The plan was for Raleigh White to transfer its facility to New Seasons after the two congregations spent 6 months together in the same building and an orderly transition could be made. The area around the church was changing and becoming increasingly black. Raleigh White’s membership had declined from more than 250 to about 20.
Raleigh White was worshipping in an early service and New Seasons worshipped after they left. But they interacted during the service transition and at other times during the week.
Then Raleigh White leadership– and attitudes– changed. Raleigh White members began complaining about the black congregation using church facilities, like the gym, fellowship hall, classrooms and parking lot. New Season members complained of openly hostile looks from Raleigh White members and people refusing to speak.
The plan fell apart.
“The reason for this action involved the church’s un-Christian attitudes and acts toward another associational church. These attitudes and acts were racially-motivated. Thus they do not reflect the values and mission of the Mallary Baptist Association.”
A New Seasons Facebook post reports that it has since merged with the majority-white Radium Springs Baptist Church in another effort to create a diverse congregation.
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