Brief Church History
The Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church was organized on June 10, 1976, 7:30 p.m. at the Church of the Living God, 10305 Garfield Avenue, where Rev. Presberry served as Pastor. Rev. Robert Hayles, pastor of the Messiah Baptist Church, served as Moderator, assisted by the late Rev. G.W. Sharpe, Moderator of the Liberty Baptist District Association, with approximately 100 persons present. Immediately after the organizing, a motion was made to call Reverend Horace G. Coleman as Pastor for life. Motion prevailed.
The new organized church held services in the Strowder’s Funeral Chapel (free of charge), 818 East 105th Street from May 30, 1976 to January 23, 1977. On January 30, 1977, we moved into our present edifice at 3435 Fairmount Boulevard, Cleveland Heights, Ohio; and celebrated our 1st Annual “Family Day” and our 1st “Church Anniversary”. Purchase price for this building was $145,000.00. Being a “NEW” church, we didn’t have any savings nor did we have credit established. Therefore a number of members put up their homes as collateral and our Pastor put up $45,000.00 cash.
The members of this newly organized church were excited and immediately began working on projects, such as; purchasing pianos, a Hammond organ, Maxi vans, chairs for the pulpit, kitchen equipment, carpet for the sanctuary, a Communion table, drapes and much more. Of course in these forty-two years we’ve had to replenish and equip the church many times.
A Day Care was added to the church; a Baptist Training Union was implemented; the Board of Christian Education successfully began weekly Bible class and held two Institutes yearly, both of which were inspirational to the membership of this church and its visitors; a New Members’ Class was formed; the Esther Missionary Circle, the Young Matrons and the Young Adult Usher Board were organized. The Church membership participated in “Project Angel Tree” sponsored by Prison Fellowship Ministries, and each first Sunday, the Church prepared food and served homeless people (100-200 upward), and breakfast at the Hunger Center for several years. Many other accomplishments have been made during these forty-two years.
The accomplishment for which we are most grateful is the abundant number of souls who received the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. We have tried to brighten this corner where we are!
In July of 1988, our Founder, Pastor Horace G. Coleman, retired as Pastor and upon the acceptance of his resignation, he was elected, by the Church body, as Pastor Emeritus of Greater Peace. We are grateful to God for the leadership of Pastor Coleman.
In August of 1989, our Assistant Pastor, Rev. Henry M. Mitchell (who was selected as Acting Pastor at the time of Pastor Coleman’s retirement), was called to the pastorate of Greater Peace. Under his leadership we were supportive of W.C.R.F. Radio, City Mission and Remnant Ministries; the Board of Evangelism visited the home for battered women and children each month, taking the word of God, clothing and items of necessity. We donated to the hurricane disaster area in Florida; held a Seminar for leaders at Days Hotel; repaired the parking lot; had a handicap ramp redone and many other accomplishments were made.
In May of 1992, we paid in full the balance due on our mortgage, which amounted to more than $59,000.00. We praise God for being able to see Pastor Emeritus Coleman and Pastor Henry M. Mitchell stand together and burn the mortgage on Sunday, October 18, 1992.
We were without a Pastor from April, 1995 to May, 1997, when Pastor Walter R. Houston was called as Pastor. God blessed us tremendously. God gave the increase and approximately 250 persons placed their membership here, many of those were candidates for baptism. A new roof has been put on the church building; a new pulpit podium was purchased; a feeding ministry was instituted each fifth Sunday to those who were homeless and hungry, done by the Missionary Ministry; a Brotherhood Ministry was established and these men would go out on the streets of Cleveland, passing out blankets, gloves, clothing and food. Pastor Houston resigned after 11 years.
Again we were without a Pastor. On Easter Sunday, 2011 Pastor Ezra L. Tillman Jr., began his pastorate at Greater Peace up until June, 2014 when he decided to go back home to Michigan.
But God is sovereign. On Sunday, June 7, 2015, Pastor Jason L.Tidmore, Sr. began his pastorate at Greater Peace and since that time over 100 souls have been saved and placed their membership here, many of those were candidates for baptism. Under Pastor Tidmore’s leadership we have purchased a new pulpit podium with the GP logo, new furniture for the Pastor’s Study, repaired the baptismal pool, re-sealed and lined the church lot, purchased a new marquee and a church van which he drove to Flint, Michigan to deliver water given by Greater Peace members to the citizens of Flint. The H.G. Coleman wing of the church was recently upgraded by refinishing the floor, painting and new area rug added with the GP logo. Also, a bass player was added to our musical staff along with reviving the Male Chorus and Children’s Choir.
Pastor Tidmore wants Greater Peace members to have a thorough knowledge of the bible in which he teaches us in weekly Bible Study Class as well as guiding GP to attend classes given by the Northeast Ohio Association of Baptist Ministers (NOABM) of which he and GP’s associate ministers are members.
Pastor Tidmore has led the charge to ensure that our youth go on outings 1-2 times a year, both educational and fun. He has taken the youth to the Underground Railroad Museum in Cincinnati, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, Kennywood Amusement Park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania and Zoombezie Bay Waterpark which is part of the Columbus Zoo.
We praise God for this young, vibrant man of God who is off and running toward the goals God has set for him, and look forward to many years of great leadership and Christian growth as Pastor Tidmore is led by the Holy Spirit.