Charles M. Kinney, a former slave who was baptized in 1878 after hearing Ellen G. White preach at an evangelist effort, distributed tracts and “The Great Controversy” throughout Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, and the Midwest. He later became the first black ordained Seventh-day Adventist minister. As the result of his work, churches sprang up in Missouri and Kansas.
In 1899 the Kansas City, Missouri Seventh-day Adventist Church was organized with fourteen (14) new believers and thirty (30) Sabbath School members. There were fifty (50) attending a Mission Sunday School, according to the district leader, Sidney Scott from the Kansas Conference.
The first building used for worship was located on the southeast corner of 22nd Street and Woodland. The Kansas City, Missouri group moved and met in a rented hall until the property owned by Pacific Press near the corner of 13th and Euclid Street became available for purchase in 1926. The building on that property was a warehouse converted to a place of worship. Funds were scarce because of the depression and WWII, which made supplies difficult to obtain. The pastors of the church are not known prior to the 1930’s. It is likely that a district leader was assigned from the Kansas Conference through the Central Union Conference.
Elder Adolphus Webb, along with Elder Albert G. Thompson started a building project using stone and steel from a demolished brewery. Elder Albert G. Thompson passed away before the project was completed. This building became the Beacon Light Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1943. Some of the earlier leaders assigned by the Central Union Conference to help build the church were R.T. Hudson, Albert Gaynes Thompson, and Lewis B. Reynolds. Elizabeth Miller, who was the first black Bible worker in the Central Union Conference married Elder Henry J. Miller. Pastor Miller is one of the earlier pastors of Beacon Light. Pastor and Sis. Miller are the parents of Sis. Helen Kanion.
Other early members were Brother and Sister Cravens (Newman), Sister Daisy Timmons and her sister, Mercedes Matthews; Sister Alice Hughes, Brother and Sister Penney, Sister Madison, Sister Ada Thomas, Sister Lorene Brown, Sister Juanita Kenneymore, Sister Francis Flanoy, Sister Oliver, Sister Sallie Holmes, Sis Clara Franklin of the Kansas City Call Newspaper, the Vertis family, Sister Gertrude Valentine and family, Sister Thelma Brown and family, Sister Bertha Tillmon, Sister Fannie Wright, Sister Josephine Washington, Sister Ruth Banks Johnson and family, and many others who joined in the late 40’s and early 50’s.
The membership of Beacon Light Church prospered and grew exceeding and abundantly at the hands of the Lord. In 1972, under the leadership of T.A. McNealy, the Beacon Light Seventh-day Adventist Church purchased a new building at 4300 Linwood Boulevard. The name of the church was changed to Linwood Seventh-day Adventist Temple. This church flourished. In order to preserve the name and to reach more souls for the cause of Christ, in 1978 Conference President Elder Samuel D. Myers selected Elder Hector M. Mouzon, Jr. to re-establish the Beacon Light Seventh-day Adventist church.
Several members from Linwood Boulevard Seventh-day Adventist Temple were selected to become charter members of the new church. The charter members decided to use the former name, Beacon Light Seventh-day Adventist Church, because they loved the spirit and memories this name held.
“The name Beacon Light is most provocative and appropriate for our times, for it conveys the thought of a lighted signal held high to warn of the approaching enemy. ‘Ye are the light of the world.’” (Matthew 5:15)
-Elder Hector M. Mouzon, Jr.
The newly formed church rented a small building around 58th and Prospect for about a month. They also rented a space from the Christian Tabernacle of God in Christ at 7405 Paseo Boulevard. Three years later on August 2, 1981, they purchased the building we currently occupy at 4841 Paseo Boulevard.
Old Beacon Light Pastors (1943 – 1972)
A. Webb
A. Miller
H.J. Miller
D.B. Reid
X. Butler
M.A. Burgess
G.H. Taylor
E.F. Carter
G.D. Parker
R.E. Brown
Elder Brandon-Interim
T.A. McNealy
New Beacon Light Pastors (1978- PRESENT)
H. M. Mouzon, Jr.
V. Lindsay
H. Pettway
D. McPhaull
G. A. Bryant
President J.P. Monk – Interim
B. Waters
A. White
Elder Ralph Reid – Interim
C. Ross, Jr.
C. Josiah
D. Henry
G. Fontus (current)