Shiloh Baptist Church History

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.”