Galilee Baptist Church was inspired through a house-to-house Bible Study group. During that time, the Lord spoke to the late Reverend Mabry Gardner to organize a church. On January 19, 1958, a day with temperatures of 10 degrees below zero, the doors of the AFL-CIO Union Hall on Cedar and Davis Street were open for the first time for worship. There were 19 people in attendance at 9:30am for Sunday Church School and 37 for the 11:00am worship service. Also included in the organizing were the Pastor’s wife, Sister Mary Jane Gardner, Sister Jernice Ledbetter, Sister Olivia Walker- Nealey, Sister Alma Ligon, and Sister Juanita McClendon-Ford. They all came with letters from the Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Others in the organizing were Deacon Andrew and Thelma Whitley, Melvin and Alvanie Moss, Reverend and Mrs. William Davis, and Luther Moss, just to name a few.
The church was officially organized on February 23, 1958 with the late Reverends B.A. Roberson and Lloyd Tubbs officiating. At this time, the church was named Galilee Missionary Baptist Church. The church met at the Union Hall approximately six months, before being invited to worship with Prayer Garden Church of God in Christ on alternate Sundays. In 1960, God blessed Galilee with a home at 908 Gull Road. On the First Sunday in April 1971, the congregation walked to the new church located on the corner of Westnedge and Paterson Street (1216 N. Westnedge). Reverend Mabry Gardner continued as pastor over the next 30 years of the church’s growth until God called him from labor to reward.
Assuming his role as the second pastor, the Church was blessed with another inspirational leader, the late Reverend Asa Dawson from 1988 until his death in 1991.
On the Second Sunday in November 1991, God blessed the church with Dr. J. Louis Felton; he became the third Pastor of Galilee. During his tenure, God gave Pastor Felton a vision for a new edifice. In April 2003, Galilee broke ground for a new edifice and on Christmas Day, December 25, 2004, Galilee had its first service in the new edifice with over one thousand worshippers and many community leaders. Dr. J. Louis Felton served faithfully as pastor for 19 years before being called to another assignment in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
As the church family entered a season of prayer and searching for a new pastor, Elder Osmond Pearson served as Interim Pastor until October 2011.
On October 16, 2011, God blessed Galilee with our fourth and current Pastor, Dr. Michael T. Scott, Sr., along with his family, Dr. Tamara T. Scott and their three children. Pastor Scott has implemented a vision from God, “Becoming a Kingdom-Focused, Christ-Centered Ministry for People on the Grow!” Under Pastor Scott’s administration, the church has grown spiritually! and God is being glorified! Three deacons have been ordained, seven Elders were ordained for public ministry, eight ministers were licensed to preach the Gospel, an additional 15-passenger Chevrolet Van was purchased, as well as a mini-bus. The “Galilee Global” online campus was launched during the pandemic which enables the church to reach even more souls through the preaching and teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! The church mortgage was burned on December 31, 2020. The capital improvement loan was also paid-in-full. The former North Westnedge Church of Christ building (1101 North Westnedge Avenue) was purchased in 2021 with future plans to build an affordable housing complex for those in need. We have implemented the Phase ll Capital Campaign “Stepping Up to Secure our Future” to assist with vision of expanding our ministry campus.
To God be all the Glory!