Payne Avenue Missionary Baptist Church has stood on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in East Knoxville since the early 1930s, when a small group of believers gathered under the leadership of Reverend Horace J. Bailey. Ninety-four years later, the church still gathers on the same street, now home to about 120 active members, twenty ministries, and a music program that has always blended hymns with contemporary gospel. The congregation's welcome is anchored in Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart," and its tagline, "There's a special place for You at Payne Avenue," captures a hospitality that has shaped every decade of its life.
Ninety-Four Years on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue
The church traces its beginning to the early 1930s, when Reverend Horace J. Bailey founded a small, progressive, historically Black congregation in East Knoxville. Over the years, the building that became the permanent home, the former site of Memorial Baptist Church, was purchased for $105,000, and the mortgage was later retired in a celebrated burning ceremony. After Reverend Bailey passed away about ten months after a special recognition service, the congregation extended a call to Reverend Melford J. Robinson, recommended by Reverend Bailey himself before his death.
Under Reverend Robinson, the church built the H. J. Bailey annex for $100,000, purchased a parsonage at 2650 Parkview Avenue for the pastor and his family, and remodeled the sanctuary. When renovations forced the congregation out of the building, Sunday morning worship and Sunday School relocated to Austin-East High School while evening services were held in the annex. On Sunday, November 13, 1983, members marched together from Austin-East High School to the newly dedicated sanctuary, a moment that still anchors the church's sense of identity.
After an 18-month interim season under Reverend O. W. Willis, the church extended a call to Reverend Dwight E. Cook, who restructured Sunday School and communion. He was followed in 1993 by Reverend Daniel Keys, the fourth pastor, who expanded the parking lot and retired the mortgage. Reverend Keys resigned in February 1996, and on January 5 of the same year, Reverend Richard S. Brown, Jr. preached his first sermon as the church's fifth pastor. Pastor Brown's tenure reshaped the music, media, health, and educational ministries, leaving a legacy that is still felt across the congregation. The church honors his memory with an inscription drawn from Matthew 25:23: "Well done, Good and Faithful Servant."
In 2017, the church purchased the former Bi-Lo Market property, expanding its footprint in the neighborhood for ministry use. A marquee sign at the front of the building shares announcements with the surrounding community. The church holds memberships in the National Baptist Convention, the Tennessee Baptist Missionary and Education Convention, and the Knoxville District Baptist Association.
Sunday Mornings at Payne Avenue
The weekly rhythm centers on two Sunday gatherings. Sunday School gathers at 9:30 a.m. with curricula for every age, and the season's lessons walk through the Old Testament from the nomadic tribes of Israel through the rise of Samuel as prophet, priest, judge, and kingmaker. The morning worship service follows at 10:30 a.m., broadcast on Facebook Live and joined by listeners on a conference call line. Members unable to attend in person can request archived sermon audio from the Broadcast Media Ministry, which amplifies, records, and shares the preached Word through varied technological resources. CDs of the services are not currently available, but the church bulletins distributed by the usher board help every visitor feel at home.
The Usher Ministry welcomes visitors and members alike with a warm, friendly smile, assistance with entry, exit, and seating, directions to restrooms, comfort at homegoing services, and service at funerals and special programs throughout the year. Both adults and youth serve in the usher rotation, and the ministry participates in Knoxville District Baptist Association events.
A Rich Musical Tradition
Music has long been a defining strength of the congregation. The Payne Avenue Mass Choir, under the direction of Minister of Music Eleanor Horton, leads worship on the first, second, and third Sundays from January through July and from September through December. Horton has shaped the music ministry since January 2011, drawing on a foundation she began building at eight years old and refined at Maryville College, where she was among eight African-American students studying piano, voice, theory, and choral arts. She later completed her studies at Knoxville Business College (now South College). The Praise Team, led by Jessica E. Brown, prepares the congregation for worship on the third Sunday of each month, while the Youth Choir, under the direction of Gabriel Dennis, takes the lead on Youth Sunday, the fourth Sunday of every month. The Youth Choir trains in breathing, vocalizing, enunciation, projection, and ear training with an emphasis on self-discipline. Section leaders Sharon Kimbrough and Madia Dennis lead the sopranos, Carlesia Manning leads the altos, and Lynnette Fain leads the tenors. A roster of instrumentalists supports the music: Greg Willis on keyboard and organ, Richard Brown III on drums, Herb Donaldson on bass guitar, and Luchie McGhee on lead guitar.
