On March 22, Bell Missionary Baptist Church unveiled a new plaque in the front of the church. The plaque, awarded by the Auburn Heritage Association to recognize the location as an official historic landmark, honors the church's 100-year legacy as a cornerstone of faith, resilience and community life in Auburn.
Beginning at 1 p.m., the event drew a gathering of regular church attendees and representatives from the Auburn City Council. The service opened with a welcome and prayer, followed by remarks from the Auburn Heritage Association, a City of Auburn representative and the Auburn District Missionary Baptist Association. Family members and descendants of the church’s earliest members and founders were also recognized during the service.
The Bell Missionary Baptist Church displays a sign explaining the 100th anniversary of the church on Sunday, March 22, 2026 in Auburn, Ala.
While the official designation marked a significant milestone, the church’s story reflects a profound and lasting impact on the lives of those it has served.
On a Sunday afternoon in 1926, the beginning of the church formed, when Duncan and Katie Bell Avery held a Bible class in their home on the present-day Foster Street. The church, originally named Bell Chapel in honor of Katie — a founder and the congregation's first secretary — would eventually be renamed two years later in 1928 to Bell Missionary Baptist Church, a name it holds to this day.
Katie's granddaughter Daisy Williams reflected on how the small gathering grew into a unifying presence in the neighborhood. Only four years after its creation, the congregation expanded and moved into a new sanctuary in 1930. By 1958, under the recognition of the Holy Ghost Headquarters, the church relocated to 348 Foster St., where it remains today.
“We used to have chicken and fish fries, and we sold things to help the church grow," Williams said, recalling her family's efforts to attract church members. "We had ice cream — we made homemade ice cream. I specifically remember the fish sandwiches and roasted peanuts in bags.”
The newly unveiled historic marker sits in front of the Bell Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, March 22, 2026 in Auburn, Ala.
Williams also reflected on the church’s multi-generational significance.
“My grandmother had only one child: my mother, who went on to have seven children. We all grew up in church," Williams said.
Williams also traveled from Honolulu, Hawaii to celebrate the newly proclaimed Bell Missionary Baptist Day, which Auburn City Mayor Ron Anders announced at the event to celebrate the church's 100th anniversary, legacy and future.
“It’s very special for me to be here,” Williams said.
Melvin K. Smith, former Wrights Mill Road Elementary School teacher and special events coordinator at Auburn University’s Career Center for 31 years before retiring in 2021, grew up attending Bell Missionary Baptist Church. He credited the church with providing the foundation that guided him through his teenage and early adult years. He began attending at age 12, and his mother passed away when he was 18, just as he was completing his first semester at Auburn University.
“If I had not received the foundation from this church and developed my faith, I would never have finished at Auburn University,” Smith said.
Smith also recalled the church’s support through other challenges, adding that the church provided mentors, hosted youth rallies and offered meaning guidance in his formative years.
“I grew up in the projects over here. I rode my bike back and forth to Auburn. I lived in a project by myself,” Smith said.
Patrons speak during the 100th anniversary of Bell Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, March 22, 2026 in Auburn, Ala.
Smith's brother, William “Champ” Smith, was 13 when the family began attending the church in 1975. William recalled how Sunday school teachers and ministers taught valuable communication and comprehension skills and how summer revivals and vacation programs offered community, mentorship and supplemental education, while he grew up in government-subsidized housing.
William credited the church as the foundation that helped him earn both his bachelor's and master’s degrees. After high school, he joined the United States Air Force at 18, serving 25 years, followed by 18 years as a government employee. Now living in Hampton, Virginia, he traveled back to Auburn to visit the church for its centennial anniversary.
As it enters its second century, Bell Missionary Baptist Church continues to serve as a foundation for faith, community and family — carrying forward the legacy of its founders while shaping the lives of future generations.
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