FIRST
CHURCH BUILDING
1881 - 1928
1OOth
Anniversary
1881 - 1981
"A Century Of Service"
REV. E. W. ROACH
First Pastor
REV.
R. E. McDOWELL
Present Pastor
A HISTORY OF BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH
For a number of years prior to 1881 the Rev.
E. W. Roach, pastor of the Midway Baptist Church, conducted worship
services once a month at the Mosaic Temple for a group of people of the
Baptist persuasion. This group was called "an arm" of the Midway Church
(today we would call it a "mission"). Then, in April, 1881, under the
leadership of "Parson"
Roach, a meeting was held at which a Church was organized and duly
constituted and, by unanimous vote, named the Bethel Baptist Church. At
this organizational meeting Rev. Roach was elected pastor; Edward H.
Reams and Rufus B. Holt, deacons; M. C. Holt, Clerk; and E. H. Reams,
Sunday School Superintendent.
It
is interesting to note that in the records
of Charlotte County, there is a deed recorded and dated March 25, 1878,
in which Mary Henry Slaughter, niece and legal heir of Cary Anderson,
deeded to John H. Reams, Edward H. Reams and R. B. Holt, for "the sum
of one-dollar ... that lot or parcel of
land ... containing one acre more or less, and known as the Mosaic
Temple lot … . And the party of the first part (Mary H.
Slaughter) hereby covenants with the parties of the second part that
they shall have the right to use the waters
of the spring, known as the old Temple spring." (Deed Book 35 - Page
383).
It would seem, then, that the first building
that housed the Bethel Church was built sometime before the
organization of the Church. The deed makes no mention of any building
on the acre of land deeded to the trustees but specifically
states that "the lot or parcel of land" was "known" as the "Mosaic
Temple lot." Also, the lot was deeded to the above named
trustees three years before the Church was organized. And, from the
time of the organization of the Church until 1928, when the building in
which the Church met was destroyed by fire, there is no mention in the
Church records of the building of a Church building. Thus, when the
Bethel Church was organized in April, 1881, the organization must have
taken place in a building already constructed for a place of worship
and was used as the meeting place of the Church for the next 47
years.
The Church is fortunate in having the minutes of
all of the meetings
of the Church since her organization.
In these early records of the
life of the Church there
emerges a pattern of ministry and service that characterized Bethel for the first 50
years and,
in many respects,
even until today.
At the first business meeting
after the organization
of the Church,
four people were received into the
fellowship of the Church. Following the service on June 17, 1881, the
congregation met "at Cub Creek where Bro. Roach administered the
ordinance of Baptism" to three candidates. In the first
year of the life of the Church there were over 30 additions to the
Church, with over half of them coming by Baptism. At a revival in 1881,
37 were received for Baptism. In some years, as many as five Baptismal
services were held. For many years a person might make a profession of
faith in a worship service or revival but, if he wished to join the
Church, he must be present at a business meeting, as occurred on July
27, 1882: "The Church was called together and those wishing to unite
with the Church were invited to come forward" and nine people presented
themselves for membership.
Bethel has always given strong emphasis to revival meetings
and
not a year has passed in her 100-year history without having at least
one revival. However, the term for the revival used in the early days
seems strange to use today. The record of March 25, 1882, states: "It
was then agreed that the meeting be protracted the 4th Sunday in July
and that Bro. Reamy be invited to assist in the meeting." It wasn't
until July 24, 1909, that the
term "revival meeting" was used. For many years the revival services
were
at 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. each day. Sometimes (as late as 1911) the
revival services were at 5:00 p.m., with picnic supper after the
services, and another service at 8:00 p.m.
Thus, one of the primary
emphasis of Bethel
Church
throughout her
history has been a
continuing
and strong effort to reach and to win men and women, boys and girls to
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; and to bring them into the fellowship,
the teaching and the training ministry of the Church.
From the beginning of Bethel's life she has recognized
the need for co-operating and
working with other
Baptist Churches in the
work of God's Kingdom here on earth.
At the Aug. 8, 1881 business meeting it was
stated that a
"collection was
taken
up to pay expenses
of the
(Appomattox) Association and
for state missions. $9.05 was raised by
subscription and the Church agreed
to pay fifteen dollars for
a missionary in the bounds of the Appomattox Association." At the
annual meeting of the Appomattox Association
in
August, 1881, representatives
of Bethel were present and petitioned the Association for membership in
it, which petition was granted. The report of the Church carried to
this meeting showed that Bethel had 60 members. Thus, four months after
her organization, Bethel became an active, member of the local
association of Baptist Churches. From that date until
the present, Bethel has worked with, sent reports and delegates to, and
financially supported the Appomattox Baptist Association.
