Church History


(FORMERLY GLENDALE BAPTIST CHURCH)

Early in the year 1927...

Reverend Bernard Botts, a son of Metropolitan Baptist Church, felt it was necessary to have a house of worship in the Northeast area of Washington, D.C. As he and his wife were visiting a friend on Gault Place, Northeast, Mrs. Irene Botts saw two small boys playing, Jesse and Claude Anderson and inquired of them if they knew who owned the framed building at 4502 Gault Place. The two young boys referred her to their mother, Mrs. Mary Kelly, who gave Mrs. Botts the necessary contact information concerning the realtor of the property.

After consulting with the realtor, Reverend Botts decided to rent the framed house and a few months later purchased the property. Assisting Reverend Botts in getting the house ready for church services was Deacon Osborne Kelly. He removed the inner walls and built the first pulpit. Later, a few members met to select a name for the church. Because of the church’s geographical location in Washington, D.C., which at that time was known as Glendale, the name chosen was Glendale Baptist Church. Subsequently, Reverend Botts was elected as the first pastor.

Mrs. Smallwood a member of Metropolitan Baptist Church was very helpful to Reverend Botts in the early organization of the church. Shortly thereafter, an order of church service was developed to include Sunday school, Morning Service, and Evening Service. Reverend Ernest Miltier, another son of Metropolitan Baptist Church also provided a helping hand with the church services. Reverend Botts found it necessary to return to his churches in Maryland and Virginia and left Reverend Miltier in charge to lead the congregation. In July 1927 Reverend Miltier became the second pastor. The church suffered a spiritual and financial decline in 1932 and help was sought under the leadership of Deacon Percy Brown and others.

The name of Reverend William H. Gibson was submitted by Reverend R. D. Grymes of Salem Baptist Church to the membership for consideration to lead the congregation. Reverend Gibson accepted the call and preached his first pastoral sermon on January 22, 1933. He started a building program that finished in the erection of a new edifice at 4504 Gault Place, N.E. On Sunday, May 14, 1933, Reverend R. D. Grymes preached the cornerstone-laying sermon and immediately afterwards the Independent Order of Elks of the World laid the cornerstone in place.

On December 6, 1962, a special called meeting was held with the Official Board. At this meeting Reverend Gibson agreed to retire after twenty-nine years of service due to his failing health effective December 31, 1962. The Pulpit Committee, comprised of the Official Board, searched for a new pastor and after ten months the name of Reverend Abraham Lincoln Colston was presented to the church on Friday, October 25, 1963. Deacon Percy Brown moderated this meeting where the Official Board and the forty members present unanimously voted for Reverend Colston.

A church meeting was held on November 8, 1963 and Reverend Colston’s letter of acceptance was read and received. On Sunday, January 5, 1964, Reverend Colston preached his incoming sermon titled “A Soldier’s Interview With His Captain.” On Sunday, February 23, 1964, Reverend H. Ellis Turner of Carron Baptist Church duly installed Reverend Colston as the fourth pastor of the church.

Reverend Colston was richly blessed by the Lord with the power to lead this congregation, his arrival marked a new chapter in the life of Glendale church. His life’s story is filled with many good acts and deeds dedicated to the cause in spreading the gospel and one who after his interview with his Captain saw what was needed for the Glendale Baptist Church. He pursued his goals, even to the point of exhaustion at times, doing what he knew the Lord wanted him to do.

After years of worship in the “old framed building,” God saw fit through the inspirational leadership of Reverend Colston to build a new building of “steel and stone.” On May 29, 1976, a monumental step was taken - ground breaking for a new edifice. On March 10, 1978, Reverend Andrew Fowler, Pastor of Capital View Baptist Church, preached the cornerstone-laying sermon and the cornerstone was laid by the D. C. Prince Hall Grand Lodge F&AM PHA. It was not very long through Reverend Colston’s leadership, the Church was able to purchase the corner lot. The members were hopeful that in the next few years the lot adjacent to the church would belong to Glendale as well. Reverend Colston, in his almost twenty-one years both spiritually winning souls for Christ and financially meeting many of the goals, set continued to build up the church. On July 22, 1985, God saw fit to call Reverend Colston from labor to reward. He was loved and respected not only by Glendale, but also by everyone who crossed his path in life. His presence and leadership have been greatly felt in the hearts of many.

