Iola Missionary Baptist Church
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Iola Missionary Baptist Church

 
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF IOLA MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IOLA, TEXAS BY VALORIE HOWARD COX
ON DECEMBER 9, 1917, A GROUP OF BRETHEN AND SISTERS MET AT THE SCHOOL BUILDING IN IOLA, TEXAS FOR FOR THE PURPOSE OF ORGANIZING A MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH. THE ARTICLES OF FAITH WERE READ AND EXPLAINED AFTER WHICH THEY WERE ADOPTED. THE CHURCH COVENANT WAS READ, COMMENTED ON AND ADOPTED BY THE CHURCH. AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING, THE FOLLOWING WERE CONSIDERED CHARTER MEMBERS: EMMA SANDERS MRS. R. E. CLEVELAND MRS.. DUNN MRS. ATKINSON MRS. W. P.. CLEVELAND MISS LOU ALLEN JUANITA ATKINSON MRS. W. A.SANDERS GRACE ATKINSON MISS LOLA CLEVELAND MRS. W. WALTERS ROSA LEE WALTERS NANNIE WALTERS G. W..GILARAP (DEACON) MRS. N. . GILSTRAP R.E. CLEVELAND MRS.. W. A. BONEY MR AND MRS. M. McCLAIN MRS. J. O. `CRITES MRS. LUCILE WILCOX A. B. DUNN MR. AND MRS. J. L. McCLAIN GUY GILSTRAP MRS. E. S. NATION MISS GERTRUDE NATION MRS. E. E.NATION MR. AND MRS.H. J. ALLEN A.A. SANDERS J.. E. WALTERS AT ANOTHER MEEETING, THE FOLLOWING WERE RECEIVED AS CHARTER MEMBERS: L. W. MILLER MRS. R. V. MILLER RAY MILLER BLYTHE MILLER (BY LETTER) NETTIE MILLER NORMA SANDERS MILDRED SANDERS (BY PROFESSION) EDNA ALLEN MRS. J. H. SANDERS (BY PROFESSION) MISS ALLYNE QUICKSAIL (UNDER WATCHCARE) MISS OPHELIA DARBY MRS. J. W. MALLETT MRS. P. L. SOLLOCK J. E. LANE NEWTON LANE LORENA LANE MISS MARIE HEUSI MISS ZULA HOLLAND MRS. BROOKS DARBY MARY NEELEY GLADYS CLEVELAND MRS.J. H. SOLLOCK MRS. D.M.HOWARD EMMA HOWARD WALTER HOWARD MR.. AND MRS. RAY HOWARD BEEBEE CLEVELAND MANSEL MILLER ANNIE MAE COLSON MRS. LIEVENIA DARBY S. T. THOMAS MRS.. W H. EDINBURG SAM EDINURG ALLEN MILLER AT 7:00 P.M. THAT NIGHT, THE FIRST BUSINESS MEETING WAS HELD AND THE FOLLOWING WERE APPOINTED TO SERVE ON THE BUILDING COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE WAS ALSO INSTRUCTED TO SEE ABOUT SECURING LOTS AT ONCE.: G. F. ISBELL J. H. ALLEN W.F. ATKINSON R. E. CLEVELAND A. A. SANDERS THE FOLLOWING WOMEN WERE NAMED TO RAISE FUNDS TO PURCHASE SEATS AND SASH. MISS LOU ALLEN MRS.W. P. CLEVELAND MRS. W.. A.BONEY MRS. J. H.SANDERS BRO. WATSON WAS APPOINTED AS COMMITTEE OF ONE TO SEND NIGHT LETTER TO STATE BOARD TO MAKE APPLICATION FOR AID FROM THAT BODY TO SUPPLEMENT THE PASTOR'S SALARY. THE CHURCH HAS AGREED TO RAISE $200.00 AND ASK THE BOARD FOR $100.00. LOTS 13-18, BLOCK 28, WERE PURCHASED FROM MISS LOU ALLEN ON DECEMBER 14, 1917 FOR $260.00 CASH. ON SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 16, 1917, THE CHURCH MET FOR THE PURPOSE OF ORGANIZING A SUNDAY SCHOOL. BRO. G. T. ISBELL WAS ELECTED SUPERINTENDENT; BRO, W. F. ATKINSON, 1st ASSISTANT; BRO A.A. SANDERS, 2nd ASSISTANT ON CLASSIFICATION; MRS. W. A. BONEY , 3rd ASSISTANT ON ABSENTEES; MANSEL MILLER ,SECRETARY; MISS LOU ALLEN TREASURER. THE FOLLOWING TEACHERS WERE ELECTED: