Shiloh Baptist Church was organized in 1909 in the home of Sis. Emily Hall and Rev.
James Scott served as the first pastor. Land was donated at a site located at corners of Rouse Avenue and
Edgar and Princess Streets. Plans for new church construction soon became a reality.
In 1912, Dr. Daniel Howard (D.D.) became the second pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church. Construction on the new building was
completed and worship services began in the fall of 1912. As the church grew, God blessed Shiloh to increase in favor, finance,
fellowship, and families.
In 1917, Rev. William E. Jones became the third and the longest serving pastor in the history of Shiloh Baptist Church (35 years).
Shiloh’s existing building was relocated to 617 E. Princess Street and on December 21, 1920, the church was officially incorporated
with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In 1922, Shiloh satisfied its $400.00 land debt and soon began construction of a new church
building at the Princess Street location in 1925.
In 1952, Dr. Richard J. Manning (D.Min) became the fourth and the second-longest serving pastor in the history of Shiloh Baptist
Church (30 years). Shiloh became known as “York’s elite Black Church” as upgrades and renovations were made to the existing building.
On August 12, 1982, Shiloh purchased a new church, parsonage, and parking lot located at 629 Pershing Avenue. Dr. Manning retired that same year.
In 1983, Rev.
Nathaniel Johnson became the fifth pastor of Shiloh
Baptist Church. Numerous youth and young adult Bible
classes were instituted, Shiloh joined the Central
Baptist Congress of Christian Education, and
continued experiencing numerical growth. In July of
1988, the mortgage was paid off after only 5 years.
In 1990, Dr. William H. Curtis (D.Min) became the
sixth pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church. Ministries
were developed, membership increased, and Shiloh
experienced major growth. In 1992, the lower level
was renovated and the Shiloh Baptist Church
Fellowship Choir was organized. The church motto was
coined: “A Church Determined to Know Christ,” and
Shiloh experienced an era of community recognition,
social involvement, and evangelistic outreach.
In 1998, Dr. Carl Easley became the seventh pastor
of Shiloh Baptist Church. Though his tenure was
short, Shiloh experienced membership growth and
increased fellowship among its senior members. In
addition to satisfying the $88,000 loan, Shiloh
remained committed to prayer during various
transitional challenges. God was faithful to Shiloh
and sustained the membership and the ministry.
In 2002 Dr. Jasmin W. Sculark (D.Min) became the
eighth Senior Pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church and
the first woman pastor in the history of Shiloh and
York City. She continued honoring Shiloh’s 125 year
vision and ushered in a new and exciting era of
phenomenal growth. Shiloh greatly expanded its
membership and ministries, paid off existing debt,
created the Shiloh Community Development
Corporation, youth outreach and tutorial programs,
purchased a secondary parking lot on Pershing
Street, a second campus location and facility at 740
W. Locust Street, and two additional homes (one on
Salem Avenue and the other on Locust Street). Shiloh
was the first and only church in York to have one
church in two locations.
On October 3, 2015, Pastor Larry T. Walthour II
became the ninth Senior Pastor of Shiloh Baptist
Church. Under Pastor Walthour’s leadership, Shiloh
continues its rich and robust heritage of civic
leadership in York City as community partnerships
have been established with corporations, city,
county, and state officials to provide jobs and
promote career opportunities for residents. Social
activism, institutional and political reform,
community awareness, education, and a York Campus of
Maryland Bible College and Seminary have also been
established at the West side campus. South and West
side campus facility upgrade projects have been
implemented, staffing opportunities created, and
membership is increasing. In this new and exciting
era of vision and leadership, Shiloh FLOWS
continuously as “A Church Determined to Know Christ
in Excellence.”