Two additional choirs enrich the church's calendar. The Women's Chorus originated from the Freedom to Worship Service, and the Men's Chorus grew from a Men's Day program, "Men Taking a Stand for God." A new organ was purchased and installed in December 2000.
Wednesday Nights of Prayer and Study
Wednesday nights bring a full schedule of prayer, study, and fellowship. The youth lead a prayer meeting by phone at 5:50 p.m., an evening prayer meeting gathers at 6:30 p.m., and Bible study follows at 7:00 p.m., with dinner served before study. Bible study is available in person and via Zoom (Meeting ID 603 446 8483, Passcode 650441). A nursery has been part of the church's life for many years, and the Library Ministry stocks Bibles, concordances, dictionaries, fiction, and children's books for all readers.
The Transportation Ministry arranges rides for Wednesday night prayer meeting and Bible study on request, with members rotating to drive and provide backup. Sunday rides are available from a roster of volunteers: Brother Al Harper on the first Sunday, Brother Cornelias Jones on the second, Brother Abe Johnson on the third, and Brother Len Fain on the fourth, with Deacons Steve Templin and Dwight Armstrong also serving. The ministry also supports other ministries for special events and trips. Rides can be arranged by calling the church office Tuesday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
The Youth of Payne Avenue
The Youth Ministry lives out a threefold mission drawn from Matthew 28:18-20: lift up the Savior, love the sinner, and lead believers into discipleship. Deacon Felix Harris, Jr. directs the ministry, with Angela Patrick and Lacynda Harris serving as assistant directors. Twenty-seven youth leaders walk alongside approximately 35 young people who attend on a regular basis. Youth officers include President Bradley Dickey III, Vice President Isaiah Buckman, Secretary Yasmine Croom, and Chaplains Secora Howard and Ja'Miracle Fain. The youth usher on the fourth Sunday, lead Vacation Bible School, host youth retreats, and gather for special events. Each year the youth save their pennies and loose change to support Knox Area Rescue Ministries meals. God's Blossoms, a ministry that prepares young girls for service, is part of the youth's life, and the youth have published a book, "The Fruit of the Spirit," under the guidance of Deacon Daryl Green.
Women of Every Season
Women of every age find a place in this church. The Women's Ministry brings together women ages 18 and up for monthly Bible study, conferences, and opportunities for corporate worship. The M.O.M.S. (Mothers Offering Mutual Support) Ministry, led by Joyce Felder, walks with mothers in every season. The Deaconess Ministry supports the pastor and deacons while encouraging women in their spiritual growth through Bible study and practical service. The deaconesses maintain communion and baptismal properties, prepare for baptisms and communion on the first Sunday of the month, visit the sick and shut-in, support grieving members, stock an emergency food box, and mentor the M.O.M.S. ministry. Gina Armstrong, Betty Blackman (co-chair), Joyce Felder, Lacynda Harris (chair), Mary E. Montgomery, Mary K. Montgomery, Johnnie Rodgers (treasurer), Roslyn Robinson, Linda Siddell, and Cynthia Templin (secretary) form the current Deaconess board.
The General Missions Ministry organizes the work of three missionary circles, each named for a woman of faith in the church's story. Eleanor Manning serves as president. Denota Fain leads the Eula Mae Crippen Missionary Circle, Jackie Ingram leads the Lenora Higgins Missionary Circle, and Edie DuBose-Grooms leads the Ada Hamlett Missionary Circle. Together the circles gather for monthly group Bible study using "The Worker: A Missionary and Educational Quarterly," visit the sick and shut-in, deliver monthly meals and care packages, send cards and letters, support college students, provide Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets, give to community feeding programs, and partner with Ronald McDonald House, the Love Kitchen, Holston Healthcare Center, and the Serenity Shelter. The circles participate in the Knoxville District Women's Meeting, held on the fourth Saturday of each month at rotating churches, and join community efforts through Church Women United and the Compassion Coalition.
