Expansion in the 1970s
Rev. Donald D. Morland followed Rev. Burchett in 1967 and further improvements were made. The vestry walls were resurfaced and the stained glass windows in the sanctuary were releaded. The pastoral work of the church was expanding and an assistant pastor, Rev. Robert B. Johnson, was added in 1972.
The next year there was in Rev. Morland's words, "A Major Development, the establishment of a new church in Durham. Praise the Lord with me that in spite of 38 vacancies created in church positions by our commitment of a sizeable number of our members to the new work and in spite of our loss of substantial financial support, our church has not only survived, but progressed." At least five Durham families in our congregation had taken a step of Faith and started the Durham Evangelical Church. In 1983 they dedicated a new church building.
Both Revs. Morland and Johnson left to become missionaries in Europe. After an interim period with Dr. Lloyd A. Kalland, Vice President of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Rev. Paul L. Quinn was called in 1976. In the next few years the church kitchen was entirely renovated, the church name was added to the back of the building in large letters, a bus was purchased, a new furnace installed, a Baldwin piano was added to the vestry, and new lights installed in the main hallways.
Several properties changed hands as well: the parsonage at 14 Richmond Street was sold; the land behind the church was sold to the city during an Urban Renewal project, repurchased, and paved for a parking lot; and the McDonough property was purchased making Dover Baptist Church the owner of the entire block.
During the 1970's, the church supported several part time ministries for its members. For various periods we had a Family Service Coordinator, Youth Director, Evangelism Director and Christian Education Director. In 1980 Jon R. Westa was appointed Pastor of Christian Education and Youth on a full time basis.
Once again, in 1982, church By-Laws received major changes. Chief among those was the establishment of a Board of Elders for the first time, supplemented by Deacons and Deaconesses.
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