In the Appomattox Association was an organization
called "The
Ministers' and Deacons' Meeting" and later changed to "The Ministers'
and Laymen's Meeting." Bethel regularly sent delegates to this meeting
as long as
it existed and it first met at Bethel in Nov., 1884.
For a great many years Bethel also sent delegates
to the annual meeting of the Virginia Baptist General Association. And,
on April 23, 1910, a motion was made to raise funds to send delegates
to the meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention.
On
three occasions, delegates to the Appomattox
Association were instructed to invite the Association to meet with
Bethel the next year on the condition that they change the date of the
meeting to suit Bethel. None of these invitations was accepted. But in
1909, the invitation was again extended with no strings attached. It
was accepted and the Association met with
Bethel in 1910 for the first time. A man requested permission to take
pictures at this meeting of the Association, and Bethel granted the
request with the stipulation that the pictures were not to be made on
the Church grounds.
The
co-operation of Bethel in the work of the
denomination is also seen in the careful and consistent financial
support of the total work of the denomination. Up until 1925, when
Southern Baptists set up the support of all denominational work through
the Cooperative Program, each Board, Agency and Institution was
supported in the local Church by individual
collections for each one. On Aug. 26, 1893, "It was agreed to appoint a
collector for each Board to run two months." And the Boards to be
collected for included State Missions, Home Missions, Foreign Missions,
Sunday School and Bible Board, Education Board, Ministers Relief, and
the Orphanage. For about 40 years there was rarely a business meeting
without the appointment of collectors to raise funds for one or more of
the agencies of Virginia or Southern Baptist work. Public offerings
were received at the services, as agreed on Feb. 24, 1895, "that two of
the deacons take a public collection
during the singing of the last hymn before preaching every preaching
Sunday". But, apparently, these offerings did not amount to much. This
method
of raising funds was not only used for Mission work but also for the
local expenses of the Church. A bill would be presented at a business
meeting and
immediately someone would be appointed to collect money to pay the
bill. For example, in March, 1911, a "brother" presented a bill for
$1.45 "for
1 sprinkler, bucket, dipper and broom." Whereupon another
"brother" was appointed to collect the same.
Bethel,
along with other
Churches in the 1800's and early 1900's, believed that a Christian and
a Church member's conduct and behavior should be consistent with
his/her profession of faith in Christ. So, based on the Scriptural
teachings of the characteristics of a Believer, rules of conduct
and behavior were established for the members of the Church, and were
strictly enforced. The first account of this was at the Nov. 26, 1881,
business
meeting. The "case" of a certain brother was "called upon"
and "after using all
the means in our power to convince him of
his error, yet he expressed himself determined not to change his course,"
it was unanimously agreed to
expel him from the fellowship of the Church. But at the same meeting,
another brother came forward and "confessed he had mistreated the
Church, that he had been drunk, and begged forgiveness and promised it
should be the last time." On motion, the Church forgave him. Then, a
committee of
two was appointed "to see after some disorderly members and report at
our next
meeting." For 40 years or more, at almost every business meeting,
reports were heard from committees or committees were appointed to see
those who broke the rules of the Church. If a person came and confessed
his fault and asked forgiveness, he was forgiven and remained in the
fellowship of the Church. But if one refused to confess and repent of
his error, he was excommunicated from the Church. In the early years of
the Church, if a female member was disorderly or was accused of
breaking a rule of the Church, it was necessary for her to get a male
member to speak on her behalf before the Church. At the Jan. 23, 1886
meeting a new rule was set up. It was moved "after sharp discussion to
place stealing partners after music and the
like plays resembling
the dance on the same
footing of the dance. And the Church hereafter will deal with members
violating this rule as they will with dancers."
E.
W. Roach served as pastor of Bethel
only three months after the Church was organized. On July 17, 1881,
Rev. E. S. Taylor was elected pastor and E. W. Roach was called to
preach on the fifth Sundays. Mr. Roach died in 1882 and Bethel's
pastor, E. S. Taylor, spoke at his funeral. On Oct. 27, 1883, A
committee was appointed to raise funds for a monument to be placed over
the grave of Rev. E. W. Roach and to meet with the Salem Church "about
this matter."
