The History of Ivy Baptist Church

Realizing the need for spiritual witnessing and a place to worship, a group of concerned Christians assembled together in Dawson City, VA and organized the First Baptist Church of Dawson City in 1906.  Accepting the call of God to Pastor this new church was Rev. James Carr.  After serving as Pastor for ten years, he resigned, and the church elected Reverend S.E. Brown to succeed him.

Under Rev. Brown's leadership, the church moved to the five hundred block of Eighteenth Street and became known as the First Baptist Church, Eighteenth Street.  Rev. Brown was Pastor of the church for seven years.

In 1923, the church elected Reverend J.M. Bray as their its Pastor.  After twenty-seven years of growth, witnessing and fellowship, The Newport News Housing Authority purchased the church site.  A new church edifice was built at 1612 Ivy Avenue and in September of 1952, the church had its first service in its new building.  Once the church moved to Ivy Avenue, the church became known as the Ivy Avenue Baptist Church.  After 35 years of ministry, Dr. J.M. Bray went home to be with the Lord.  In 1958, Reverend U.L. Charity was called and accepted the Pastor's position of the church.  Rev. Charity faithfully served as the Pastor for eight years.

On February 4, 1968, as the Interim Pastor, Reverend Dr. W. Henry Maxwell began his faithful ministry with the church.  Under his leadership, the church excelled to heights that were not previously imagined.

On November 10, 1971, our present church building was purchased on Maple Avenue.  Due to the change of location, the church family voted unanimously to change the name to Ivy Baptist Church. Also under the leadership of Rev. Maxwell, a church child care and learning center was established in 1974 and a Family Life Center was erected and named in his honor on June 27, 1999.   Rev. Maxwell faithfully served as the Pastor for 36 years and retired on December 26, 2004.   In January of 2005, Rev. Maxwell was named the Interim Pastor of the church until the church found a new Pastor.

In February of 2006, God called to Ivy Baptist Church, Reverend Kevin G. Swann, where he began as the Pastor on March 12, 2006.  Today, the membership of Ivy Baptist Church is growing both numerically and spiritually and the people of Ivy look forward to the great work that God plans to do through the church.