In February, 1971 the Bay Area, the state and the nation were saddened by the death of Rev. F.D. Haynes, Sr., “a giant”, a local and national leader who will be long remembered. His death brought an outpouring of tributes from a host of friends, and from the lowest to the highest levels of government and religious organizations and bodies through the country.

The New Leadership 1972 – Rev. Fredrick Douglas Haynes, Jr., who received his early Christian training in Third Baptist Church, began preaching in 1950, was ordained by the church in 1954, and served as Assistant Pastor under his father’s leadership for nine years.

The goals of his ministry were: A Learning Church, A Stewardship Church, and an Evangelistic Church. His ministry was one of abiding love, warm friendship and fellowship. With Pastor Haynes, Jr. as he discharged the functions of his pastorate were his wife Lynetta and two children, Frederick III and Michelle. The first lady took a very active part in church affairs as a member of the Board of Christian Education, Business and Professional Women’ s Circle #1 and the Cathedral Choir.

Rev. Johnny Robinson was appointed interim pastor as the search for a new Pastor began. Rev. Robinson, like Rev. Spencer, brought to the assignment the experience of Youth Pastor and Assistant Pastor. The first three sermons preached by him “The Work Must Go On” (text Neh. 6:3, “All Things Work for Good” (text Romans 8: 28) and “Lights in the World” are indicative of his sensitivity to the needs of the congregation during this period and to the service he rendered to lighten the burden of the loss suffered.