Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church Is Mainstay in Community Since 1916
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Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church has been a part of the Rocky Mount community since 1916.
Back then, services were held in homes and then a one-room school building, which stood only a few yards from where the present church now stands.
The Rev. Thomas L. Walker, who has served as head of the congregation since 1970, now leads a church with nearly 1,000 parishioners who represent all walks of life.
The church boasts a spacious garden that serves as a peaceful location for quiet reflection and spiritual meditation.
During the Rev. Walker’s 40-year tenure, he has reached out to those who are less fortunate.
One of his finest accomplishments has been organizing an outreach ministry as part of the church. The nonprofit EBC-ATOM Inc. project improves the quality of life for low-income citizens by providing food, clothing, counseling and other assistance to the disadvantaged.
Meanwhile, Walker unfortunately found out that he had prostate cancer in 1996. After his diagnosis, he gathered information to help himself and men with similar conditions.
As a result, he wrote Brother to Brother: You Don’t Have To Die With Prostate Cancer. The book seeks to educate men about the disease by recounting Walker’s personal story of emotional trauma, family involvement and his day-to-day experiences. Today, his prostate cancer remains in remission.
Besides his pastoral duties at Ebenezer Baptist, Walker also appears on several local television programs and radio shows to preach his message.
Story by Kevin Litwin
