After almost two years without permanent leadership, the members of the Historic Ninth Street Baptist Church in Lawrence are happy to celebrate the installation, on Oct. 11, of their new Pastor Eric A. Galbreath.
Although Pastor Galbreath is the Ninth Street’s new pastor, he’s not new to the church. A former University of Kansas football player, while he attended KU, Eric was an active member of Ninth Street, and served as a junior deacon. In fact, Ninth Street is where Pastor Galbreath met his beautiful wife. At the time, she was the church’s Minister of Music.
A Midwesterner by birth, Galbreath was born and grew up in Columbia, MO. He’s from a family of ministers and has been active in ministry all of his life.
Eric and Renita married in 1998 and continued their work at Ninth Street until 2000 when they relocated to Montgomery AL and joined Hall Street Baptist Church, where the late Dr. Frank R. Johnson, Renita’s father, was the pastor. In 2008, Eric became the 17th Pastor of Hall Street Baptist.
Now, 15 years later, the Galbreaths and their three children — Eric II, Kayla and Joshua. – are returning to the church where their family was formed. It’s only fitting that Pastor Rene’ F. Brown, who was the minister of Ninth Street when the Galbreaths met and served, is returning to perform the installation service. Pastor Brown is currently the pastor of Mount Zion First Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, LA.
The installation service will begin at 3 p.m. at Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vermont, Lawrence. Light refreshments will be served. The community of Kansas and beyond are invited to attend.
For those who want to hear Pastor Galbreath, that day, he will deliver the morning message at Ninth Street. The morning worship service begins at 10:45 a.m. September 13, 2015 was Pastor Galbreath’s first official Sunday in the pulpit of Ninth Street.