E.
S. Taylor served as pastor of Bethel
until April, 1886. A note in the minutes says: "Sunday, April 25, our
pastor being sick Bro. Leonard Cox preached for us in his place." On
April 28, 1886, Rev. Taylor died. At the
May business meeting a committee was appointed to draw up resolutions
to express "the sense of this Church and congregation in regard to the
death
of their pastor." Copies
of the
resolutions were sent to the family and to the Charlotte Gazette for
publication. Rev. Taylor was well known and loved not only by members
of Bethel Church but over the state of Virginia. On Jan. 22, 1887, a
motion was made that "the memorial address of Dr. T. W. Sydnor
at the (Virginia Baptist) General Association on the death of Rev. E.
S.Taylor be read to the Church."
On Sept. 24,
1881, the Church
"recommended Bro. Eddie Reams to Richmond College to study for the
ministry." Then, on Nov. 25, 1882, a collection of $24.85 was received
for this young man. On Sunday, July 24, 1883, he was "licensed by the
Church to preach and invited to preach his
first sermon here the 2nd Sunday in July." Eddie Reams died at Richmond
College on May 8, 1884. At the May, 1884, meeting the Church adopted
resolutions upon the death of Eddie Reams that said, in part, "This
Church
has lost one of her most devoted and earnest members who promised to be
a gifted and consecrated
minister of the Gospel and whose sermons greatly impressed us with his
piety and usefulness." Also included in the
resolutions was: "We heartily thank the faculty and students of
Richmond College for their sympathy and generous assistance in this
affliction. And that their
kindness to our brother was greatly endeared this institution to us."
Eddie Reams is buried in the Bethel Church Cemetery.
John
H. Reams was licensed to preach the
Gospel by Bethel on Nov. 24, 1888, and was ordained "to the full work
of the ministry" by the
Church at a special service on the fifth Sunday in June, 1890. These
two men are the only ones who went into the Gospel Ministry from
Bethel.
On
Feb. 24, 1883, the Church voted that
the collection taken up at Christmas for Foreign Missions be sent in to
the credit "of the Ladies Missionary Society of the Church." This is
the first mention of the Missionary Society at Bethel. Then, on Oct.
27, 1900, there was no business meeting because the day was given over
to the ladies for a missions meeting.
The missions meeting was so effective "it was protracted during the
week" with the results of 11 additions to the Church. But it wasn't
until May 21, 1918, that a motion was made and carried that "the female
members of this Church be given a vote in all business questions."
On
Nov. 22, 1884, the Church agreed
"that the Christmas tree should be free to anyone to put such presents
on for their family and friends as they saw fit." A committee was
appointed to buy presents for the Sunday
School. From later references, it seems that this practice has
continued through the years, for the Christmas "treat" is still a part
of Bethel's observance
of Christmas.
The
Rice family has been more than
generous in providing land for a cemetery at Bethel. On Feb. 21, 1885,
a committee of three was appointed "to arrange and superintend the
raising of a grave yard at this place".
On March 7, 1885, a deed was made between Wm. D. Rice and Mary H. Rice,
his wife, to the trustees of Bethel Church for two-thirds of an acre of
land "joining the lands of Bethel Church" for a grave yard. On Dec. 26,
1885, it was reported that the fence had been put around the grave yard
and painted, all at a cost of $48.65. On several occasions, as the need
has arisen (the
latest being in 1980), the Rice family has graciously provided
additional land to be added to the Church Cemetery. Through the years
Bethel has taken great pride in the Cemetery and many references are
made to the "work and care" of it. A Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery
Endowment Fund has been established, with the interest from the Fund
used for the upkeep of the
Cemetery.
After
the death of Rev. E. S. Taylor in
April, 1886, Bro. Leonard Cox served the Church for two months. Rev. E.
A. Leonard was called as pastor in June, 1886, and resigned in July,
1888. D. S. Hubble, of Smith County, followed him and served for seven
years. Following Mr. Hubble was J. T. Haley, L. E. Spencer, and W. A.
Snyder, each serving about one year. In Feb.,1899, D.
S. Hubble was again called as pastor and served
until Aug., 1910. He
was followed consecutively by H. C. Ruffin; G.
A. Chocklett, W. F. Fisher
and R. L. Cawley, who
resigned in Dec., 1923.