The Health and Awareness Ministry
The Health and Awareness Ministry promotes healthy spirit-filled living, ministers to the sick and hurting, and equips the congregation with information about common health concerns. Elveta Phillips chairs the ministry, with Sandy Fulgham as co-chair and Lois Dave as secretary. Blood pressure checks are held every third Sunday of the month, and members wear red on the third Sunday in February to raise awareness of heart disease. Throughout the year, the ministry educates the congregation on heart disease, stroke, glaucoma, thyroid disorders, kidney disease, autism, dementia, Alzheimer's, lupus, skin cancer, vaccinations, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and diabetes. The work always points back to the same rhythm: regular checkups, a low-fat diet, prescribed medicines, regular exercise, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol.
A Soul Food Festival in February, a clothing drive in October, back-to-school activities, Vacation Bible School, and adult and youth retreats round out the church's calendar of community touchpoints.
Men, Deacons, Trustees, and Ushers
The Men's Ministry gathers the men of the church for fellowship, study, and service. The Deacons assist the pastor in all duties concerning the congregation. The elected Board of Trustees, made up of eleven members including the treasurer, manages the church facilities and finances, including collection, reporting, distribution, and accounting of the church's monies. Trustees serve three-year terms with a limit of two terms. The Kitchen Ministry supports fellowship and Wednesday night meals, and the Library Ministry provides resources for leaders, ministerial staff, school programs, missions, and special groups.
Reaching Out from Knoxville
Outreach and Evangelism, led by Minister and Mrs. Anthony Rogers, carries the gospel into the surrounding community. The church has partnered with other area congregations to build Habitat for Humanity homes, including one on Houston Street, and has purchased two lots on Houston Street for ministry use. The Angel Tree Ministry brings gifts to children of incarcerated parents, and the congregation packs Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box gifts to send around the world. The church has provided ongoing financial support to the Mechanicsville Medical Clinic.
A Royal Tea, an annual ladies' gathering, brings women and girls together for an afternoon of fellowship, inspiration, and celebration as daughters of the King.
Cedine Retreats
Payne Avenue women have enjoyed many retreats over the years at Cedine Ministries, a Bible-based camp and retreat center founded in 1946 by Paul Zimmerman in the Tennessee countryside. Cedine offers Bible study, group devotion, private time, and a full slate of activities from horseback riding to archery to quiet walks, with meals included. Weekends at Cedine have become a meaningful part of the rhythm for many in the congregation.
Baptist Roots and the Church Covenant
Payne Avenue is a Missionary Baptist congregation, a member of the National Baptist Convention, the Tennessee Baptist Missionary and Education Convention, and the Knoxville District Baptist Association. Members adopt the Baptist Church Covenant, pledging to walk together in Christian love, sustain the church's worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines, contribute cheerfully to the ministry and the relief of the poor, abstain from the use of intoxicating drinks, and seek the salvation of their kindred and acquaintance. Baptisms and communion are celebrated on the first Sunday of each month. The motto, "There's a special place for You at Payne Avenue," is at the heart of the church's welcome.
A Season of Pastoral Search
The current ministerial team includes Associate Minister Anthony Rodgers, who publicly announced his call into the ministry at Payne Avenue in February 2007, preached his first sermon in 2008, and is a lifetime resident of Knoxville. He is married to Johnnie Rodgers, and they have two children. Minister Kirktenia Walton Brown, a native of Talbotton, Georgia, and a graduate of Wesleyan College in Macon, accepted the call to preach in November 2013, preached her trial sermon in May 2015, and has shared the gospel throughout East Tennessee, with the Knoxville District, and in the East Region Conference. She leads the Women's Ministry and teaches the teen girls' Sunday School class.
Visiting Payne Avenue
Sunday morning begins with Sunday School at 9:30 a.m., followed by worship at 10:30 a.m. The church building is at 2714 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Knoxville, with parking available on site. The Broadcast Media Ministry streams the 10:30 a.m. service on Facebook Live, and a conference call line allows anyone to listen by phone each Sunday. Visitors are welcomed by an active usher board, given a church bulletin, and pointed to restrooms and seating. For those who need a ride, the Transportation Ministry arranges pickup with advance notice. The church office is open Tuesday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and can be reached at (865) 524-7234 or by email at payneavebc@att.net. Online giving for the General Offering, Tithe, or other funds is available through the church's giving page.