FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

The original Baptist Church of Mineral Wells affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.  Organized in 1882.  From the mother church has come directly the organization of the Calvary Baptist Church and the Lawn Terrace Baptist Church; the other Baptist churches affiliated with the convention being sponsored by the Calvary Church.

The church staff of paid workers includes the Music and Educational Director, Mr. Harold Lewallen, the Church and Financial Secretary, Mrs. John Gill, the Organist, and the custodians, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Hutson.

The total membership of First Baptist Church numbers nearly 2,000.  The resident membership, 1,000.  During the present pastorate there have been 220 additions to the church, 65 of whom have been received upon the profession of faith and as candidates for baptism.  Total gifts for all causes last year was $92,000.  This total includes local expenses building program, and mission causes.  Monthly gifts to the church budget average in the proximity of $4,500.  The church has completed a three-unit expansion program costing in excess of $300,000; the erection of another educational and office building and the complete renovation of the present sanctuary of worship.

The church program includes such organizations as:  the Sunday School for teaching; the Training Union for training membership; the Brotherhood for service and men's fellowship; and the Women's Missionary Union as an organization for local and world wide missionary emphasis.

The average attendance in the Sunday School, the enrollment of which is 865, was 576 during the past month and has been over 500 for the present fiscal year.  The training Union, enrollment of which is 275, now averages 150 each Sunday evening prior to the evening worship service.

You will always find a friendly welcome at First Baptist Church.  The nursery is open each service on Sundays and Wednesdays and all special services to care for your babies and children through three years of age.

PARKER STREET BAPTIST CHURCH

On April 21, 1910, seventeen members met in a tent on the corner of Throckmorton and Milliken St. and Organized a Missionary Baptist Church.  The Charter Members were Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Bullard.  Mr. and Mrs. D. P. Rankin, Dr. J. M. Luttrell, P. A. Foster, Mr. and Mrs. L. S. Forelines, Miss Mattie Bullard, Mrs. E. R. Shoemake, W. O. Powell, Joe B. Dilland, Mr. and Mrs. O. W. Rankin, Mrs. E. J. Forgason and Mrs. Howard.  Rev. W. H. Perry was the first Pastor.

On April 24, 1910, the church bought a house on the corner of Dublette and Parker Street.  The church was named Parker Street Baptist Church.  Aug. 2, 1911, this church built a tabernacle on the corner of Throckmorton and Parker Sts. July 12, 1914, they built a tabernacle on the corner of Throckmorton and Hitt Ave.  In 1922 under the leadership of the pastor, R. B. Key, the present brick building was erected.  Some former pastors that did a good work here were: D. C. Dove, H. M. Dry, J. W. Cundiff, E. Harold Henderson, H. A. Thompson and J. O. McClung.

In 1951 an Educational Building was added, which has room for 15 Sunday School classes, nursery, kitchen and pastor's study.  Rev. V. E. Gibson was pastor.

In 1954, Pastor Obie Barton led the church in remodeling and enlarging the auditorium.  Deacons: Earl Kethley, Emmett Maddox, J. W. Evans, Emmett Cameron, W. A. Bryant, Kenneth Richardson, Joe Lister, John Blackstone, Roy Brooks, Leonard Cook, Ernest Jones, E. J. Gruben and D. W. Sampley; choir director, Bill Harrington; and pianist is Mrs. Sandra Long.

May 1957, W. A. Corley is pastor and the church has 265 members and a seating capacity of 350.

FIRST METHODIST

First Methodist, now housed in a new building with all the latest improvements and comforts, has not always been so well situated.  Neither the new church buildings new to the older members for they have built several.

The first services of the church were held in the homes of members or in the great out of doors.  No organ, no song books and no padded pews were provided for members who attended services any way.  By 1885 services were being held in the school house and in April of 1890, the new "Rock Church" was opened.  In 1903, the Rock Church had been torn down and a new frame building erected.  A two-story annex was completed in 1904 and in 1918 a pipe organ was installed.

The old building was wrecked to make way for the new church which was opened December 14, 1952.  The education building having been opened a year or more before.  The growth of the church has been steady through the years.

ELEVENTH AVENUE CHURCH

The Eleventh Avenue Church located at 204 SW 11th Avenue just two blocks south of the new swimming pool, is the outgrowth of a Bible Class in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Hardwick of 1102 West Hubbard.  The class was started in the fall of 1949, with R. B. Shiflet as teacher.  In January of 1950, a series of meetings were conducted in a small vacant residence belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Hardwick.  At the close of that meeting, plans were made for regular Sunday services, since there was no church of any type in the community.  The congregation met in the residence until the small auditorium was finished in March of 1950.  Later, Sunday School rooms were added.

