“For our current church family and for many previous generations of saints, Shiloh Baptist Church in Rockville Centre has been a place of worship and a source of spiritual substance for 114 years. In June 1907, Mrs. Glendora Hankins called together a group of people for the purpose of organizing the first Black Baptist Church in Rockville Centre, New York. Little is known of Sis. Hankins except that she called the very first meeting that eventually led to the Shiloh Baptist Church family being formed. It is not clear where this meeting took place but without suitable places to hold subsequent gatherings, Sis. Hankins and her supporters took turns meeting weekly for worship services by moving from house to house. A couple of Hankins’ associates, Mr. and Mrs. Wiley, hosted the first service in the form of a mission in their home. Reverend A Hill, the pastor of St. John’s Baptist Church of Jamaica, New York, moderated the mission, launching a membership recruitment drive. Counting the four from Reverend Hill’s church, the membership soon grew to sixteen. Even though they did not have a building, they were still a church. They called themselves “Shiloh.” They elected the first officers and organized several ministries. July 25th, 1907, was the day Shiloh Baptist Church incorporated which marked another key milestone in our church’s storied history.”
-Quote from “Our Anniversary”, a Quarterly Journal Article Submitted by Trustee Stan Ridley
Throughout this month, we will be sharing some clips of our Worship Services through the years. If you are interested in watching the full videos, see below. 

Click Here to View Our Church History Photo Gallery!

After All These Years…Where is Shiloh Headed?

According to Rick Warren, author of “The Purpose Driven Church,” every church is driven by something: Tradition, Finances, Programs, Personalities, Events, event-Seekers; or even the edifice itself. Any one of these things can become the guiding light in the ministry of the church over time. As we commemorate Pastor Washington’s 31st year of pastoral service at Shiloh, and on the brink of celebrating Shiloh’s 114th year of illuminous history, what will you say has been our shining moment. Beyond this building and the mission that began back in 1907 with Ms. Glendora Hankins, and a few, we are about more than tradition, finances, programs, personalities, or event-seekers. We are about something greater.

Most of our lives are filled with drudgery and the tedious tasks that draw upon our faith infects our witness and wreaks havoc on our discipline to live the Christian Life. Recently I expressed some frustration to Pastor about applying the gospel to my life; how it seemed evident to me that maybe the gospel had stopped working. But Pastor lovingly let me get out my frustration, then most assuredly let me know that the gospel still works; and he did it with the Word of God. What he said, I did not particularly like, shrugged my shoulders, and I went away like the rich man in the Bible, who Jesus told to sell everything, and then come and follow Him, “You still lack one thing.” (Luke 18:18-30). O, how it hurts for me to admit that to you.

But what Pastor said made me realize that it is through the drudgery of life that it is easy to allow legalistic obedience to muddy the gospel. We discover something beautiful about Christ and the gospel but then after some time (and life events) instead of it remaining transforming good news that overflows into worship, and gratitude, we turn it into a means of gaining acceptance, once again taking up the yoke of bondage to sin, our former master. Serving the Lord, and yet expecting that He owes us something. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Drudgery is defined as hard. Mindless. Backbreaking work. Exhausting. The term is used to define tasks which are unrewarding, boring, or unpleasant. If you have ever had to do laundry, wash the dishes, prepare the meals, change the bedding, vacuum the house, or clean the bathroom day after day, you’ve experienced drudgery. If you have ever had to take care of a sick child, or spouse; or an aging parent; or received the call that comes in the middle of the night, you have experienced drudgery. If you have ever had to bury a loved one, you know the depths of drudgery. With drudgery comes fatigue, and frustration of unpleasant things that must be done. We want to get away from the everyday drudgery of life, and we seek out ways to escape, but more to our detriment than good. And as quiet as it has kept, those of us who are Christians, expect that we can get a pass. Not so.

Drudgery is one of life’s greatest tests, because it repeats itself in our lives on a daily basis. There is no getting around the events of the surprises in life. Drudgery actually determines the authenticity of our character. It tests the truth of our spirituality, and it is the barometer to whether we are spiritually genuine, or not. In essence, but not in these exact words, Pastor told me to take a look at myself and to stop wagging my finger at God. He challenged me to weigh my expectations for my life by the Sovereignty of God, and that settled it. I confess to you that drudgery, for me, had become a personal battle, and I was letting drudgery win.

Pastor said it, and with some soul-searching, through the wisdom of God, I realize that obedience is the cure for drudgery; “Why are you so polite to me, always saying ‘Yes, sir’ and ‘That’s right, sir’ but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build life on.” (Luke 6:46-47 TMB).

Shiloh, I said all of this to say that for 31 years it has been Pastor’s calling to shepherd and lead us into a Healthy Body, where we can all grow. By teaching, preaching, and instruction in the Word of God, he has created an environment where drudgery and hindrances to our growth are removed. He has watered, turned over soil, pulled up weeds, and exposed us to Son-light, all in the interest of creating a healthy church. God, the Father, has done all that He is going to do in planning our Salvation. God, the Son has done all that he is going to do in purchasing our Salvation; and God, the Holy Spirit has done all that He is going to do, in Sealing us.  When it comes to taking initiative against drudgery, we have to take the first step. Drudgery makes us sick. We have heard Pastor say, ‘the church is like a hospital,’ many times. While we may look alright, we are all sick, and in need of Doctor Jesus. The good news is that the doctor is always in.’

