Greater Bethel Baptist Church is celebrating 136 years in the community this weekend with festivities, food and fellowship.
Greater Bethel Baptist Church was started by San Marcos’ African-American community just 18 years after slavery ended in Texas, according to Pastor Derrick Benn.
“Just a few years out of slavery, some folks got together and decided that they would erect a church… Greater Bethel was actually Second Baptist Church at that time. And they later changed the name to Greater Bethel,” Benn said. “But for 136 years folks have been finding hope and encouragement in that spot and, you know, for any organization or church or business, 136 years is a long time especially when you consider how much the world has changed in that time… On that lot, people are still coming to thank God for blessings, to pray, to sing, to do the work of ministry and that's, that's the part that we celebrate, the lives that have come through there.”