During
this period of nearly 35 years, the
pastors were elected on a yearly basis. For example, Rev. Hubble served
Bethel for 7 years in his first pastorate but at the end of each year
he was re-elected. At the June 27, 1891, meeting "it was then moved to
go into the election of pastor. The Church being unable to decide on a
pastor it was postponed till our next meeting".
At the next meeting, July 25, 1891, "Brother Hubble's call was
unanimous for another year at the same salary, $150.00."
On
many occasions the Church had some difficulty
in getting a pastor and would give a committee full authority to choose
or "elect" a pastor.
On Oct. 9, 1910, a pastor committee recommended that the Church call
Bro. Bundick, which the Church did. That did not work out, so on Nov.
20, 1910, the committee recommended Bro. Cowherd. The Church extended
him a call and made
the following motion, ''If Bro.
Cowherd does not accept the call the Church authorizes the committee to
call a pastor without referring back
again". Then, Bro. H. C. Ruffin resigned in Apr., 1913. At the July 27,
1913,
meeting it was moved "that the board of Deacons be appointed to select
and
employ a pastor".
The
pastor's salary, along with all other
financial items, was raised by collectors appointed for that purpose.
Sometimes 12 men were appointed to be responsible for the salary for
one month each. Sometimes the Church membership was divided into 12
sections with a collector for each section responsible for a month's
salary.
The
first mention of any work on the Church
building came 24 years after the organization of the Church. On Apr.
22, 1905, it was proposed "to make some move towards painting the
Church". On Aug. 26, 1905, it was reported that the painting had been
done and some of the money collected for the work was left over.
Whereupon the committee was authorized "to have more painting and
whitewashing done and have the flues fixed."
Through
the years Bethel has been in "fields"
with a number of different Churches at different times: Midway,
Brookneal, Falling River, Beulah, Providence, Salem, Central, and
Staunton River. In April, 1920, a committee was appointed to meet with
Cullen and Concord delegates at Phenix in regards to forming a field.
Midway and Staunton River were to be notified of this action. But plans
for a field with Cullen and Concord did not work out, so Bethel stayed
in the field with Midway and Staunton River and called Rev. R. L.
Cawley as pastor. But on Feb. 24, 1924, the Church called Rev. G.A.
Harris and joined the field of Cullen, Concord and Mr. Nebo.
The
first mention of Sunday School rooms
was made in the April 23, 1921 meeting when a committee was appointed
to see what could be done about building some Sunday School rooms. No
more is heard of this matter until April 27, 1924, when, at the second
business meeting after G. A. Harris came to the Church, a "building committee was appointed to
formulate
some plans for
building Sunday School
rooms". At the June 24, 1924 meeting the committee suggested building
six class rooms on the west side of the Church, at an approximate cost
of $1,500. The committee was authorized to go ahead and build on the
rooms "as far as the money would go". A finance
committee was appointed to "solicit funds, lumber, work, etc." By Jan.
25, 1925
rooms had been built, stoves for the rooms had been purchased at a cost
of $13.50, the note at the bank had been paid off and an additional
$1000 insurance taken out on the building, and a date set for the
dedication of the rooms. At the May, 1925 meeting it was decided to
renovate the inside of the Church and in April, 1926, the treasurer of
the Building Fund reported he had "settled with Mr. Harper for
finishing the Church."
At
the April 25, 1926 meeting of the
Church it was voted for "the trustees of the Church (to) do what they
thought best about the state highway (route 40) going through the
Church yard." It was reported in August that the highway would not
touch the Church yard but a state road official had advised that "the
Church have a well put on the Church side of the
road
and also put up a wire fence" between the road and the Church. Later it
was reported that the Highway Department had given the Church $150 for
a well and 310 feet of wire for a fence between the Church and the
road.
At
the beginning of 1928 the congregation
had apparently gotten the Church building in very good shape: it was
being painted outside, "the colors
white and brown;" being used; a new floor was put in, the flues were
plastered and it was painted inside, with the ladies choosing the
colors. Then tragedy struck. The clerk recorded it this way: "On July
26, 1928, Bethel Church burned to the ground". It is thought the fire
started from some oily
clothes left in the sun on the front steps of the Church while those
who were cleaning the Church went home for lunch. Many in the area saw
the smoke from the fire and although they were unable to save the
building they wereable to save most of the pews, pulpit furniture and
other furnishings in the building.
