A Fort Worth church founded by freed slaves held its final service inside a historic building

Members of one of the most historically significant Black churches in North Texas heard the final sermon in the building they've gathered in for more than 110 years.

Mount Gilead Baptist Church was featured as one of Fort Worth's most endangered places last year. The list highlights some of the community's most historic landmarks, either shuttered or at risk of demolition.

It's the end of an era for those who attend the church. Members came together for the last service in the building on Sunday morning, but they said it's just another chapter in their more than 150-year history.

The sounds of music, celebration, and community filled the inside of the church as the congregation paid a bittersweet tribute to the building it had worshipped in since 1912. Members voted to sell the building after decades of costly repairs and a smaller congregation.

The history of Fort Worth's oldest Black church begins in 1875, when a group of freed slaves built the original building and helped to found it. It started in a Black settlement known as "Baptist Hill" before moving to the current location on Grove Street. It once housed a swimming pool, gymnasium, and day nursery before segregation. 

Patricia Williams has attended the church for 40 years.

"I hope it will always be a beacon to what, I think it was, 12 slaves started many, many years ago, and that needs to be taught," Williams said. "That history needs to be never be erased because you can't erase history. You can't replace it, but hopefully, my great-great grandchildren will remember this building and remember that significance."

"To see our ancestors have the tenacity and determination to not only build the building but using that building to help improve the quality of life of Blacks in this community is something that should be preserved, protected and defended. The building has significance to those of us who have historically known that as a church, but the reality is the church is inside of us," said Reb. Kyev Tatum, Sr., with Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas.

The congregation is looking for a new place to call home, while the future of the historic building remains uncertain.