Our History

Brief History of Sage Avenue Baptist church

On Sunday, February 4, 1951, a group of interested Baptists and the Late Dr. H. S. Sauls of the Mobile Baptist Association gathered for Sunday School at 2557 Emogene Street. As Westlawn Baptist Mission, it held its first session with 42 present. Attendance grew and on March 18, 1951, the mission organized as a church with 38 charter members. It was agreed by common consent that the application for church membership be held open through the month of April and during this period, 22 additional persons were received into the fellowship, making a total of 60 charter members. Of this number, the following are members of this church today:

Mr. W. L. Childs	Mr. Aaron Tesney
Mrs. Eloise Lambert	Mrs. Bert Vignes

This picture of charter members was taken in 1950 - 1951.

Dr. H. S. Sauls was chosen by vote to serve as acting pastor until such time as the church could maintain a full-time pastor on the field. On June 28, 1951, property at the corner of Sage Avenue and Emogene Street was purchased and on July 1, 1951, three and one-half months after organization, the congregation gathered at Sage and Emogene for the ground-breaking ceremony. Erection of the church auditorium began December 4, 1951, and on March 2, 1952, was occupied for Sunday School and Worship Services.

The church before the current Auditorium.

The following is a list of the pastors who have served faithfully and sacrificially for our Lord in this place:

H. S. Sauls	March 18, 1951	-	September 8, 1952
H. L. Ray	September 21, 1952	-	June 30, 1956
Rex H. Dickey	August 1, 1956	-	December 1, 1958
E. C. Williams	May 1, 1959	-	July 1, 1960
Quincy T. Curtis	September 1, 1960	-	March 5, 1989
Sidney W. Nichols	November 6, 1989	-	July 31, 1992
George F. Anderson	July 11, 1993	-	Nov 15, 1998
James F. "Jim" Fisher	May 23, 1999	-	Aug 3, 2003
Dave Edwards	May 30, 2004	-	January 13, 2008

Today, we have a church membership of 564, Sunday School enrollment of 336, and a church media Library Center of 3, 462 books, visual aid equipment and a new video projector screen in the auditorium.

Our church staff is composed of Pastor; Part-time Student Minister; By-vocational Worship Leader; Office Manager; Ministry Assistant: Pastor’s Secretary, Finances & Membership; part-time Ministry Assistant: Receptionist & General Secretarial; Pianist; and Church Hostess.

Our properties include the original church auditorium (now fellowship hall), a new auditorium, 1 two-story educational buildings, 1 two-story youth building, a gymnasium and nearby and adjoining properties used as parking and recreation areas.

Sage Avenue Baptist Church 2007 sabc@sageavebc.org