Wake-Eden Community Baptist Church

In the late 1960's the population of the Wakefield section of the Bronx was  in the process of drastic ethnic changes. People of European stock were moving  out and mostly African-American were moving in. The Bernadette Lutheran Church at the corner of Murdock and Strang Avenues, unprepared for the change, had closed its doors. The buildings were to remain closed for 18 long months. The families moving in were young, with many children, but there was no church in the neighborhood for them to attend. The need for an active church was  great.

God was ready with Plan B. In the fall of 1969, He relocated Sam Simpson,  Pastor of the Bronx Baptist Church, and his family to a house less than two  blocks from the church building. As a Southern Baptist, he was a church starter  at heart and by training, so he perceived the closed church in a heavily populated community as being very unnatural. He took the matter to the Lord.  Then he approached the still-resident Lutheran Pastor and proposed that they work together to revive the church. The suggestion was not accepted, but later an offer to rent the building was accepted by the Lutheran Administration.

Rev. S. G. Simpson undertook to lead the new work. He would do this while  continuing to pastor the Bronx Baptist Church. Bronx Baptist gave its blessing  and Greenwich Baptist Church in Connecticut undertook to pay the rent for two  years.

The Name Wake-Eden is a combination of two neighboring communities adjacent  to the church Wakefield and Edenwald. The inaugural  service on May 2, 1972 was an auspicious occasion.

The Church was filled  to capacity with scores of community residents,local clergy and denominational leaders, members of Bronx Baptist and Greenwich Churches, the  local school principal, community and civic leaders. At the invitation at  the end of the service several christians in the congregation committed to become members of this mission of Bronx Baptist Church.

God continued  to add to His church and to raise up devoted lay leaders. In 1978 we contracted with the Lutherans to buy the complex of buildings, i.e. sanctuary, education wing and pastorium. The mission became an incorporated church in 1979.

From its inception Wake-Eden has been a praying church and emphasizing bible study, discipleship training, evangelism and the training and involvement of lay persons in leadership. Numerous ministries  and programs have been implemented and utilized for the purpose of reaching the unsaved, deepening the commitment of believers and promoting fellowship - all to the glory of God.

Programs include:

• Christian  Education,
•  Discipleship Training,
• Home Bible Studies,
• Vacation Bible School,
• an Early Childhood Center,
• After School Tutorial,
• Summer Day Camp,
• and Five  Graded Choirs.

Mission and Evangelism include the start of a new mission  in the Village of Spring Valley, house-to-house visitation, outdoor meetings, nursing home and prison ministries, community marches against  drugs and crime, and a recently installed help-line.

Mission is the main work of Woman's Missionary Union, Brotherhood, Golden Years, Singles  Groups and the Medical Fellowship. Christian Social Ministries distribute food  and clothes and meet some financial needs. A Youth Fellowship ministers to church and community youths. The Wake-Eden Christian Academy which was started in 1972, has administered a solid christain pre-school education to thousands of children.  Its reputation for academic excellence is well known.

Through the  Pastor's participation and leadership in various community organizations, Wake-Eden contributes to the social and political life of the Bronx in such  areas as education, employment, more/better housing, voter registration and citizenship drives.

Wake-Eden has been facilitator/catalyst for hundreds of Christian volunteers from 48 states coming to the Bronx to work in housing rehabilitation and Christian ministries. God brought Christian Service Corps Volunteers Ray and Francis Boggs who brought us Lay Renewal  and served for five years, and Jim and Eunice Pierce who served for four years. Likewise, in the wisdom of God, many who were brought to Christ at Wake-Eden have relocated to various parts of the U.S. and Jamaica where they continue to exercise their gifts of leadership and service in other congregations.

Currently a building program to expand the church and school and provide additional facilities is almost completed.

-by Lola Simpson