Metropolitan Baptist Church (Philadelphia)

Metropolitan Baptist Church
Northminster Presbyterian Church
Photograph of church from 1895 with remnants of original coloring still present
Metropolitan Baptist Church Location of the church in Pennsylvania
39°57′40″N75°11′35″W / 39.961177°N 75.192926°W / 39.961177; -75.192926
Country	United States
Denomination	Baptist
Previous denomination	Presbyterian
Membership	559 (1883 estimate) 450 (2001 estimate)
Website	www.mbcphila.org
History
Dedicated	November 11, 1875;150 years ago (1875-11-11)
Architecture
Architect	Thomas Webb Richards
Architectural type	Gothic revival
Specifications
Capacity	800 [1]
Nave height	2 stories
Tower height	4 stories
Materials	Stone
Clergy
Pastor	Gregory Johnson

The Metropolitan Baptist Church is a Baptist church located in Powelton Village, Philadelphia, in the United States. ^[2]

History

For the majority of its history, the church was home to a Presbyterian congregation. ^[3] The congregation was founded as the First Presbyterian Church of Mantua in 1837. ^[4] While another building was present, future growth caused a search for a new home, and the plot on 35th and Baring was secured in January 1871. The cornerstone was laid on September 16, 1873. On September 29th, 1875, the name was changed to the Northminster Presbyterian Church. ^[5] The new building was constructed in 1875, designed by architect Thomas Webb Richards. ^[6] It was dedicated on November 11 of that year. ^[7] The roof of the church was finished and reset in 1887. ^[1] The building was originally covered with Serpentine. ^{[8] [9]}

It was later home to the Princeton Presbyterian Church (named after the Princeton Theological Seminary). ^[10] The Baptist congregation was formed during the Great Depression, ^[11] and later acquired use of the building in 1955. ^[12] The Presbyterian congregation moved to Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. ^[8]

List of rectors

Church in 2025

Presbyterian Church

Pre-move

• Pastor Robert S. Drysdale (1846 – 1848) ^[1]
• Pastor Charles S. Renshaw (May 1849 – April 1853) ^[1]
• Pastor Thomas S. Johnston (1853 – 1864) ^[1]
• Pastor H. Augustus Smith (July 1864 – 1882) ^[1]

Post-move

• Pastor Robert H. Felton (at least 1883 – 1893) ^{[1] [8] [13]}
• Pastor Joseph Wilson Cochran (1895 – 1907) ^{[8] [14] [15]}
• Pastor William Courtland Robinson (fl. 1909 – c. November 1914) ^{[8] [16]}

Baptist church

• Pastor Miller Lee Gayton (1953 – 1991) ^[17]
• Pastor Gregory Johnson (c. 2004 – present) ^[11]

References

1. White, William Prescott; Scott, William H. (1895). The Presbyterian Church N Philadelphia: A Camera and Pen Sketch of Each Presbyterian Church and Institution in the City. Allen, Lane & Scott. p. 85.
2. "West Philadelphia Collaborative History - Metropolitan Baptist Church". collaborativehistory.gse.upenn.edu. Retrieved 2025-11-24.
3. "Northminster Presbyterian Church". www.philadelphiabuildings.org. Retrieved 2025-11-24.
4. Skaler, Robert Morris (2002-03-01). West Philadelphia: University City to 52nd Street. Arcadia Publishing. p. 82. ISBN   978-0-7385-0970-9.
5. West Philadelphia Illustrated: Early History of West Philadelphia and Its Environs, Its People, and Its Historical Points. Avil Print. Company. 1903. pp. 46–47.
6. "Historic Religious Properties in Philadelphia" (PDF). Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphi. p. 17. Retrieved 2025-11-24.
7. Pennsylvania Society of New York (1907). Year Book of the Pennsylvania Society of New York. The Society. p. 192.
8. "3500 Baring St., Philadelphia". old.poweltonvillage.org. Retrieved 2025-11-24.
9. Dowdell, Katharine (2022-11-10). "NOMINATION OF HISTORIC DISTRICT - PHILADELPHIA REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES - PHILADELPHIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION" (PDF). phila.gov. Retrieved 2025-11-24.
10. Smith, M. Earl (2016). Powelton Village. Arcadia Publishing. p. 69. ISBN   978-1-4671-2434-8.
11. Lee, Nathaniel (2017-09-16). "Church of the Week: Metropolitan Baptist Church". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved 2025-11-24.
12. "Settlement Made" . Philadelphia Inquirer . 1955-11-01. p. 39. Retrieved 2025-11-24.
13. Christian Work: Illustrated Family Newspaper. 1897. p. 131.
14. Kendrick, George W. (1903). In Memoriam, Minnie Murdock Kendrick, 1849-1903. Allen, Press. p. 33.
15. Baptist Commonwealth. Harper. 1907. p. 5.
16. The Princeton Seminary Bulletin. Vol. VIII. Princeton Theological Seminary. 1913. p. 324.
17. Pray, Rusty (2001-01-06). "The Rev Miller Lee Gayton, retired pastor" . Philadelphia Inquirer . p. 6. Retrieved 2025-11-24.

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