Angel Visit Baptist Church
15 North Street
Mt. Royal, NJ 08061
856-599-0657

Pastor Juan Pierre Peterson, MS, MAR
Study - 856 599-0657
E-mail: avbc15northst@comcast.net

Chairman of Deacon Ministry William Johns
Chairperson Deaconess Ministry Sue John
Chairman Emeritus Trustee Ministry Alvin Smith
Executive Administrator Janet M. Peterson
Business Officer Erica Taylor
Asst. Trustee Fran Lester
Asst. Trustee Tomi Reed-Smith
Asst. Trustee Terri Johnson
Musician Janice Hamilton

See Photographs of their 100th Anniversary
on June 27, 2004


Photograph of Angel Visit Baptist Church
circa 1904

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The HISTORY of Angel Visit Baptist Church

According to the East Greenwich Township Centennial booklet of 1981 and other sources:

About 1901, Mr. Richard Garnet was employed on a boat which traveled between Baltimore, MD and Mount Royal, NJ, hauling vegetables. After several such trips, Mr. Garnet decided to settled in East Greenwich with his family, and soon other families migrated here from Virginia. Some of these new residents felt a need for a place to worship, and they began to meet for worship in each other's homes. They finally decided to meet in one particular home, the residence of Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Taylor, located along Berkley Road, and later occupied by Rev. Renzier and Mrs. Mildred Ross.

The Taylor's son, Rev. Richard Garnet, was the first pastor, and the first members were: Mrs. Mildred Hamilton, Mrs. Rachel Clark, Mr. & Mrs. Frank Gordon, Mr. & Mrs. Lucius Gordon, Mr. & Mrs. Nelson C. Saunders, Mr. & Mrs. York Johnson, Mr. & Mrs. Richard Dandridge, and Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Taylor.

Soon the membership increased and the congregation desired a more permanent place of worship, and Mr. Nelson purchased a plot of land in back of the Taylor residence, as the site for a church. After a great deal of hard work, constant prayers, and contributions, their dream was realized and their first church, a white wooden frame structure, was erected in 1904, on North Street--the name of Angel Visit was adopted.

Circa 1919 photograph of Angel Visit Baptist Church in Mount Royal NJ after the basement and belfry were added.

In 1919 the basement and belfry were added, and more additions through the succeeding years. By 1964 there had been seven ministers to the church, and had about 70 members, and a Building Fund was established. In 1966 several members decided that due to many costly repairs and problems with the older building that a new and larger church was needed (the older church only seated 110).

Angel Visit Baptist Church, Mt. Royal Photograph by Janice Brown - April 2004

In May 1979 ground breaking ceremonies were held, and soon the then 75-year old church was torn down--the current church sits on the original site of the older church.

Inside Angel Visit Baptist Church Mt. Royal, June 2004

In June of 1979, Angel Visit Baptist's pastor, Rev. Jack Robinson, and his congregation dedicated their new $175,000 brick structure, paid for through savings accumulated by the then-120 member congregation and a mortgage. The newly built church featured 250 seats, several meeting rooms, and a community area located in the basement.

The Roy L. Baylor Fellowship Hall at Angel Visit Baptist Church

The dedication ceremony was held on a Sunday (before June 18, 1979 when an article appeared in the Gloucester County Times). This newspaper clipping states: "The dedication sermon was made by the Rev. David Vaughn, pastor of the Foster Memorial Church in Philadelphia, where Rev. Robinson served before coming to Mt. Royal. A reception followed the dedication ceremony. Other guests during the day include Mayor John F. Haegele, the Rev. James Fish, pastor of the Kingsway Baptist Church, former Congressman John Hunt of Pitman and Donald M. Kafka, president of the Kingsway Regional Board of Education."

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Pastors of Angel Visit Baptist Church include:

	Rev. Richard Garnet 1904-1909
	Rev. Wills
	Rev. R. L. Clisby
	Rev. R. Raines 1915-1932
	Rev. William Henry Boone 1934-1959
	Rev. Renzier Ross 1947-1952
	Rev. Linwood Parson 1958-1962 (Assist Pastor)
	Rev. Paul Brown 1985 (Associate Pastor)
	Rev. Jack Robinson 1963-1985
	Rev. Stanley T. Baynard 1987-2003
	Rev. Hilyard Knox Interim Pastor 2003-2006
	Pastor Juan Pierre Peterson 2006-Current