The Church of Greater Love in Punta Gorda
St. Mary Primitive Baptist Church stands at 605 Mary Street in Punta Gorda, Florida, a brick sanctuary with roots stretching back more than a century. Locals know it as the "Holy Ghost Headquarters," a name the congregation has carried since its earliest days. Pastor Demetrius Thomas, alongside First Lady Shakira Thomas, leads a congregation that frames its work around "Moving from Membership to Ministry in the Spirit of Excellence." A warm reception and unhurried praise - singing, waving hands, saying "Hallelujah," or sitting in stillness - are part of every gathering.
From a Corner Lot to a Hurricane-Reborn Sanctuary
The story of St. Mary begins on October 29, 1901, when a minister named Reverend Austin purchased land for the congregation. John McGee, chairman of the Trustee Board, and member Benjamin Anderson negotiated the deal with S.J. and Annie Trabue. The first sanctuary rose at the corner of Helen Avenue and St. Mary Street, where it was dedicated to the worship of Jesus Christ.
Sixty years of pastoral turnover followed. In 1960, Reverend Willie Haynes arrived and pushed to rebuild the aging foundation. While construction proceeded, members worshipped down the road at the True Light Bible School on Showalter Avenue. On the first Sunday of September 1968, the St. Mary congregation joined Reverend Z.D. Coaston and his members from Mount Hermon Primitive Baptist Church of Fort Myers and marched in song from True Light to St. Mary's present location on Mary Street.
Through the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s, a procession of pastors shepherded the church: Reverends David Ash, Lee, Robert Mitchell of Fort Myers, Draine, Brown, Jimmy Young, Green, and G.E. Black. In 1992, Elder W.L. Mitchell of Tampa was called; he served until his health required him to step aside. On April 6, 1997, Elder Isaac Thomas, Jr. was appointed pastor. In the years that followed, the church grew under Thomas and, more recently, under the current pastor, Demetrius Thomas.
A year before Hurricane Charley, the church was given a vision for a new sanctuary, the old building having been outgrown. Without funding for the project, a member named Sister Anna Callwood collaborated on preliminary plans and conceptual drawings. The project stalled for lack of money. Then on August 13, 2004, at about 4:41 p.m., Hurricane Charley tore through Punta Gorda and destroyed the building. The loss became the catalyst for rebuilding. For sixteen months the congregation worshipped at 4 p.m. and held Wednesday church school at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church at 402 Dupont Street, shared by Pastor Loyd Salary. After that, services moved to the New Operation Cooper Street Recreation and Education Center at 650 Mary Street for another twenty-one months. On August 29, 2007, a Certificate of Occupancy was issued for the rebuilt St. Mary, and on September 9, 2007, the last service was held at Cooper Street before the congregation returned home.
Sunday Restoration and Worship
Sunday mornings follow two beats. At 9 a.m. the congregation gathers for Morning Restoration, a quieter hour. At 10 a.m. the Morning Worship Service begins, a fuller gathering that is the centerpiece of the week. Members are invited to praise the Lord in any way they deem fit - singing, waving hands, shouting "Hallelujah," or sitting in stillness. The prayer of the leadership is simply that the Glory of the Lord fill the house.
Wednesday Nights of Life Application
Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. bring Life Application and Biblical Studies. The hour gathers adults around the Scriptures for teaching meant to translate the Bible into daily decisions and habits. Parking is available on the street around the sanctuary on Mary Street.
Connect, Cause, Community
The mission statement lays out three intentions that give shape to everything else. Connect: people are made to be in personal relationship with the God who created them, through the person of Jesus Christ. Cause: people are made to participate with God in changing the world and impacting eternity. Community: people are made with the need for authentic friendships with other people.
What the Church Believes
St. Mary holds to a traditional Primitive Baptist confession. The Bible is the inspired, infallible, and authoritative written Word of God. There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The church affirms the deity of Jesus Christ, his virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, vicarious and atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension to the right hand of the Father, and personal future return to this earth in power and glory to rule a thousand years. The blessed hope of the church includes the rapture of the Church at Christ's coming. Salvation comes only through repentance and faith in the precious blood of Christ. Regeneration by the Holy Spirit is essential for personal salvation, and the redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides healing of the human body in answer to believing prayer. The Holy Spirit sanctifies the Christian, enabling a holy life. Both the saved and the lost will be resurrected, one to everlasting life and the other to everlasting damnation.
The SMBC Pantry
Outreach takes a tangible form through the SMBC Pantry, a food assistance ministry run out of the church. The pantry is the practical expression of the congregation's call to minister to the lost, the hurting, and the suffering, whether the need is spiritual, financial, or emotional.
Facilities and Giving
The sanctuary and adjacent rooms are available for community events. Anyone planning a gathering can call (941) 637-7782 to ask about rentals. Online giving is available through Givelify and PayPal, and the congregation stays connected through a Facebook page under the handle SMBCPG.
Pastor Demetrius and Lady Shakira Thomas
Pastor Demetrius Thomas serves as pastor of St. Mary Baptist Church in Punta Gorda. First Lady Shakira Thomas works alongside him in the ministry. They are the parents of Santira, Jade, Malia, Rashard, and Jaycion. The saying the congregation carries is a line attributed to William James: "Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does."