About Park Windsor
The Park-Windsor Baptist Church of Los Angeles, formerly known as South Park
Baptist Church of Los Angeles, was organized in the home of Brother John W.
Cusick on December 22, 1910. The Reverend F. D. Finn of the Baptist City Mission
Society was called to be the Church's interim Pastor. Plans were set in motion to
build a church with the help of the Los Angeles Baptist City Mission Society.
Church services were held in the homes of Brother and Sister Cusick and Brother
and Sister Cable.
On June 4, 1911, the Reverend C. Oscar Johnson was called to pastor South Park
Baptist Church of Los Angeles. On October 3, 1915, Dr. G. N. Lehigh was called to
take over the ministry. He pastured for two years. On August 19, 1917, Reverend
Earle Smith accepted the call to Pastor and served until May 11, 1919.
South Park Baptist Church of Los Angeles called Gordon Palmer, a Chaplain of the
13th United States Infantry, to be Pastor on June 15, 1919. In July 1919, the first
unit of the South Park Baptist Church was on the corner of Fifty-First Street and
McKinley Avenue in Los Angeles, California.
Pastor Palmer resigned in May 1928, and Dr. S. Fraser Langford was called. In
1931, the American (then Northern) Baptist Convention designated South Park
Baptist Church as the outstanding Church in ministering to the needs of an urban
community.
The Reverend H. A. Eaton served as Pastor from November 1, 1932, to April 31,
1935. From 1938-1951 The Reverend William Wilkens served as pastor.
In 1944, The South Park Baptist Church divided its membership. The corporation's
name, formerly South Park Baptist Church of Los Angeles, became Park-Windsor
Baptist Church of Los Angeles. In 1947, the church moved to its current location,
1842 West 108th Street and Manhattan.
Reverend Kenneth Ross served as Pastor from 1952-1953. In 1953, the Church
called Reverend Roy A. Watson as Pastor. Rev. Watson ministered from 1953 -
1957. Reverend Robert Burchell succeeded him and served as Pastor until 1960.
In 1960, the Church extended a call to Reverend Norman R. Dalton, who pastored
for the next three (3) years.
The southwest area of Los Angeles became integrated during the '60s. In 1964,
Reverend Donald C. Bushfield visited the homes of Black families and invited them
to worship at Park Windsor Baptist Church.
The following Black members are considered the "Black Pioneers" of Park
Windsor Baptist Church and joined the Church under Reverend Bushfield from
1964-1965: Sister Betty Abrams, Mother Edna Jones, Brother Gary and Sister Ida
Jean Smith, Mother Dorothy Whaley, Brother Charles and Sister Naomi Fisher,
Sister Ozella Adams-Singleton, and Sis Jane Ella Spirlin. Sis. Elaine Whaley joined
the "pioneers" and was baptized on April 28, 1968.
Brother Gary Smith became the first Black member to serve on the Board of
Trustees in 1966 and served as its Secretary from 1966 through February 1969.
Sis. Ida Jean Smith, another first, was elected Church Clerk in January 1966 and
served in this capacity well into the 1980s.
During 1966-1967: Sis. Earnestine Durden became a member along with Bro.
Maurice and Sis. Lizzie Ballenger and their daughter Regina Ballenger, Sis. Rosa
Lee Jones, Bro. Scott Ellis, Bro. James H. and Sis. Freddie Mae Smith, with their
daughters Hettie and Willita Smith, Bro. Harnett and Sis. Jeanne Ellis, Sis. Edith
Willis and her daughter Brenda, Sis. Katie Hooks and Sis. Hattie Hart.
Park Windsor called Dr. Elmer Gottschalk in 1967. Dr. Donald Robertson came to
Park Windsor in 1968. Under his pastorate, the Church was refurbished and re-
dedicated. Four Black members were appointed trustees: Sister Ozella Adams,
Brother Scott Ellis, Brother Maurice Ballenger, and Bro. James Smith became
chairman of the board. In 1969, the Church elected two more Black members,
Brother Sesser Durden and Brother Clarence Randolph, to the Board of Trustees.
Bro. Randolph became the Secretary of the board.
In 1969, Charles H. Fisher became the first Black Chairman of the Deacon Board.
Dr. J. Raymond Henderson was the first Black minister called to pastor Park
Windsor Baptist Church in October 1970.
Reverend Arthur H. Windsor served as Pastor in 1972. Reverend Joseph B.
Patterson and following Reverend Patterson in 1977, Dr. J. Raymond Henderson
was the interim Pastor.
In 1977, Reverend Manuel L. Scott, Jr. assumed the pastoral leadership of Park
Windsor Baptist Church. Reverend Scott instituted the 8:00 AM service and 6:00
PM Communion service.
In 1990 Dr. William Thurmond was installed as Pastor. Under Dr. Thurmond's
pastorate, the sanctuary was remolded, additional classrooms were added, the
dome was erected, the atrium area was showcased, and other amenities were
added. Park Windsor continued to grow spiritually and physically. Weekly Bible
Study for youth and adults was instituted. Dr. Thurmond named a Social Action
Committee to address community and social issues. In addition, he instituted
"High Noon" prayer services under the leadership of Rev. Bobby A. Jackson and a
radio ministry. The Deacon and Trustee Ministry was restructured, and an
aggressive four-year Stewardship program and a new member's class were
introduced.
In 1992, a three-bedroom home adjacent to the Church was purchased and
remodeled. The parking lot was enclosed with wrought iron fencing, thus
providing security. In 2003, the Church purchased an 18-passenger bus with
hydraulic lifts for wheelchairs and, in 2006, a replacement 15-passenger van in
support of the Deacons and Youth Ministries.
Dr. Thurmond retired on December 31, 2009. With the membership's approval,
Rev. Kenneth Gates served as Interim Pastor from March through June 2010.
In June 2010, the Reverend Terrell Taylor was called as Pastor. We give God all
the glory for what He has done, is doing, and will do in the life of Park Windsor
Baptist Church.