BRO. J. H. ALLEN, BIBLE CLASS; A. B. DUNN, SR. BEREAN; MISS HOUSI, JR. PHIDELIS; MRS. HOWARD, JR. GIRLS; MISS QUICKSALL, JR... BOYS MRS. W. F. ATKINSON, PRIMARY GIRLS; MRS. SELMA HOWARD,, PRIMARY BOYS SUNDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER 16, 1917, THE CHURCH MET TO ORGANIZE LADIES AID. THE FOLLOWING OFFICERS WERE ELECTED; MRS. ATKINSON, PRESIDENT; MRS. MILLER, VICE PRESIDENT; MRS. BONEY, SECRETARY; MRS. HOWARD, TREASURER THE CHURCH CONTINUED IN CONFERENCE SUNDAY NIGHT, DECEMBER 16, 1917 AND CALLED BRO. R. E.. WATSON OF NORMANGEE AS PASTOR. THE FOURTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WAS SET FOR PREACHING DAYS. SALARY TO BE PAID PASTOR WAS $300.00 ANNUALLY. FIRST SERVICE WAS TO BE DECEMBER 24. AFTER PREACHING ON SATURDAY NIGHT, JANUARY 26, 1918, THE CHURCH MET IN CONFERENCE TO REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE BUILDING COMMITTEE. HE STATED THAT UP TO THIS TIME, $2300.00 HAD BEEN PAID. HE ALSO REPORTED THE COMMITTEE HAD AGREED TO BUILD A BRICK BUILDING RATHER THAN FRAME. AFTER CONTACTING SEVERAL BUILDERS, THE CONSESUS WAS A BRICK BUILDING COULD BE BUILT FOR ABOUT 15% MORE, BUT UPKEEP WOULD BE CHEAPER. COMMITTEE AGREED. SCHOOL TRUSTEES AGREED TO CONTINUE RENTING SPACE FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL AND CHURCH SERVICES FOR $5.00 PER MONTH. THE RENT WOULD BE PAID OUT OF SUNDAY SCHOOL TREASURY THE APPLICATION FOR AID FROM STATE BOARD TO SUPPLEMENT AMOUNT RAISED AT HOME FOR PASTOR'S SALARY WAS ADOPTED. CONFERENCE ADJOURNED R. E. WATSON,, MODERATOR A,,, B. DUNN, CHURCH CLERK THE FIRST BUILDING WAS COMPLETED IN 1918 (A TWO STORY BRICK BUILDING) AT THE COST OF $4000.00 THE FIRST PASTORS HOME WAS BUILT IN 1927 AT A COST OF $1,500.00, IN 1938, THE FIRST BAPTISTRY WAS BUILT IN THE CHURCH UNDER THE FLOOR OF THE PULPIT AT A COST FO $45.00. THE FIRST TWO-STORY BUILDING WAS TORN DOWN AND REPLACED BY THE PRESENT BUILDING IN 1951. A NEW PARSONAGE WAS BUILT IN 1966-67 ON LOTS ADJOINING THE CHURCH BUILDING FIRE PARTIALLY DESTROYED THE CHURCH BUILDING IN 1968 AND UNTIL THE RECONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETE, THE SERVICES WERE HELD AT IOLA SCHOOL. IN 1973, AN ADDITIONAL BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED, WHICH CONSISTS OF A NEW FOLLOWSHIP HALL, ADDITIONAL KITCHEN FACILITIES, SUNDAY SCHOOL ROOMS, AND BATHROOMS. FOLLOWING ARE THE PASTORS WHO HAVE SERVED AT THIS CHURCH: R, E, WATSON 1917 W. A. PARKER 1920 C. W. SAWYER 1924 T. J. TOUCHBERRY 1924 J. G. BROCK 1925 T. A. GRAY 1927 C. B. RAY 1934 L. A. JOHNSON 1936 J. T. DeLOACH 1937 RAY STEVENS 1942 O. A. TAYLOR 1944 J. H. MELTON. 1947 S. R. McCLUNG 1948 L. D.MAHANAY 1950 H. G. BONNER 1953 CLINTON WATSON 1956 JOHN IVY 1957 EARL FORT 1958 TOM RUTLEDGE 1961 EARL HUMPHREY 1965 JAMES DAWSON 1966 HERB REEVES 1967 ROLAND CHAPPELL 1971 BRUCE IRVING 1979 JIM THIGPEN 1982 DENNIS ANDERSON 1984 IRA IRVIN 1990 RICHARD KEITHLEY 1992 SCOTT JONES 1999 DOUG JONES 2006 TOTAL MEMBERSHIP IS 391 RESIDENT MEMBERSHIP IS 153
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