Second Baptist Church sits on the north end of Sixth Avenue in Rock Island, Illinois, in a part of the Quad Cities where generations of families have walked to the same block to worship. Organized in 1873 by members who first gathered at a small mission house donated by Mrs. John Boyer, the congregation has called this neighborhood home for over 150 years and now counts a Family Life Center, a community music academy, and a food pantry among its ministries.
From McKinley Chapel to the Family Life Center
The story of Second Baptist Church begins in 1869, when members of Rock Island's First Baptist Church built a West Side Mission House on a donated lot. A larger chapel followed in 1870 and 1871, and by 1873 the group, led by Rev. Hawkins with the support of First Baptist's pastor Rev. John Mabe, organized as a congregation of its own. The chapel was first called McKinley Chapel, and the name did not change to Second Baptist Church until after a fire in 1898 had destroyed the building and Rev. Crusholm's leadership guided it through a rebuild. During that same era the church joined the Wood River Baptist District Association after earlier belonging to the Northern Baptist Association.
Fire struck the building again in 1943, and for several months the congregation met at the Rescue Mission before the renovated sanctuary reopened. In 1963 Rev. William Grimes became pastor, and the following year the church embarked on a campaign to construct a new building. Members, organizations, and community friends contributed until the mortgage was burned in a September 24, 1978 service. Rev. Grimes served for 29 years.
In August 1993 the church called Rev. Joseph D. Williamson III as its next pastor. Under his leadership the SBC Family Life Center was built and dedicated in September 2002, expanding the church's ability to host ministries that reach beyond its walls.
Pastor Williamson's Three Decades at Second Baptist
Rev. Joseph D. Williamson III grew up in East St. Louis and came to faith at St. Paul Baptist Church, where he was later ordained in 1993 after attending Eden Theological Seminary. Before entering ministry he practiced criminal defense law in the Greater St. Louis Area, a background that informs his long tenure in Rock Island. He holds a Juris Doctor from Thurgood Marshall Law School at Texas Southern University and a Bachelor of Science from Illinois State University.
Since his August 1993 call, Pastor Williamson has established many of the church's signature ministries, including the SBC Tutorial Ministry, the SBC Van Ministry with its bus and van, the SBC Music and Arts Academy, an early 8:00 a.m. worship service, the Youth Outreach Ministry, Holy Week services, Cottage Prayer, and the Audio-Visual Ministry. He also created the Board of Christian Education to oversee the spiritual formation of the congregation and oversaw improvements that made the church fully handicapped accessible. He is an affiliate of the National Baptist Association Convention U.S.A. Inc., serves as Third Vice President of the Baptist General State Convention of Illinois, and is a former Moderator and Dean of the Wood River District Association.
Sunday Mornings on Sixth Avenue
The Sunday gathering at Second Baptist centers on a 10:00 AM worship service held in person at 919 Sixth Avenue and broadcast live on Facebook Live. Sunday School meets at 9:00 AM, both in person and on Zoom. The order of worship follows a traditional Baptist pattern, and the Music Ministry and Praise Dancers are woven into the service. The Facebook Live broadcast has become a familiar Sunday morning presence in the Quad Cities, allowing members who are traveling or homebound to join the same service as those in the pews.
Midweek Bible Study and Prayer
Wednesday nights are set aside for Prayer Meeting and Bible Study from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM, hosted on Zoom so that members across the area can take part. The church has also offered a Thursday Bible Study. Ministries for children begin with the Children's Nursery and continue through Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and the youth programs that meet under the oversight of the Christian Board of Education.
The SBC Music and Arts Academy
The SBC Outreach Music and Arts Academy is one of the most visible extensions of the church into the wider Rock Island community. Launched in January 2007 as a nonprofit, community-based program, the Academy provides affordable music and performing arts instruction to students of all ages, with private and group lessons held on Saturdays at Second Baptist. Instructors include accomplished performers and educators along with student teachers from Black Hawk College and other area schools.
The Academy is also a place where practical needs are met. Between lessons, students are offered a meal, and during the cold months the program distributes winter clothing such as coats, hats, gloves, and boots. Sponsors include the HavLife Foundation, the Doris and Victor Day Foundation, the Figge Museum, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, Augustana College, St. Ambrose University, United Way, West Music, and many other community partners. Rev. Carmen Ausborn, the church's Senior Assistant to the Pastor, also serves as Executive Director of the Academy.
Ministries Across the Congregation
The congregation supports a wide slate of ministries led by its members. Alongside the Christian Board of Education and Sunday School, the Deacon Ministry, Deaconess Ministry, Trustee Ministry, and Brotherhood Ministry form the structural backbone of church life. The Missionary Society, Usher Board, Music Ministry, and Praise Dancers lead in worship, while the Culinary Committee, Wedding Committee, Building Facilities team, and Audio-Visual Ministry keep the church running from week to week. Prayer and study groups include the Prayer Meeting and Bible Study, the Book of the Month Club, and the Morning Star Ministry. A Scholarship Committee supports students pursuing further education.
For children, the Children's Nursery welcomes the youngest members, and Vacation Bible School is offered each summer. The Youth Ministry and SBC Youth Outreach Ministry give teenagers their own space, while the Van Ministry provides transportation so that members and neighbors who lack a ride can still take part in worship and programs.
Serving Rock Island and Beyond
Second Baptist has always seen its work as extending beyond the sanctuary. The SBC Tutorial Ministry offers academic support to students in the community, and a Food Pantry helps families facing food insecurity. Rev. Williamson's civic roles have included service on the Rock Island Housing Authority Commission, the Skip-A-Long Child Development Services Board, and the Trinity Medical Center Ethics Committee, linking the church to the wider social fabric of the Quad Cities. Giving to Second Baptist and to the Music and Arts Academy is supported online through Givelify, and in-person gifts can be designated at any Sunday or midweek service.