2351 Gervais Street
First Nazareth Baptist Church
Founded in 1877 under the guidance of Reverend Virgil Parker, this congregation established its first sanctuary on Pickens Street, in 1884. Within 30 years the congregation relocated to Waverly where it has been a powerful institution. Prosperity over the decades has led “the little church with a big heart,” as it was often called, to unparalleled growth in membership and construction of new facilities, including the current sanctuary in 2005.
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Deacon Lucius W. Dakers and daughter, Beryl, standing outside First Nazareth Baptist Church, circa 1953. Image courtesy Beryl Dakers
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First Nazareth Baptist Church, 2018. Historic Columbia collection