When a human body is out of balance we call that disease, a malady in the body, which leads to illness.  Shiloh is an organism, made up of living things (you and me). Living things can grow or stagnate depending on their surroundings. Our Sovereign Lord takes our human flesh and transforms it. And now every believer’s body has become the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are In-Christ! And He is in us. We are the temple of God. There is no condition in life in which we cannot abide in Jesus.

As we look to where we are headed, Shiloh, let us not make the mistake of comparing ourselves to other churches, getting caught up in programs, and event-seekers; nor create agendas outside of God’s purpose and plan for us. Let us not be weary in well-doing. We have a clearly defined purpose and vision statement for our Church: “We Want to be Like Jesus. We are a Church that models the life, the teachings, and the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ to the best of our ability. We are a church that is willing to be convinced of who he is, an expression of his life; committed to what He taught, an expression of his teachings, and consistent with what he did, an expression of His ministry. We want to Live Like Him. We want to Give Like Him. We want to Serve Like Him”. In the Gospel of John 13:14, the incarnate God performs the greatest example of drudgery by washing the feet of fishermen, then says to them, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

If you have ever wondered, what Shiloh is all about, reflect on the words of our Vision statement. It clearly communicates our destination. As such we are on the road to a healthy church, where there is no dis-ease. I read somewhere, that ‘Vision without a task is only a dream. A task without a vision is but drudgery. But vision with a task is a dream fulfilled.” If we will arise and shine, drudgery will be divinely transformed. Our confidence is only in Jesus. He alone is able to complete what He started. And in these 114 years later, since the beginning of Shiloh, through fellowship, discipleship, worship, ministry, and evangelism, we are on our way to better. That is a reason to celebrate.

Submitted By Irene Gardon



Our Anniversary

For our current church family and for many previous generations of saints, Shiloh Baptist Church in Rockville Centre has been a place of worship and a source of spiritual substance for 114 years. In June 1907, Mrs. Glendora Hankins called together a group of people for the purpose of organizing the first Black Baptist Church in Rockville Centre, New York. Little is known of Sis. Hankins except that she called the very first meeting that eventually led to the Shiloh Baptist Church family being formed. It is not clear where this meeting took place but without suitable places to hold subsequent gatherings, Sis. Hankins and her supporters took turns meeting weekly for worship services by moving from house to house. A couple of Hankins’ associates, Mr. and Mrs. Wiley, hosted the first service in the form of a mission in their home. Reverend A Hill, the pastor of St. John’s Baptist Church of Jamaica, New York, moderated the mission, launching a membership recruitment drive. Counting the four from Reverend Hill’s church, the membership soon grew to sixteen. Even though they did not have a building, they were still a church. They called themselves “Shiloh.” They elected the first officers and organized several ministries. July 25th, 1907, was the day Shiloh Baptist Church incorporated which marked another key milestone in our church’s storied history.

In October 1907, the Shiloh Baptist Church family moved from residences to a new meeting facility on 158 Merrick Road. The exact date is sketchy, but approximately two years later, the Shiloh Baptist Church family- still in its infancy- purchased a lot at 87 Banks Avenue, Rockville Centre. Pleased with the work of these humble saints, the Lord rewarded them with a small frame building. They wasted little time purchasing the small frame building and transporting the structure to 87 Banks Avenue where they set it down. Applause and recognition followed their accomplishment and the congregation moved into their first church building. Shiloh, after all, was the first Black Baptist Church in the village that earlier was known as Near Rockaway before taking its name from a local mill owner and civic leader, Mordecai Rock Smith. It also was the first Black Baptist Church in Nassau County, to own property. Sis. Gertrude Ulmer, prior to her passing, fondly recalled Shiloh’s early days. “To get to the basement, you had to go outside the building,” said Sis. Ulmer, whose father, Deacon Benjamin Jenkins, was chairman of the board of deacons, and whose mother, Deaconess Ophelia Jenkins, was pregnant with her while she served on the choir. Like its successor, the first Shiloh was a house of worship known for harmonious, spirit-filled music. “It was the first church around with a pipe organ,” Sis. Ulmer recalled. But all the days of Shiloh were not sunny. There were minor setbacks. Reverend Hill’s resignation, for example, sounded a sour note among the membership.

