First Baptist Church of Douglass | home
History
First Baptist Church of Douglass was first petitioned for admission to an association in 1869. Originally, however, the church was a part of a union church where the Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians took turns conducting Sunday services. The building also served as a school.
There were few records kept until the church petitioned to be accepted into another association in 1887. In 1925, a petition was made and it was accepted in the present day Shelby-Doches Association. It is not known how long it was a church before petitioning to an association where annual church letters were sent and records were kept.
There were some outstanding things that were recorded throughout the years. In 1869, the records show that there were 28 members and 18 baptisms. In 1925 the church membership grew to 99 with a Sunday School enrollment of 100. In the 1930's, the church membership kept growing. The church's membership had grown to 297 and 90 were enrolled in Sunday School. In the 1940's the Sunday School had reached a peak of 164.
The church was built at its present location in the 1930's. In the 1950's the church members donated yearlings to help build Sunday School rooms. In 1957 the old tin roof was rebuilt and the auditorium was remodeled. In 1968 the sign in front of the church was added, which was followed by a new addition on the west end for Church socials. The room was named the "Mrs. Kitty King Room." In the 1960's the ceiling fans and the wooden pews were taken out to make way for new lighting, air conditioning/heating, and cushioned pews. During this time carpet was also installed. In the mid 70's, the church built a new 4 bedroom parsonage. In the early 90's, the church added a front vestible and two more bathrooms. The front parking lot was also paved with asphalt. Most recently, a Family Life Center is being constructed. We plan on eventually adding more classes and a basketball court. The Family Life Center is almost complete.
Because our church began in the late 1800's, we have gone through several pastors. Here is a list of all the pastors of First Baptist Church of Douglass.
LIST OF PASTORS
1869-1876 J.S. Lambert
1878-1881 W.W. Albritton
1882-1883 E.D. "Ben" Blankenship
1883-1887 W.M. Gaddy
1887-1888 W.W. Albritton
1888-1892 No regular pastor
1893..... Rev. Jefferson
1894........ Rev. J.C. Fondren
1895-1908 The records had burned
1908-1909 N.C. Partin
1909-1911 Associational Missionaries Only
1911-1913 L.O. White
1913-1915 G. E. Hammonds
1915-1916 J.E. Adkinson
1916-1925 E.M. Gentry
1925-1926 J.W. McCall
1926-1927 W.E. Hill
1927-1930 A.T. Garrard
1930-1934 H.F. Sanders
1934-1938 C. Weldon Sanders
1938-1940 Fred Higginbotham
1941-1943 J.E. Johnson
1943-1944 L.A. Willingham
1945........ S.A. Bonner
1946-1951 R.R. Davidge
1951-1953 Charles Baty
1953-1956 C.T. "Pete" McGuire
1957........ James "Jimmy" Bird
1957-1964 Bobby King
1964-1967 Bobby Powell
1967-1968, 1976 W.H. Collins (Interim)
1968-1973 Kenneth Baker
1973-1974 Kenneth Ells
1974-1976 Wayne Stephens
1976-1980 Kenneth Baker
1980-1984 John McGuire
1985-1986 Calvin White
1987-1988 Steve Ewton
1989........ Brent Kirkley (Interim)
1989-1990 T.D. Lunsford (Interim)
1990-1991 Dwain Miller
1992-1993 T.D. Lunsford (Interim)
1993-1995 Keith Weaver
1995-1997 T.D. Lunsford (Interim)
1997-2000 Bruce Bear
2001- C.T. "Pete" McGuire
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