DUNCAN — Reaching 100 years old is an amazing feat, no matter the entity. And only two years after Oklahoma hit the century mark, a piece of Duncan history is celebrating that very same feat.

Antioch Baptist Church will turn 100 years old this month making it not only one of the oldest Black churches in Duncan, but of many other churches in the city for that matter.

“It’s a milestone to reach 100 years in any community, and the Lord has surely blessed us,” Antioch Baptist Reverend Ronald Boyd said.

Antioch Baptist started in 1909 when founding members Robert Montgomery, Rufus Black, Ike Stone, Bob Berry, Priscilla Laster, Elijah Kidd, Will Stevenson, Sam Williams and Jim Tolden banded together as believers in Christ and formed the church out of concern for people in the area.

It originally started in a small one-room church on Red Road (now Cypress Street) and had only a handful of members.

In years to come, the church would change locations three more times, eventually coming to its current address at 315 Sycamore, be pastored by 19 reverends, and add many more congregation members over the years.

The congregation of Antioch Baptist is also a proud achievement of the church. Numerous church members have held district, state and even national positions on many different boards and committees in numerous organizations. Duncan’s own Mayor Gene Brown is a member and a Deacon for Antioch Baptist.

“We’re a very active congregation,” Boyd said. “We have many individuals who were pioneers in the community and many more that continue to help the city.”

Among the reverends that have pastored Antioch Baptist, two of them have stayed for a combined 66 years, including Boyd who has been with the church for 22 years.

Prior to Boyd, Reverend F.W. Whitaker pastored Antioch Baptist from 1946 until 1986 when he retired. His wife, Ella Lee Whitaker, also served as the music director for the same number of years.

In the church’s pictoral history book, it reads “Pastor Whitaker’s diligent service over four decades allowed God to show his wonderful love and kindness to Antioch. Under Rev. Whitaker’s leadership, many souls were saved and many others united with the Church during his time.”

Prior to Reverend Whitaker, there had been 17 different pastors at Antioch in only 37 years, since then, there has been only two.

Pastors and reverends are also a staple to Antioch.

“Sons of Antioch preachers and founding members have been called into the ministry, and come right out of our congregation,” Boyd said.

There are still many sons and grandsons of Antioch pastors that continue to preach today at churches across the country, many of which have been invited back to participate in the centennial celebration.

“We have been celebrating all year long,” Boyd said. “I think that when a church reaches this type of milestone, you should celebrate and let people know about it.”

Already, the church has had a praise dancing event held by its youth and many former choir members have been invited back to perform.

“We had a family quartet come and give a concert with some other local church talents as well,” Boyd said.

Antioch still has big plans for the celebration, including a Black and White banquet at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 14, a morning worship service at 11 a.m. Nov. 15, and an anniversary celebration program that starts at 3:30 p.m. the same day.

Tickets for the Black and White Banquet are $25 and the banquet will be emceed by Brown. Entertainment will be provided by Dr. Brandon McCray of Wichita, Kan. who plays the saxophone, and announcements, invocations and prayers will be given by many of Antioch’s congregational members who have since become Reverends at other churches.

The morning service will continue featuring reverends that have come from Antioch’s congregation and from area churches the afternoon celebratory service will feature an anniversary sermon by Reverend Torrey J. Montgomery of the Greater Kingdom Works International Church in Oklahoma City.

For information, or to purchase tickets for the Black and White Banquet, call Antioch Baptist Church at 252-2469.

Antioch Baptist has received many congratulatory letters from area churches and family members of Antioch, only furthering the fact that Antioch is a valued member of not just the local community, but to the state, the region and even on the national level in some cases.

“Antioch Baptist is a light and a beacon in this community itself,” Boyd said. “One hundred years only comes once in a lifetime, and we have been and will be praising and thanking the Lord for blessing our church for 100 years.

“We have gone through some changes, some storms, some rain, some valley experiences, but most of all, we thank God for the mountain top experience that we are embarking on right now.

“Thank God for that experience. Thank God.”