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FBC Heath History and Development
On September
26, 1874 eleven people gathered at the Willow Springs schoolhouse (very near
the current location) to form the Willow Springs Baptist Church of Christ.
The church was named for the numerous willow trees growing and a nearby
natural spring. Later, in 1910, the name was changed to Heath Baptist
Church.
In 1894 a building was
completed across the street from the present address. The church met in
that building for the next four years before a cyclone destroyed the
building on June 8, 1898. While construction on the new building was being
done, the church continued to meet in the local school. In September, 1898
the building that we now know as Smirl Chapel was completed. The church
continued to meet in the building until the new sanctuary was completed in
1981. Pinion Hall (Children’s Building) was completed in 1973 and our
current education and office building was completed in 1994.
In the early
years, it was common for a pastor to only remain in a church for a year or
two. As a result, the church has had many pastors throughout the years.
Each brought different gifts and abilities to the task, but the following
names are those whom God has honored with holding the title of pastor.
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James T Vance 1874-1875
HM Trotter 1875
AH Norris 1876 -1884
HV Lively 1884 – 1895
JH Meyers 1895-1898
SJ Anderson 1899-1901
HB Pender 1901- 1903
PC Scott 1904-1905
JE Newman 1906
JA Lee 1906-1908
CJ Washman 1908-1911
CA Ashcroft 19011-1912
HA Conway 1912
JO Hearne 1913-1922
WZ Corbin 1925-1926
Steve Harwell 1926-1934
Jim Moran 1934-1935
Silas Dickerson 1935-1939
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TJ McCain 1939
W Clyde Smith 1940-1941
WO McClung 1942
J W Harper 1943-1945
William Scott 1945
Eugene Mc Clung 1946-1947
HD Martin 1947-1949
EC Harwwell 1949-1951
Ray Alford 1951
Obie Anderson 1951-1953
Cr Mabus 1953-1959
JE James 1959-1964
Tullis Wade 1964-1969
Jerry Fleming 1969-1975
Dick Sisk 1975-1985
Richard Wells (Interim)
1985-1986
David Burcham 1986-2000
Wesley Marks 2001
Paul Jacobs 2001 - present
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In the nearly 135 years of
the existence of the church, God’s blessings have been clearly evident. As
this church ministers well into the 21st century, let us do so
with God’s blessings and empowerment. May we continue to reach the lost and
may we always bring honor and glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. |