The congregation is not affiliated with any denomination, but recognizes any Christian as a member of the body of Christ.  It is, without apology, Bible centered, and attempts to reach those who are not in church, desiring to cooperate with all Christians.

CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE

The Church of the Nazarene was organized in Mineral Wells in November, 1913.  The church has been located at two or three different locations in the city.  It is now located at 1005 S. E. Sixth Avenue, where they have a new sanctuary which will accommodate a congregation of three hundred or more.

SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST

On May 15, 1948, the Seventh Day Adventist Church here was organized, with twenty-seven members.  This was brought about as the result of the evangelistic efforts of Elder E. D. Nelson, who conducted services in the old Gem Theater.  The present membership is fifty-three.

Other ministers who have served the church are E. D. Nelson, 1948 and 1949; E. F. Sherrill, 1949-1951;  R. P. Montgomery, 1951-1953; and J. V. Maloney, 1953-1956.  The present pastor is Robert Rider.

Benevolent organizations of the church carry on a large welfare program.  This organization, known as the Dorcas Society, meets each Wednesday afternoon.  Services are held each Saturday, the Sabbath.

WOLTERS AIR FORCE BASE CHAPELS

The Base Chapel Program at Wolters AFB began on April 3, 1951, when a Chaplain and Welfare Specialist were assigned here to reactivate the old Camp Wolters facilities.

Only two Chapel Buildings remained from World War II days, and both were in need of extensive repair.  Roofs had many holes, sills had rotted, and floors were sagging badly.  The walls were in poor repair as was the little furniture available.  Since that time, both buildings have been redecorated inside and out.  Altars have been furnished with approved hangings and hardware and the pews have been varnished and padded.  Organs and pianos have been obtained for the musical part of services, in the singing of hymns and the accompaniment of choirs, etc.

The Base Chapels are busily used by Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish personnel for their various religious services.  On a given Sunday, as many as nine services are held in these buildings in addition to a Base Protestant Sunday School program for 200 children in another building.  A new religious education building was added.

CATHOLIC CHURCH

The first Catholic services in Mineral Wells were held in the early 1900s when Mass was said by visiting priests in various homes, one being the Tom Busey home.  To take care of the needs of local Catholics and more especially the numerous visitors to the resort city, a fund raising campaign was held and a frame building was erected as a church in about the 700 block of NW 3rd Street on the side of West Mountain.  Father P. J. Cussick was appointed the first resident pastor and served for a number of years both in Mineral Wells and Weatherford.  Father Cussick will be remembered by the old timers of the church here for his devoted service and the local Knights of Columbus Council has been named in his honor.

In the early 1920s Father James Burns was appointed as pastor and served until the early 1930s.  Father Burns is now monsignor Burns and pastor of St. Elizabeth's Church in Dallas.  Father Burns was succeeded by Father Thomas Carnes who served until 1917 when Father Patrick Gallagher was appointed pastor.  It was during Father Gallagher's pastorate that the present native stone semi-mission type of church was constructed in 1938.  Father Gallagher was pastor until 1947 and during the years of World War II, the church served hundreds of thousands of service men who were stationed at Camp Wolters.  In order to take care of the huge congregation three Masses were said at the church each Sunday.  Father Gallagher is now pastor of St. Phillip's Church in Dallas.  He was succeeded as pastor by Father Edwin Johnson who remained until 1952.  Father Johnson is now pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Abilene and is Dean of the Abilene Deanery.

In 1952 the church was placed under the care of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate also known as the Pallottine Fathers.  Father James Maher was appointed as pastor with Father Alphonsus Hayes his assistant pastor.  Father Maher and Father Hayes have been transferred to other duties and the present pastor is Father James Mullin assisted by Father John Nagle.

Much progress and many improvements and additions to the church property have been made since 1952.  In 1955 a large duplex house immediately behind the church and facing NW 4th Ave. was purchased and has been remodeled as a parish house which includes a meeting hall and living quarters for the priests.

PRESBYTERIAN

The First Presbyterian Church of Mineral Wells was organized September 8, 1890, with the Rev. Dickey officiating at the organization.  The charter membership was as follows:  H. W. Kidwell, Mrs. Amelia Kidwell, Mrs. H. C. Mountcastle.  Mrs. A. C. Harris, Mrs. M. L. Raines, Miss Alice Raines, Miss Sue Wilson, R. Lamb, Mrs. L. Lamb and Miss Ramell Lamb.  The last charter member was Mrs. J. G. McCracken (Miss Sue Wilson) who died recently.