The Pulpit Committee comprising of the Official Board was organized again in search of a new pastor for the congregation. Deacon James Long, his wife Andriette, and Hazel Phillips strongly endorsed Reverend Anthony G. Maclin as one of the final two candidates for service. On Monday, June 9, 1986, the Official Board called a special church meeting to vote and the members unanimously agreed on Reverend Anthony G. Maclin. Deacon Claude Anderson was the moderator at that meeting. On Sunday, July 6, 1986, Pastor-elect Maclin preached his acceptance sermon to the Glendale Baptist Church congregation. On Sunday, September 28, 1986. Dr. Lehman D. Bates of First Baptist Church of Marshall Heights, Washington, D.C. duly installed him as the fifth pastor of the church.

Pastor Maclin an energetic, innovative, and anointed servant began his pastorate at Glendale lifting the church to new spiritual horizons and economic achievements. The church membership increased in numbers, spirituality, unity, and love. With Pastor Maclin’s foresight and business wisdom, a church budget was created to purchase real estate in the Glendale area, a church van, and the addition of a handicap ramp to the church entranceway. In 1990, under Pastor Maclin’s leadership the church was able to burn the mortgage on the former edifice at 4504 Gault Place, N.E. Later the church purchased the apartment building located at 4505 Gault Place, N.E., which was then named The Center for Education and Administration and used as offices and classrooms.

The church continued to grow in members and search for a new sanctuary for worship was underway. Pastor Maclin’s vision and design for the former Seidel Chevrolet car dealership located at 7610 Central Avenue, Landover, Maryland accomplished the challenge. The church purchased and renovated the car dealership as we “Possessed The Land.”

On March 18, 1995, the congregation paraded from Gault Place, N.E. (former edifice) to the site of the new church home. Upon arriving at the new Church home, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and the first worship service was held. At this location the church was able to have a fellowship and dining hall, additional classrooms, and a suite of administrative offices. The membership had increased to over 800 believers, two Sunday morning worship services, a Wednesday Night Worship service, and Bible Institute classes were held on Wednesdays twice a day - noon and evening.

In June 1997, with Pastor Maclin’s business credentials and the continued vision to “possess the land” the church expanded its real estate wealth by purchasing the former Lincoln Technical Institute located at 7800 Central Avenue, Capitol Heights, Maryland. This property was renamed the Glendale Baptist Church Christian Life Center home to Bible Babies Child Development Center, a satellite site for Bowie State University Extension Courses, the Glendale Gladiator Gymnasium, the Logos Bookshop, Angel Hair Beauty Salon, and the Majestic Glow Barbershop.

The Glendale Mass Choir recorded its first live musical recording on audiocassette, compact disc, and video format released September 26, 1998. The Mass Choir also released its second CD recording “I Admit, I Worship” on February 22, 2004.

On Sunday, May 30, 1999, a special called church conference was held and the congregation unanimously approved the leasing and renovation of the former “Rhythms” nightclub located at 7752 Landover Road, Landover, Maryland, in the Dodge Plaza Shopping Center. This new worship center, a Christian performing arts complex as well as the home of a growing church congregation, took the message of Jesus Christ to that culturally diverse community. From the congregation the members serving in this community formed a new branch and “birthed” the Multicultural Worship Center on January 1, 2000.

New Year’s Eve Celebration 2003 Pastor Maclin’s message “Taking Aim” (Philippians 3:13-14) was held in the old AMES Department Store in the Hampton Mall Complex, Capitol Heights, Maryland. His inspiration for the message was the open door to the next move of God in the life of the church, to revitalize a dying community through economics and spreading the Gospel. Plans for the purchase and renovation of the Hampton Mall Complex occupying 254,000 square footage for the new church site were accomplished and on Resurrection Sunday 2004, the Hampton Mall Complex was renamed “Kingdom Square” and the Glendale Baptist Church, Washington, D.C. was renamed “The Sanctuary At Kingdom Square.” In April 2004, the congregation occupied a temporary worship sanctuary at 9171 Central Avenue (of the mall area) while waiting the renovation of the main sanctuary at 9033 Central Avenue which would seat 1,500 persons for worship services, include a prayer chapel, Christian book store (LOGOS), and kitchen facility.

