Melvin Girton Sr., who served as pastor at Christ Missionary Baptist Church for more than 50 years, died Oct. 29 at the age of 91.
Girton led the northwest side church from 1964-2015. He began going to Sunday school there as a young boy and was baptized in the church when he was 11, according to the church’s website.
Girton’s nephew, John Girton, called his uncle an “interrupter.” Whether it was fighting for Black women’s right to be pastors or reaching across denominational and racial lines, the elder Girton showed “a willingness to consciously challenge systems.”
John Girton went on to be the pastor at Christ Missionary Baptist Church after his uncle. He has since retired and said the only pressure he felt in that role was to continue a legacy and have the same impact on his peers and future generations. Other than that, there’s no living up to what Girton did over 51 years.
“There’s really no way to follow somebody like that,” he said. “It’s just impossible to think that I could fill his shoes.”
Girton served as president of the Baptist Ministers Alliance and was also involved with the local NAACP chapter and National Baptist Convention.
Rev. Wayne Moore, pastor at Olivet Missionary Baptist Church and current president of the Baptist Ministers Alliance, said Girton should be remembered with the likes of local faith leaders such as the late Andrew J. Brown and Arthur Johnson.
“He is in what I would call the faith-based iconic hall of fame,” said Moore, who was an associate pastor at Christ Missionary Baptist Church in the 1980s.
Girton was a member of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance and Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis.
David Greene, president of the Concerned Clergy and pastor of Purpose of Life Ministries, knew Girton for 20 years and remembers him as an advocate for social justice.
“He was legendary in our city as one of the senior pastors at the forefront of social justice issues and issues that impacted the city,” Greene said.
Greene recalled a press conference Girton held in 2018 when then-United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions visited Indianapolis to speak at the Indiana Law Enforcement Conference. Girton used the opportunity to advocate for equity within the community.
“He was never afraid to take a stand,” Greene said. “He loved pastors, and he emphasized that all we have is each other and we need to encourage one another.”
A visitation service will be 2-6 p.m. Nov. 7 at Christ Missionary Baptist Church, 1001 Eugene St., with a musical from 6-8 p.m. There will be a celebration of life at 11 a.m. Nov. 8 at the church. The family requests memorial contributions be to Crispus Attucks High School Alumni Foundation, 4444 N. Irwin Ave., Indianapolis, IN, 46226. Memorial contributions will be used to support a scholarship in honor of Dr. Melvin B. Girton Sr.
