henry Douglass came. He was born in Philadelphia on February 24, 1950. He came to know Christ as his personal Savior when he was eighteen years of age after attending a concert by The New Folk of Campus Crusade for Christ. He was then led to attend the Philadelphia Biblical University from 1968 to 1972 where he received a B.S. in Bible. He attended the Dallas Theological Seminary from 1972 to1976 where he received a Master’s degree in Theology. He was ordained on May 30, 1976 at Warrington Fellowship church, Warrington, Pennsylvania, an independent Bible church where he was a member. He received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon in 1982.

While in college, Pastor Douglass was involved in various ministries such as Youth for Christ, Campus Life Club, Campus Crusade for Christ and served as Youth intern and assisted in the Christian Education program at Grace Conservative Baptist Church in Nanuet, New York. While in seminary, he was Assistant Pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Richardson, Texas, for four years which involved coordinating youth and Christian Education programs and assisting the Pastor in a variety of ways.

On May 8, 1972, Pastor Douglass married Nancy Lee Quakenbush who was born on July 21, 1950. She also attended Philadelphia Biblical University from 1968 to 1972 where she received a B.S. in Bible-Social Work. Nancy has been serving the Lord as our church pianist since 1976. Nancy and Joe Douglass have two daughters, Lori and Lisa. Lisa graduated May 3, 2003 from Philadelphia Biblical University with a Bachelor of Science and Bible Cum Laude degree.

Pastor Douglass was installed on November 5, 1976 at Sayre Woods Baptist Church. The invocation was given by Rev. Charles Philips, First Baptist Church, Southard, New Jersey. The scripture reading was by Rev. Paul Sexton, Bible Baptist Church, Laurence Harbor, New Jersey. Charge to the Pastor was given by Rev. William B. Frazier, Warrington Fellowship Church, Warrington, Pennsylvania and the Charge to the Congregation was given by Rev. Ross Britain, the interim pastor. Prayer of Dedication was given by Dr. W. Theodore Taylor, State representative of the Conservative Baptist Association of New Jersey.