Our history
Founder
The late Reverend Dr. Thomas E. Burns was born on March 31st in the state of Mississippi. In 1954, he founded the Bayside Church of God In Christ which in 1991 was dedicated and renamed Burns Memorial Church of God In Christ. He held prayer meetings and evangelistic services on the streets of Port Washington, Long Island in New York. At the Burns Memorial Church under the tutelage of Dr. Burns, past programs that were began included the O.M. Kelly Religious Training Institute, a federal-funded youth program, a vacation-bible school, a Summer youth employment program, a computer tutorial program, a music program, an outreach ministry, prison ministry, rescue home for women, a food distribution program and a soup kitchen clothing distribution program.
Many families and many individuals in our community accepted Christ into their lives through these programs.
Mother Wilhelmina Burns
The late Mother Wilhelmina Burns was born in January in Monks, South Carolina. She married the late Dr. Thomas E. Burns. They were married for many years before she transitioned.
The late Mother Burns was a courageous, virtual woman of God, loving wife and dedicated First Lady to the Bayside Church of God In Christ.
our pastor
Pastor Waymond Smith, Jr. was born on September 11th in Americus, Georgia. Pastor Smith began attending Bayside Church of God In Christ in the late 60's. On October 14, 1990, Pastor Smith received his ministers' license by the late Pastor Thomas E. Burns. On August 27, 1994, he was ordained as an Elder by the late Bishop Ithiel Clemmons. In 2012, Elder Smith became the Assistant Pastor to Pastor Burns where he worked diligently and in harmony to continue the vision that Pastor Burns put in place. Before the passing of Pastor Burns, he stated Elder Waymond Smith to be installed as Pastor of Burns Memorial Church of God In Christ. To date, the Lord continues to anoint and bless Pastor Smith as he takes the church to the next level.
Our First Lady
Lady Fannie Smith was born in March in Belle Glade, Florida. After becoming a member of Bayside Church under the late Dr. Thomas E. Burns, Lady Smith began serving as a junior pastors' aide and as a Sunday school teacher. As she continued to serve God, she was licensed as a missionary then acquired her Bachelor of Religious Education (BRE) among other degrees. Lady Smith was an outreach worker, served communion to the community, she was the director of the vacation bible school, the director of the rescue home for the homeless for 5 years, and for 16 years, the director of the food program which to this date, she continues to operate. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, food has only been distributed during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.