Bethel Missionary Baptist Church receives national recognition

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - The National Park Service has listed the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Pocatello in its National Register of Historic Places.

For 100 years, Bethel has been serving the Pocatello community.

The church got its start with African-Americans needing a place of worship back in the 1920s. 

"The reason that the church was developed or founded was because of discriminatory practices during that time period," said Pastor William Beard.

Those who were attending the church were directly affected by discriminatory practices in the city. 

"At that time, we had restrictive covenants where if you were a person of color or you were of a ethnicity, you could not live beyond eighth avenue," said church member Alfreda Vann. 'You could not live south of Center or north of Oak."

Vann says the church baptized her in 1955, and after attending Bethel for close to 70 years, she says she is delighted to see her congregation get the recognition they deserve. 

"To get this designation, it shows that those early pioneers that moved here at the turn of the last century, they persevered," Vann said. "They survived, but they also built something that was going to last, and that was a belief in God."

For almost the church's entire existence, 94-year-old Mary Watkins has performed for her congregation. 

"I was always in the choir," Watkins said. "We were in what we called the baby choir and then the adult choir. That was big time."

It's her strong faith in the Lord that gives Watkins the strength to move forward every day. 

"He's blessed me well by helping me to have the courage to have to give up loved ones," Watkins said. "I had a one and only child, a son. I lost him."

Over the years, Bethel has had a significant role in helping the advancement of racial justice throughout southeast Idaho. 

"They went through the depression," Beard said. "They went through civil rights. They went through all of the things that our society has had to deal with in this country, and here they still stand after all is said and done."

Beard says since the pandemic, they have been trying to build back the size of their congregation, and says they are looking forward to another 100 years. 

"It's just been a real blessing right here on this corner all these years," Watkins said.

If you would like to attend one of Bethel's services, they host one every Sunday starting at 11 a.m.