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THE FIRST FIFTY YEARS 1956-2006 [ Music Ministry ] [ Legacies and Contributions ]  Celebrating the building site purchase In October 1956, the congregation purchased a two acre building site on Twinbrook Parkway at Old Baltimore Road - the location of its present building. The loan with which the land was purchased was repaid within 12 months. Virtually all of the financial support of the new church came from the members of the new congregation, since the parent church was in a building program and did not have additional financial resources. A small amount of financial support was received from the D.C. Baptist Convention.
Ground was broken for the first unit of the new building on June 12, 1959, with the congregation leaving the Sunday morning worship service at the Broome School to walk to the building site for the ground breaking service. Every person was invited to put their hands to a shovel and turn some dirt as a symbol of unity. To the consternation of the architect, the first service in the new building on January 31, 1960, was held before the structure was fully completed. The service of dedication was held on the fourth anniversary Sunday, March 6, 1960. The building cost $58,000. The building space soon became inadequate for the growing number of children who were attending Sunday Church School. In October 1960, a number of classes were moved to the Meadow Hall Elementary School. A new building fund was initiated in 1961. The ground breaking for the second unit took place on Palm Sunday, April 11, 1965. The second unit was completed six months later at a cost of $118,000. On October 31, the Church School classes were back in the enlarged facilities.
For years, the sanctuary with its folding metal chairs, tile floor, and cinder block walls allowed for flexibility with austere simplicity. New carpeting and drapes were added in 1977, but it took Richard Crouse again to lead the membership -- this time in 1986 -- to renovate their "church home". On the Sunday before Christmas the congregation worshiped for the first time in pews with carpet, wallpaper, and chandeliers at a cost of $160,000. In 1988, major improvements were completed in the church offices and the first computer was purchased. The next year the social hall was named for Rev. John Laney. In 1991, a new cross was placed on top of the church and a new outside sign was erected. A beautiful stained glass window in the narthex was dedicated in 1997 to the memory of Dan Gaither, one of the first African-American members who joined the church in 1967 and held a number of leadership positions.
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