In November of 2005 a fifty-two-day journey was started to complete phase one of the main sanctuary; in 2008 additional space was opened for classrooms, and on April 13, 2008 two pillars in our congregation—Deacon Claude Anderson, a charter member who retired after 18 years from the Chairman office of the Deacon Ministry, and Trustee Catherine Coleman, who also had retired after thirty-two years of service from the office of Chairlady of the Trustee Ministry was honored in the dedication ceremony opening the Anderson Coleman Conference Center. The Sanctuary also had started the redevelopment of Kingdom Square into Gateway At Kingdom Square. The complex now extended to an area of one million square footage, with $250 million in development costs that established new businesses to stimulate the economy in the community to include: Staples Office Supplies, Everlasting Life Health Food Restaurant, Checker’s Restaurant, Long John Silver’s Restaurant, Allstate Insurance, Beauty.COM, Bally’s Total Fitness Center, Good Year Tires, Family Dollar, Credit Union Family Service Center, and the Magic Touch Cleaners. This marked a huge step in ministry for the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The Sanctuary was among the first churches in the area to own a commercial complex as well as a worship center in the same location.

There was a shift in the paradigm for rendering service unto the Lord and how His Word would remain relevant for the day. The Sanctuary in November 2008 through community outreach started the “Focus on Giving” campaign in the Capitol Heights, Maryland area. During the month of November, the church would deliver to 100 families “thanksgiving baskets” to assist them in feeding their families and strengthening relational ties with the community residents. This service has become an annual event shared by several of the ministries in the church. The Lord continued to show favor in 2011 towards the congregation in continuing the renovation of the main sanctuary to provide a state-of-the-art Nurse’s Suite, and further adding to the peace of the prayer chapel with a glass enclosure prayer garden. As The Sanctuary was blessed, the blessing went forth to the people of Haiti after baring witness to the devastation left behind from the earthquake of 2011. The church helped to rebuild communities and send large shipments of medicine and medical supplies to help in the fight against the outbreak of Cholera following the earthquake. Pastor Maclin and The Sanctuary were called upon in 2012 to lead the efforts among the churches here to visit and assist in New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy had struck the area leaving many families without shelter, food, and clothing. The church was able to provide two tractor-trailers of supplies to our neighbors in Highlands, New Jersey from the Washington metropolitan area.

The Sanctuary, keeping relevant in church service and administration, appointed in January 2013 Minister Deborah Scarborough as the first female pastoral assistant; in May 2014 after a training period, eighteen deaconesses were ordained as deacons to serve the congregation on the Diaconate Ministry. Pastor Maclin has organized numerous ministries, programs, and services all of which are intended to promote greater membership involvement in worship and church-community related activities. The Internet streaming broadcast of the Sunday and weekly services are viewed weekly on the World Wide Web at https://www.tsaks.org/watch-live connecting many souls around the world in service for the Lord.

Pastor Maclin’s spiritual guidance and mentorship has birthed eleven sons of the church who continue to faithfully lead their congregations: Pastor Leon Leath; Bishop Melvin Blake; Pastor William Cabell; Pastor Garfield Burton; Pastor Benjamin Cuthbertson; Pastor Charles Goodman; Pastor Michael Flowers; Pastor Nurney Mason; Pastor Roderick Parks; Pastor Phillip Taylor; and Pastor Andrew Tribble.

The church membership has grown from 192 active members in 1986 to more than 3,000 at present. At the July 2014 mid-year church conference, Pastor Maclin introduced a new concept in church organization, the Elders Council, to help assist in the ongoing church development and workings within the ministries to streamline the approach for the increasing needs of the members. We have grown in God’s love, spirituality, financially, and economically. As a result, in August 2014 the church started “Operation Manifestation” in the relocation of our Capitol Heights, Maryland edifice to our current site at 5300 Crain Highway in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. We anticipate many more spiritual changes and await further guidance from the Lord through the leadership of Pastor Maclin. This relocation is a step to the next level in ministry for a congregation that has sought to perform God’s work in an excellent way for over eighty-eight years. We pray that God’s mercy will continue to flow throughout the persons associated with the ministry of The Sanctuary and even greater works will be done for the Kingdom of God and His people. Our adherence to the Will of God shall lead us on to even greater heights as we continue to carry out the Core Values for the church and as believers in Christ—Word, Walk, Will, Worship, Witness, Work, and Wealth.

“But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1st Corinthians 2:9 (KJV).

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