"With
the consent of the School Board
(of Charlotte County) the services were moved to the Bethel School
Building", and ten days after the fire
"the Church met in the Bethel School Building to formulate plans for
rebuilding of the Church," on the same site. The remains of the
building were given
to one of the members to "clean off the site but the Church reserves
the
rocks." Both a Building and Finance committee were appointed. One
family volunteered to take the sexton's place and let the money paid to
the secton each month go to the Building Fund. The building had been
destroyed but the Church continued to function. In less than two months
after the fire 10 members were received into the Church, six of these
by Baptism.
On numerous occasions in
her history
Bethel had responded to the needs of other Churches, now many area
Churches responded to her need. In March of
1929 "the
Rev. Overby and the Phenix Methodist Church welcomed the Sunday School Convention"
of Appomattox Association that was scheduled to meet with Bethel. The
next month "rising votes of thanks" were
extended to Concord, Buelah and Union Hill Churches for contributions
received from them.
The
Church approved the construction of a cinder
block building with a basement and the men of the Church did much of
the work. From Aug. 5, 1928 to Sept. 21, 1929, the minutes of the
Church were headed "Bethel School Building" but on Oct. 26, 1929, they
are headed "Bethel Church",
indicating that the congregation was meeting in the new building. On
July 30,1930, a dedication service was held for the new building.
As
mentioned earlier, in 1925 the Southern
Baptist Convention adopted the Cooperative Program method of financing
its work. In this program for the local Church, one offering was to be
made for all mission causes, instead of special offering for each of
the Boards, Agencies and Institutions. Then, on a percentage basis,
according to need, the money was divided among the Boards, Agencies and
Institutions. In 1930 Bethel was using the Cooperative Program method
of giving to missions but solicitors were still being used to collect
funds for the Cooperative Program. The Every Member Canvass, in which
each member was asked to pledge what he/she would give for missions and
local expenses for the coming year, was
also being used by
the Church. On July 12, 1931, it is noted
that "the Church voted to have the solicitors for the Cooperative
Program as the Finance committee." And in April, 1937, the
Church accepted a goal of $400 for the Cooperative Program.
Throughout
the history of the Church oil or
kerosene lamps were used to light the building for night services. But
in the fall of 1931 the Church purchased a "light plant." This was a
battery operated plant that generated
electricity for lights. Sometimes during a service the plant would stop
operating and the light would get dimmer and dimmer and eventually go
completely out unless someone went out and got the plant going again.
Power lines were put through this area in the mid-1930's. At the June,
1938 meeting a committee was appointed to have the Church wired for
electricity and to "sell
the Delco plant if possible." (In this connection, there is an
interesting note
in the minutes of April 24, 1927: a member of the Church "was appointed
to sell this Church's chandelier at public auction.")
In
Feb., 1933, a committee was appointed to
purchase and install new pews in the Church. The Committee was
instructed to arrange the pews so as "to have a center isle and one on
each side next to the wall." This same
arrangement is still in use in the sanctuary.
On
October 25, 1936, it is noted that
"the fourth Sunday in November is designated as Homecoming Day and also
the time to begin the Every Member Canvass." This is the first mention
of Homecoming Day in the minutes. Then, on Feb. 24, 1946 the date for
Homecoming Day was changed to the 4th Sunday in August. In the April 8,
1962 minutes a "motion was made and carried to
change the Homecoming
at Bethel
back to
the 4th Sunday
in August.
" We have been unable to determine
when the date of Homecoming was
changed from the 4th Sunday in August after the decision in 1946, or to
what date. However, Homecoming Day at Bethel has not only become
atradition but is one of the highlights of the Church year,
On Jan. 27, 1952, "the
Church voted
that the present field committee also serve as the pulpit committee for
the Church," Rev, G, A. Harris,
after a fruitful ministry of some 28 years at Bethel, resigned in order
to retire. At the April 27, 1952 meeting
"a
motion was made and carried that Mr. Harris act as supply pastor as
long as permitted by the retirement board."
