STARLIGHT MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH OF KC
OUR HISTORY
The Starlight Missionary Baptist Church was organized in August 1930 under the leadership of Pastor George C. High, at that time the congregation worshiped at the location of 14th and Virginia. Pastor High served the congregation for one year until August of 1931. Several Ministers who succeeded were Minister Joseph (Joe) Selman, Minister Harris, and Minister Black, from 1931 to 1939. The church then went without pastoral leadership for one year until the fall of 1940 when C.L. Dixon was called and installed as Senior Pastor.
Under Pastor Dixon, Starlight began to grow spiritually, financially, and numerically. Starlight purchased its current place of worship at 2844 Askew, and Pastor Dixon established the Midwest District Association of Baptist Churches in August 1956. He served as the Moderator of the District, which at one time numbered thirteen congregations, for over twenty years until his retirement in 1977.
Louis C. Bifford was duly elected on May 1, 1979, and installed as the new Senior Pastor on June 15th, 1979. Pastor Bifford had come up through the rank and file of the congregation. GOD blessed the church under his direction and souls were added to the Kingdom and the church roll until his untimely death. On January 6, 1991; The congregation approached his assistant, Minister Dwight Hicks, to serve as interim leadership while we mourned the loss of our beloved pastor.
In January 1994 William Rayford Jr., a young minister of the Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of KCMO, was installed as Senior Pastor of Starlight. Pastor William Rayford Jr., a generous and hospitable man, served with faith and truth for sixteen years.
On July 7th, 2012, the church elected to call Minister Scott F. Thomas of the Macedonia Baptist Church of KCMO as the new Senior Pastor. He graciously accepted the call and began his ministry with this church family Sunday, August 5th, 2012. We believe that God has provided us the right man at the right time for this congregation.