History of Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church In 1838, a group of God fearing people came together to worship the Lord the only way they could in those days, meeting in someone’s home. The Colding family was the first to open their doors for the series of prayer meetings. Reverend Sampson White conducted these meetings, which later turned into a large Sunday School Consequently, this Sunday School became the nucleus for the first black Baptist Church in the State of New Jersey. Through many hardships and setbacks, the people banded together with the grace of God, the congregants continued to multiply, forcing them to move to different locations under various church names. The baton was passed from pastor to pastor, each one serving God’s appointed time. The Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church became an established church in 1856. In April 1997, Rev. Britt Armando Starghill answered God’s call becoming the 14th Pastor of the Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church. Pastor Starghill is a young, energetic God fearing man who has been truly anointed by God. His dreams became our dreams with the Nehemiah Project. What better time than this to look to the future to see what each of us can do to strengthen God’s Kingdom in the Twenty First Century. Many disciples have come out of Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church, teaching all nations as scripture says: Matt. 28:19 (KJV), “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”. The oldest Baptist Church in New Jersey; multi cultured and still growing to meet the needs of the young, the seniors as well as the entire community. Great people have walked through this Church of God. To name a few: Walter Gordon, first black Dean of Camden County College, Ms. Lottie Johnson, first black female Principal in the Camden City School System, Doug Holmes, first black Camden Police Chief and Bruce Gordon, current President of National NAACP. In addition, Dr. Marilyn Gordon-Owens, staff doctor at Cooper Hospital, Dr. Deborah Stanley-Smith Doctor of Pharmacology and Dr. Timothy L. Rhyme, Newcomb Medical Center, Vineland, New Jersey. The pillars of the past that formulated our beginnings can rest knowing that God’s ministry is still going forward spreading the gospel to the lost; visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, clothing the needy while maintaining the legacy of loving, caring and encouraging one another through Jesus Christ. Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church Mission Statement “It is the mission of the Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church to advance the kingdom of God and manifest the love of Jesus Christ through developing spiritual enlightenment, social awareness, economic empowerment, saving souls and reclaiming the lost through loving, forgiving and healing; using Jesus Christ and the Holy Bible as our foundation”.