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History of Baptist Mission Centers:
For over 47 years, the Baptist Mission Centers have worked to transform
the lives of people living in Houston's inner city and the people who come
here to serve them. As the BMC enters a new century, that commitment to
transformation continues to grow and mature.In the early 1940's, an
existing ministry to children and families was moved from the Primera Iglesia
Bautista Houston to the Mexican Goodwill Center. This center operated
primarily as a ministry to impoverished Latinos on Houston's Near
Northside. In 1960, the center became the property of the Union Baptist
Association. Miss Mary Terry served as a mission worker at this center until
1963, when the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention
joined the UBA in supporting this work. At that time, the center was
renamed the Fletcher Mission Center, and Miss Mildred McWhorter was
appointed Director of the center. For the next 30 years, Miss Mac's name
would be synonymous with inner-city Baptist mission work in Houston.
In 1965, another center was opened on F Street in Magnolia Park
neighborhood near the Houston Ship Channel. Seeing the expressions of
joy on the faces of neighborhood children whenever they arrived, Miss Mac
named it the Joy Fellowship Center. During the 1960's and 1970's, Miss
McWhorter and other volunteers visited the two neighborhoods, learning
the needs of the residents and developing a variety of programs to address
those needs, including after-school ministries for children and teenagers,
food and clothing distribution, ESL and GED classes, job placement, and of
course, Bible study and worship. Success was not immediate. It took time
to gain the trust of the communities, but the Lord eventually rewarded
prayers and hard work with very fruitful ministries.
In 1980, the Gano Mission Center, located a few blocks from the Fletcher
Center, became part of the Baptist Mission Centers. This sizable property
included the historic Industrial Home,a three-story building that provided
housing for visiting missionaries. This building was demolished in 1999 to
make room for a new building that would provide improved facilities for
missionary housing and ministry programs. In 1989, Mason Drive Baptist
Church, a predominantly Anglo congregation in the Magnolia Park
neighborhood, closed it's doors. The property was donated to the Union
Baptist Association, and the Mason Drive Mission Center came under the
Baptist Mission Centers' umbrella. After serving as a mission center for
seven years, it was sold to a new congregation in 1996. During the last
quarter of the twentieth century, Miss Mac became a well-known missionary
speaker and promoter of home missions. Miss McWhorter retired as
Director of the Baptist Mission Centers in December of 1992. In 1993, Miss
Myrtle Tolley was appointed as Interim Director while a search was
conducted for new leadership of the BMC.
In April of 1994, the Baptist Mission Centers' Executive Board selected Miss
Dorcas Camacho as Administrator of the BMC. Miss Camacho was married
shortly afterward. In 1997, she and her husband, Emerson Byrd, were
appointed as Co-Administrators of the Baptist Mission Centers. The Byrds
faithfully served the inner city communities of Near Northside and Magnolia
Park until the summer of 2002, when Emerson joined the United States
Army as a Chaplain and was stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs,
CO. Chris Bryan, BMC Board Member, assumed the role of Interim
Administrator. In October of 2002, Miss Ginger Smith was appointed as
Administrator of the Baptist Mission Centers.
For over 47 years, the Baptist Mission Centers have worked to transform
the lives of people living in Houston's inner city and the people who come
here to serve them. As the BMC enters a new century, that commitment to
transformation continues to grow and mature.In the early 1940's, an
existing ministry to children and families was moved from the Primera Iglesia
Bautista Houston to the Mexican Goodwill Center. This center operated
primarily as a ministry to impoverished Latinos on Houston's Near
Northside. In 1960, the center became the property of the Union Baptist
Association. Miss Mary Terry served as a mission worker at this center until
1963, when the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention
joined the UBA in supporting this work. At that time, the center was
renamed the Fletcher Mission Center, and Miss Mildred McWhorter was
appointed Director of the center. For the next 30 years, Miss Mac's name
would be synonymous with inner-city Baptist mission work in Houston.
In 1965, another center was opened on F Street in Magnolia Park
neighborhood near the Houston Ship Channel. Seeing the expressions of
joy on the faces of neighborhood children whenever they arrived, Miss Mac
named it the Joy Fellowship Center. During the 1960's and 1970's, Miss
McWhorter and other volunteers visited the two neighborhoods, learning
the needs of the residents and developing a variety of programs to address
those needs, including after-school ministries for children and teenagers,
food and clothing distribution, ESL and GED classes, job placement, and of
course, Bible study and worship. Success was not immediate. It took time
to gain the trust of the communities, but the Lord eventually rewarded
prayers and hard work with very fruitful ministries.
In 1980, the Gano Mission Center, located a few blocks from the Fletcher
Center, became part of the Baptist Mission Centers. This sizable property
included the historic Industrial Home,a three-story building that provided
housing for visiting missionaries. This building was demolished in 1999 to
make room for a new building that would provide improved facilities for
missionary housing and ministry programs. In 1989, Mason Drive Baptist
Church, a predominantly Anglo congregation in the Magnolia Park
neighborhood, closed it's doors. The property was donated to the Union
Baptist Association, and the Mason Drive Mission Center came under the
Baptist Mission Centers' umbrella. After serving as a mission center for
seven years, it was sold to a new congregation in 1996. During the last
quarter of the twentieth century, Miss Mac became a well-known missionary
speaker and promoter of home missions. Miss McWhorter retired as
Director of the Baptist Mission Centers in December of 1992. In 1993, Miss
Myrtle Tolley was appointed as Interim Director while a search was
conducted for new leadership of the BMC.
In April of 1994, the Baptist Mission Centers' Executive Board selected Miss
Dorcas Camacho as Administrator of the BMC. Miss Camacho was married
shortly afterward. In 1997, she and her husband, Emerson Byrd, were
appointed as Co-Administrators of the Baptist Mission Centers. The Byrds
faithfully served the inner city communities of Near Northside and Magnolia
Park until the summer of 2002, when Emerson joined the United States
Army as a Chaplain and was stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs,
CO. Chris Bryan, BMC Board Member, assumed the role of Interim
Administrator. In October of 2002, Miss Ginger Smith was appointed as
Administrator of the Baptist Mission Centers.