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| Church celebrates anniversary of beginnings in Prineville |
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 | | Photo By Liesl Schuepbach | | Missionary Baptist Church on Madras Highway has undergone quite a few physical changes during their 75 years. |
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On Feb. 20, 1927, a group of local folks organized a Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, with 30 members. T.E. Griffith led in this organization, and became the first pastor.
Property was purchased on the corner of 2nd and Court Streets, which now houses the Crook County Health Department.
Griffith remained the pastor until 1931, when E.H. Brown became pastor. In 1935, Fred Brown became the pastor.
Following Brown, in 1937, as a young preacher, George Chase was ordained by the church, and became pastor, remaining until 1939.
Over the years, Chase filled the pulpit many times when the church was without a pastor, and remained a very close friend of this church.
During this time the congregation had grown, and the need for a larger building became a necessity.
The original building was torn down, and replaced with a new building. In 1947, the building was completed. Since that time, more Sunday school rooms were added, and a lot of remodeling took place. A bus ministry was found to be needed.
The church purchased a bus from the school district, and it was used to bring many children and young people to Sunday school, Vacation Bible School and youth activities.
Under the leadership of Harris, in 1968, the Missionary Baptist Church accepted the administration of the Crystal Springs Camp.
The U.S. Forest Service had given the church a 99 year lease on this property. The church Camp Committee works in harmony with the U.S. Forest Service in planning improvements.
The camp has also been used for other church related activities, such as Ladies Retreat, and Men's Retreat. The Lord has blessed this effort in so many ways.
The church continued to grow, and in July 1978, the church agreed that a larger facility was needed due to growth of the congregation. Property located on the Madras Hwy was purchased, and the church accepted an offer from Crook County for the church property on 2nd and Court Streets.
Groundbreaking took place for the new building in August 1979. The building program began, and the first service was held on Easter Sunday 1980 in the new facility. The property was free from debt by 1985.
In 1980, the church called Harvey Bynum to be the pastor. Bynum resigned as the pastor in January 1988, to accept the Pastorate in Kountze, Texas.
The church extended a call to Jack Collier, from Big Spring, Texas, and Collier accepted the church, and moved to Prineville, August 1988, and remains the pastor to this date.
The past 75 years, this church has seen 17 pastors in their posts who have preached the Word of God without compromise.
The church has stood firm as an Independent Baptist Church, preaching the Gospel, the Death, Burial and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
To celebrate the church's anniversary, a number of activities are planned for this weekend. All are listed in the calendar column (see Happenings). Everyone is welcome to attend.
Call the church at 447-5588 for more information. |
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