A historic Black church in Boston closed its doors permanently on Sunday and will soon be put up for sale.
According to Boston25 News, the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where the community has been worshipping for 148 years, was founded by freed slaves following the Civil War and has remained an important and integral part of the Black congregations in Boston since 1871.
“There’s people here who are hurting because they’ve been attached to this building,” Reverend Carl Thompson, one of the church’s pastor’s told the news station. “[For] 148 years people have been coming to this one spot worshipping.”
The church is located in what was once a central part of the Black community in Boston. Now, Thompson explained, as the congregation ages and declines due to gentrification. Adding that to the cost of maintaining the historic building, and it was time to move away from the West Springfield Street location.
The church will temporarily hold services at Orchard Gardens School in Roxbury.
“We don’t consider it a death or a closure, we just consider it a transition,” Thompson said.
It is still not clear where the congregation’s new home will eventually be.