In 1894 at a tent meeting on the lot adjoining the present site of the church, under the preaching of Rev. W. M. Doggett, the organization was perfected and a Ladies Aid Society organized.  Miss Ruby Kearns (Mrs. B. A. Yeager) was organist.  Additional members received in pioneer days of the church were Mrs. Alice Kearns, Miss Ida Mayes, Mrs. Mollie Yokley and Mrs. Charlotte Bock.

No regular church building was owned by the group and services were held in what was known as the old rock school building, with aid for sustenance coming from the Home Mission Committee for several years.

Rev. John McCall served the church as supply and under his leadership the church grew and prospered and a frame building begun.  On August 28, 1908, during the fire which destroyed a large part of Mineral Wells, the building was burned.  Later the present church was built.

In addition to Rev. McCall ministers who have served the church are Rev. W. S. Baker, 1897-1899; Rev. H. M. Smith, 1899-1904; Rev. R. C. McAdie, 1905-1910; Rev. J. H. McFaeland, 1911-1913; Dr. Potter, 1913-1922; Rev. J. A. Brunburg, 1922-1923; Rev. George N. Thomas 1924 and left about 1930 when Rev. Keathley came to serve the church for a few years.  Later, Rev. Jim Garvin and Rev. Ralph Bucy were pastors.

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

The church has been serving the community since 1888 when it was organized.  At this timme, meetings were held in a white frame building until the red brick building was constructed on the corner of N.W. 1st Ave. and 1st Street in 1901.  In 1951, the present building was dedicated on the site of what used to be called Gibson Park and the name was changed from Central Christian to First Christian.

In the past three years the church has grown tremendously with regular services, prayer meeting held on Thursday evenings at 7:30.  During the worship services, Junior Church is conducted for children, ages 5 through 10.  The children have the same service as the adults with the sermon being scaled down to their level and understanding.  The church also maintains two nurseries; one for babies and the other for children, 2, 3, and 4.  Pastor Dick Brown is present pastor.

CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH

In the year 1907, in a house located on Doublett Street, that was owned by Mrs. E. A. Elliott, a Sunday School was organized by Rev. W. E. Brittain, then the pastor of the First Baptist Church and Miss Eula Hope, a member of that church.  From that Sunday School has grown the Calvary Baptist Church.

The church was organized in 1909, two years later and was known as the East Side Baptist Church.  Services were held in a tabernacle until 1927.  At that time the tabernacle needed repairs to the extent that the city condemned the building and ordered it torn down.  The church had been without a pastor for several years, but Missionary T. C. Kuykendall saw the need of a church in the east part of the city, reorganized the church and led in building a small red brick building which was completed in June, 1927.  The church grew through its Sunday School and its new organization, the Training Union.

The need of a larger building was seen in 1930, and the church started at once to build a larger auditorium.  The funds grew slowly, due to the depression, but the congregation was not lacking in faith and therefore, started a new building made from native rock.  By mid-summer of 1931 the basement was completed and the walls of the auditorium went up the next year and although unfinished, services were held in it by May of 1932.  Two years later the pastor's home was completed and by 1936 the entire indebtedness was cancelled.

Three missions have been established by the church and each mission is now an independent church, the Pasadena Baptist Church, the Northside Baptist Church, and the newest being Emanuel Baptist Church.

In 1951 and 1952 a new and beautiful auditorium was built with an electronic organ and also an educational unit was constructed.  The old auditorium was converted into an educational building.  The church continued to grow until there was need for more space.  November 1953, another educational annex was added, 42 feet by 58 feet and two stories.

PALO PINTO BAPTIST CHURCH

The convention which organized the Palo Pinto Baptist Association met October 3, 1879 at Bethal Church, Palo Pinto County near the present town of Santo.  There were six churches with a membership of 213 persons represented at the organization.  Among those present in the organization were three ordained ministers and three licensed ministers. Mr. J. A. Glen was elected the first moderator.

There was a period of time from 1928 to 1931 that the Palo Pinto and Jack County Associations were affiliated.

The present association is composed of twenty-three churches and one mission.  Five of the churches and the mission are located in the city of Mineral Wells, the others are located so that the whole of the county is covered by the Baptist ministry.

Among those who have served as moderators of the association, men whom everyone knows, are M. A. H. Brackeen and the late Judge John Birdwell.