But Shiloh prevailed under the leadership of subsequent successors, including Reverend Dudley, Reverend Harrell, Reverend Spencer Miles, and Reverend Arthur Wainwright. In 1937, Reverend Morgan M. Days accepted the call to lead the church, some three decades after Shiloh was first incorporated. The church grew rapidly under his guidance. Sis. Ulmer, who just turned eight at the time, was baptized by Pastor Days soon after his arrival. In 1939, two years after Dr. Days took over as Shiloh’s leader, the mortgage for the property on 87 Banks Avenue was burned. Less than a decade later in 1945, Shiloh purchased property on the corner of North Centre Avenue and Willoughby Street, the site of the present church. By 1951, a campaign to raise money for the construction of a new church was in full swing, attracting widespread support from neighboring residents and church members. In October 1953, the world-renowned opera singer Dorothy Maynor performed a concert in Rockville Centre to help raise money to build the new Shiloh Baptist Church. Dr. Days, who was well-loved in the community, received generous contributions, cash, and sweat from people throughout the community and beyond. The men of the church, short on funds but not on commitment, laid the floors and built the steps, making it possible for the cornerstone to be laid by 1953. The new Shiloh was completed in June 1954. It was dedicated June 22nd, 1958, approximately four years after it was built. As well as cash, many of the churches and neighboring businesses contributed furnishings to Shiloh, as recorded by Sis. Ulmer. One church pitched in pulpit furniture. Another, the B-Line bus company, contributed an organ, she said, noting that her sister, Sis. Clara Hadley was the pianist at Shiloh for more than three decades. Sis. Ulmer also fondly recalled hearing the bell which tolled every Sunday before service and at 12 AM on watch night. Sis. Lenora Quinones was at Shiloh when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. came to the church. When Dr. King came to Shiloh, Sis. Quinones says the people in Shiloh and the community said, “At last, at last!”. People in Shiloh and the community felt a sense of hope when Dr. King came into town. During the 1970s, Rosa Lee Young Day Care Center was located at Shiloh with playground equipment.

Sis. Quinones says that even during times when the church experienced limitations the members still knew the Word of prayer. A person could walk by on any Wednesday night and hear the Prayer Meeting that was going on inside. Sis. Quinones says that if a person didn’t know it was Prayer Meeting, they would think that there was a worship service going on inside the church. Sis. Quinones says that the Shiloh in the past was highly respected and were good stewards of God’s house. After almost fifty years of dedicated service, Pastor Days submitted his resignation in October 1985 due to failing health. He served as Pastor Emeritus until his death in 1987. In May of that year, the village of Rockville Centre honored Reverend Days by renaming Willoughby Street, Morgan Days Lane. The Village of Rockville Centre also named one of its parks after Dr. Days. Shiloh, under the able leadership of Reverend Reginald E. Greene, its ministers, and its board, led by Deacon William Sandefur, continued an upward and progressive course along with its kingdom-building journey. Reverend Greene and Reverend Alton E. Jones, served as interim co-pastors for about two years. Reverend Greene was elected pastor in February 1987. He served until October 1988.

In June 1990, the Lord blessed Shiloh Baptist Church with a gift from heaven. In search of a new shepherd, the Shiloh Baptist Church family stretched out its arms, beckoning to Pennsgrove, New Jersey, where Reverend Herman Washington answered the call. Reverend Washington, who grew up in Philadelphia, got his early religious education alongside his late father, Reverend Julius Mosley, Pastor of the Saint Stephen’s Baptist Church. Reverend Washington served as Associate Minister of the Beulah Baptist Church of Philadelphia, and as pastor of the Hopewell Baptist Church, Pennsgrove, NJ, for eight years. Reverend Herman Washington was handed the Shiloh helm in June 1990. Since then, Pastor Washington has reorganized and established numerous ministries, including New Member’s classes and Curriculum, the Shiloh Worship & Arts Ministry, the Women’s Ministry, Men’s Fellowship, Wednesday evening Bible Study, the Shiloh Foundation, Spiritual Life Conference, Church Training Institute, Happy Homes Ministry, Endless Possibilities In Christ-Philippians 4:13 (E.P.I.C. 4:13), to name a few. Pastor Washington has lovingly served the congregation of Shiloh with an unwavering commitment to preach, teach and live God’s Word in his life with authenticity and consistency. His dedication to the Word of God has caused many people to change their minds and give their lives over to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Under Pastor Washington, the Shiloh family is experiencing tremendous growth in their spiritual lives.

Surely, the spirits of Shiloh’s past are pleased with the direction of the legacy they handed down. They must be smiling from heaven looking at the place they once occupied in the pews. We are often reminded by Pastor Washington that the church is neither the building nor its pews. The church, like the first Shiloh Church, which had no pews, pulpit or walls- is you and me. We are the Church! In truth, the church is made up of every person who has been born again, from the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 to this very day. The Church is the people of God from every generation, every nation, and every place under the sun. This truth is so important that in the New Testament usage of the word “church,” not one single time does it refer to a physical structure! So, then the Church is not a building made up of brick, mortar, wood, stone, nails, etc. The Church is specifically the people who have been chosen by a Sovereign God to be His own. This speaks of privilege, because you do not join the church, you must be born into it! So, after we gather in this place, this building, let us keep in mind that if the building burns down, the Church will stand! For, we are the Church!

Submitted by Trustee Stanley Ridley