Houston, Harris County
St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church This African American congregation predates the purchase of this lot in 1902. The first known pastor was Rev. Elijah Crooms. Members met under a brush arbor until the first wooden church, featuring twin bell towers and a special seating area for children, was built in 1918. Baptisms took place in nearby Buffalo Bayou until a baptismal pool was added to the church in the 1950s, along with other improvements. The original building was demolished and a new church was dedicated in 1965. New programs, such as a radio show and a bus to bring members to church, attracted new membership. St. Luke Missionary Baptist church has been a beacon in the community through more than a century of social and economic change. (2013)