On
Dec. 3, 1952, "the Church called
Rev. S. A. Dean, and he accepted the pastorate of the Church. For some
time prior to his coming the Church had been discussing the possibility
of joining with the other Churches in the field
in building a parsonage. A vote was taken in Jan., 1953 to join the
other Churches in the field in such a project. But these plans for a
parsonage for the four Churches in the field did not materialize. At
the July 12, 1953 meeting it was reported that "Concord had voted to
join with Bethel in a
two-Church field
and a committee of
three from each Church was desired to begin plans on building a
parsonage, " The committees of the two Churches acted quickly, for on
July 23, 1953, D. R. Womack and Virginia W. Womack, his wife, deeded to
the trustees of Bethel and Concord Churches, as a gift, one acre of
land "located on the east side of said Highway No. 649 leading
from Womack's store to Concord Baptist Church, near the fire
tower," Then,
on Oct. 11 the building committee reported that "the ranch type house
had been selected and the estimated cost was $14,000," A motion was
made and carried that the committee proceed with the work. The
Parsonage was built and one year later the indebtedness on the building
was paid off.
The
possibility of installing a central
heating system in the Church was discussed in the fall of 1955, The
system was installed in the spring of 1956, bringing to an end over 60 years of heating the
Church building
with wood stoves.
Rev,
S. A. Dean resigned in 1957, and Rev.
M. H. Parham came as pastor in June, 1957, Under his ministry the
Church continued to grow spiritually as well as physically and
numerically. The Church participated in a School of Missions in 1959, a
Sunday School Enlargement Campaign in 1962, and the Sunday School was
semi-departmentalized. New pulpit furniture was purchased, a new organ
installed and the Baptist Hymnal was bought for use in the Church.
Mr.
Parham resigned June 23, 1963. At the
July 21, 1963 meeting it was passed "to continue paying the pastor's
retirement even though we have no pastor," But a little later
in
the year Rev. V. P. Locke came as
pastor. Shortly after he came discussions were held concerning the
possibility of renovating and making some additions to the Church. On
March 21, 1965,
the Church voted to accept plans and begin work on remodeling and
adding to the Church at an approximate cost of $38,000. Among
improvements made to the Church building in this project were: eight
class rooms; a vestibule, a front porch and baptistry added and the
building bricked outside, as well as work done on the basement.
On June 11, 1968, the deacons recommended and the Church approved that "the Church accept a goal to pay off all debts, then go full time." This was the first official mention of a full-time program for Bethel. Early in 1969 the indebtedness on the Church was paid off and in August the Church set up the following goals: "
1.
That we air condition the main floor of
the Church, sanctuary and the four Sunday School rooms
upstairs.
2. That we carpet the sanctuary ...
3. That we raise money to either buy the present parsonage or build a
new one in 1971, and go full time in 1972."
In
the Spring of 1970 the Church was air
conditioned. In July of 1971 Mr. Locke resigned, but the Church
continued to discuss and investigate the possibility of going full
time. Finally, at a meeting on Nov. 21, 1971, "the
Church voted to go full time." A month later the Church agreed "to
make (the) Concord Church a buy or sell offer on (the) parsonage for
the amount of $11,000." In
Jan., 1972, the Church
voted to buy the parsonage from Concord.
R.
E. McDowell accepted the Sept. 24, 1972
call of Bethel Church and came as pastor on Jan. 1, 1973. Thus, some 92
years after Bethel was organized, she had her first full time pastor
and owned her own pastor's home.
This
year, 1981, marks the 100th
Anniversary of the organization of Bethel Baptist Church. The Church
has been celebrating this centennial with a series of special services.
The first was at the closing service of the Revival on Saturday
evening, May 2. We sought to make this an "old
time" revival service. We did not use the electric lights but lighted
the Church with
15 or more oil lamps brought by the ladies. The organ and piano were
not used in the service but the song leader "whistled" the tune for
each
hymn. A large number of the ladies present were dressed in the fashion
of 100 years ago.
The
second special service was on Sunday
morning, May 31. The emphasis was on the place of singing and music in
the history of the Church. Booklets were prepared with the words of all
the hymns used in it, and the hymnals and instruments
were not used in
the service. Many
different groups in
the congregation
"came to the front" to sing an old hymn.
The third special service was on Sunday
morning, June 28. Mrs. Dolly Wirt, Mrs. Bessie Daubenspeck, Mrs. Louise Ayers,
Kenneth Colley, Sr., Raymond Reams and Ned Gilliam were seated
on the pulpit platform and,
under the direction of Mrs.
Erma Colley McKenzie, told of experiences, events and people relating
to
Bethel Church as
they remembered them from the days of their youth. A
most interesting display of pictures of charter members, former
pastors, the first Church building; along with, the old communion
service, offering plates and many other artifacts, letters and papers
were arranged around the front of the Church.
