60th Anniversary Celebration
Join the MCH staff, past summer missionaries, volunteers, and faithful supporters as we all come together to celebrate 60 years of God’s faithfulness and blessings through Mission Centers of Houston.
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1913 – Baptist mission work in the inner city of Houston began through the Good Will Center on Fletcher Street. Miss Mary Terry served as the primary mission worker for a number of years. The property at 1815 Gano St was purchased for a future mission home and outreach center. This property was given to MCH in 1980 (more details below).
1914 – Baptist Industrial Mission building was erected at 1815 Gano St on the site where the Mildred McWhorter Missionary Building now sits (original cornerstone of the BIM is sitting near the front door of MMMB). The property was not owned by UBA or MCH at that time until it was deeded over to MCH in 1980 (more details below). The home was to provide housing and physical and spiritual care for widows, single moms and children.
1962 – Property in the Near Northside on Fletcher Street, which had operated for the prior 15 years as a good will center by Baptist Women’s City Union, was deeded over to Union Baptist Association. The property given was the existing house and lot (the original Fletcher House).
May 23, 1962 – ‘Mexican Baptist Good Will Center’ was incorporated as a Union Baptist Association subsidiary. Although much work was done by Baptists prior to this date, 5/23/62 marks the legal beginning of the organization that is now known as Mission Centers of Houston.
October 1, 1963 – Mildred McWhorter was appointed by the Home Mission Board as Director of the Mexican Baptist Goodwill Center. She began assembling programs and utilized volunteers to renovate the property for the start of mission work. The community referred to her as ‘Miss Mac’.
November 4, 1963 – The Mexican Baptist Goodwill Center was officially re-opened and mission work began. The community affectionately called it the Fletcher Center.
1965 – The Joy Fellowship mission in Magnolia Park community ministry began in a rented store building. It was based on an act of faith by Nicholosa Salazar and Mildred McWhorter. Mildred named Joy after three boys who were Asian, Hispanic and Anglo. They would come running up to her every time she came, saying, “Oh teacher, I’m so glad you are here”. When Mildred saw the joy on their faces she thought, “to a boy without a friend, it is a joy just to be loved, but to those who find Christ it will be eternal joy.” The ministry grew quickly, giving rise to the need for more permanent facilities in the community.
1967 – Property in Magnolia Park was deeded over to UBA – 7629 Avenue F. Included were a cement slab with a metal frame and roof (it was used as a basketball court previously).
1967 – The Joy Fellowship Center was constructed by closing in the existing structure.
November, 1967 – the Joy Fellowship Center was dedicated and officially opened.
~1968 – The existing house and lot was purchased at 7641 Avenue F adjacent to Joy Fellowship Center (to serve as a residence for Joy staff).
~1969 – The property beside the Fletcher House was purchased and the home that was there was demolished to make way for a new education building.
~1970 – The Fletcher Education Building was constructed (beside the Fletcher House)
1973 – Property adjacent to the existing Fletcher facilities was purchased for expansion.
1975 – The house that was there was demolished and the Fletcher Activities Building was constructed (beside the Fletcher Education Building). It would house a gymnasium to be used for activities and food and clothing distribution.
1980 – The house that was there was demolished and a one story Fletcher Children’s Building was constructed (beside the Fletcher Activities Building).
1980 – Official Name change from Mexican Baptist Good Will Center to Baptist Mission Center
1980 – The Baptist Industrial Mission and all property at 1815 Gano was deeded over to Baptist Mission Center. This included the Baptist Industrial Mission building and two houses.
1980 – The Joy Fellowship Center Activities Building (the building on the left side) was constructed. This is the building that currently houses the gym, bathrooms and showers.
~1981 – Groundbreaking for Gano Recreation Pavilion
~1983 – The Gano Mission Center Building was constructed (the recreation pavilion was closed in).
1988 – Additions to the Gano Mission Center Building (showers, bathrooms, kitchen, classrooms and offices) was done and finished in 1989.
1989 – Mason Drive Church closed and gave the right to MCH to use it as a Christian learning center and additional food distribution point. The location was used until late 1995.
1989 – A metal warehouse for distribution of food and goods at Gano was donated. A huge walk-in freezer and walk-in cooler were included in the plans.
December 31, 1992 – Mildred McWhorter retired.
January 1, 1993 – Myrtle Tolley began serving as Interim Director until April, 1994
April, 1994 – Dorcas Byrd began serving as the Baptist Mission Centers Director until 2001.
2000 – The Joy Fellowship Center was renovated and a kitchen and food pantry were added
~2002 – Purchase of the empty lot at 7636 Avenue F (across the street from Joy) for possible use as a site for a future mission residence for Joy staff.
October 1, 2002 – Ginger Smith began serving as the Executive Director until March, 2014.
2004 – Purchase of 7640 Avenue F – across the street from Joy and next to 7636 Avenue F (site of future new Joy House)
2007 – Baptist Industrial Mission building and Gano houses demolished. Mildred McWhorter Missionary Building, playground and parking lot constructed.
2009 – Name change from Baptist Mission Center to Mission Centers of Houston
March 1, 2014 – Craig Taylor began serving as Interim Executive Director until 2016.
April 1, 2016 – Jeff Chadwick began serving as Executive Director
2016 – The Original Joy house was condemned and demolished
2017 – MCH forms NE Houston Restoration to support churches helping with Hurricane Harvey devastation and provide emergency food and supplies to community residents seeking help from both mission centers.
2018 – New Joy House constructed (across the street from the Joy Center). The name of Joy Fellowship Center was change to Joy Mission Center (and now serves a residence for the Greater East End Area Missionary and Joy Center Director – Noe and Vanessa Ortiz)
2018 – Two dorm rooms with 8 beds each constructed on second floor above bathrooms in the Joy Mission Center Activities Building.
2020 – Fletcher House Remodel – the original residence was totally gutted and remodeled (and now serves as a residence for the Near Northside Missionary and Gano Center Director – Juan and Lucia Ayala).
2021 – Gano Mission Center Children’s Cottages – two 12×16 cottages were built to house children’s classes.
2021-2022 – Joy Mission Market was established by building a pavilion and new 7’ wooden fence on the lot beside the Joy Mission Center Building.
Photo Gallery