The fourth special service
was on Saturday, July 11, when the Church met at 5:00 p.m. for the Church business
meeting. At
this meeting the Church roll was called, the
Church Covenant read, and the business of the Church transacted.
Following the business meeting a Church picnic was held. The families
brought the kinds of food a family would have brought to a Church
picnic a 100 years ago. On Sunday morning, July 12, pictures were made
of each Sunday School class of the Church.
The
special services in the observance of the
100th Anniversary of the organization of Bethel Church will culminate
at the Homecoming Day on August 23. At this service there is to be a
re-enactment of the business meeting at which Bethel was organized and
an opportunity for the present membership of Bethel to dedicate
themselves to the Lord and to His work
through the Church at the beginning of Bethel's second 100 years.
There
is no way one can estimate or
evaluate the innumerable contributions Bethel has made to individual
lives, to homes and families, to the community and to the causes of
Christ around the world in her 100 year lifetime. But everyone who has
been touched by Bethel Church thanks God for the Church and her
ministry in the name of Christ. One hundred years of Bethel's history
has been written. Those who are a part of and love this Church are
praying that the second hundred years will see even more contributions
made, greater services rendered, and more work done for the advancement
of God's kingdom on earth and for the praise and glory of HisName than
has ever been done before.
As of
July
1, 1981, the General
Officers of the Church and Officers
and Teachers of the Sunday School
are as follows:
Chairman
of Deacons- Howard
Evans
Church Clerk - Mrs. N. L. Adams, Jr.
Treasurer - John E. Clark, Sr.
Financial Secretary - Mrs.
John Floyd
Building Fund Treasurer - Mrs. J. E. Gilliam, Jr.
Choir Director - Tommy Morrison
Sunday School Director - R. S.
Brown
President of Woman's Missionary
Union- Mrs. Betty Robinson
Organist - Mrs. J. E. Gilliam, Jr.
Pianist- Mrs. Shelby Davis
Deacons:
Kenneth
Colley,
Sr., Kenneth
Earl Colley, Howard Evans, Dean Evans, Willie John Childress, Raymond
Reams, Robert Seamster, North Williams, Shirley Brown, Ned Gilliam,
Mickey Johnson, Carson Pollard.
Kenneth Earl Colley, Frank Metcalf, Raymond Reams.
Director - Shirley Brown
Associate Director - Kenny
Colley
Director of Opening Assembly - Mickey Johnson
Associate Director of Opening
Assembly - Dean Evans
General Secretary - Joe Seamster
Associate General Secretary - Carson Pollard
Pianist - Mrs. Almeda Adams
Sunday School Teachers:
Ages 2 thru 3 - Mrs. Peggy Redmond, Mrs. Phyllis Pollard
Ages 4 thru 5 - Mrs. Carrie Noblin, Miss
Sherry Trent
Grades 1 thru 3 - Mrs. Ellen Covert, Mrs.
Ruby Reynolds
Grades 4 thru 6 - Mrs. Mary Williams,
Mrs. Dorothy Foster
Younger Youth, Girls - Mrs. Elaine Hamlette,
Mrs. Connie
Pollard
Younger Youth, Boys - Mrs. Bonnie
Brown
Older Youth - Mrs. Prindle Trent, Mrs. Pam Jones
Young Adults - Mrs. Ann
Seamster, Mrs. Norma Evans
Couples Class - Elton and Dot
McDowell
Adult Ladies - Ned Gilliam, Mrs. Betty Colley, Mrs. Linda
Sue Metcalf
Senior Adult Ladies - Mrs. Willie
Jean Johnson, Miss Betty Robinson
Senior Adult Men - Willie John
Childress, North Williams
PASTORS
OF BETHEL
E. W. Roach | 1881 |
E. S. Taylor | 1881 |
E. A. Leonard | 1886 |
D. S. Hubble | 1888 |
J. T. Haley | 1895 |
L. E. Spencer | 1896 |
W. A. Snyder | 1897 |
D. S. Hubble | 1899 |
H. C. Ruffin | 1910 |
G.A. Chocklett | 1913 |
W.F. Fisher | 1917 |
R. L. Cawley | 1920 |
G. A. Harris, Sr. | 1924 |
S. A. Dean | 1953 |
M. H. Parham | 1957 |
V. P. Locke | 1963 |
R. E. McDowell | 1973 |