By Bruce Howard
The First Baptist Church of Hedley will celebrate 100 years of ministry on Father’s Day, June 21, 2009, and the public is invited to join the festivities.
The Reverend Cecil Matthews of Weatherford, Texas, is credited with organizing the church in 1909; but interestingly, he is not considered the church’s first pastor and is not listed among the 28 charter members.
The church’s first pastor was Reverend Hensley, the first of 31 pastors the church has had in its century of service.
During the pastorate of Reverend Reece, the church’s third pastor, the first sanctuary was built at 3rd & Main, the same property the church building is on today.
Reverend J.S. Tipton led the church at a time when the sanctuary was destroyed by fire in 1957. Most church records were regrettably lost during that time. Brother Tipton aled the church to rebuild and construct its parsonage doing much of the construction himself. The present sanctuary was constructed in 1958.
During C.H. Murphy’s pastorate the education wing of the church was built in 1967.
Two of the church’s pastors have continued to minister in the Panhandle area for many years. Lewis Ellis, who pastored from 1975-1978, went on to pastor First Baptist Lefors for 17 years. Bryan Knowles was pastor from 1981-1988, and is still active in pulpits to this day, supplying for churches that need him.
Dr. Jim Howard was the church’s long-term interim pastor from 1991-1993; and during part of that pastorate, his son Bruce visited the church, preached and sang, and was later called to serve as pastor in 1993. He continues as pastor today, having led the church to build a new fellowship hall that serves both the church and the community.
“Our church is marked by a tremendous spirit of giving, a warmth of fellowship between adults and youth, and especially by a call from God to make disciples,” Pastor Howard said.
“We have had a part in ordaining five men to the gospel ministry in the past eight years, and God continues to allow us to help folks grow in their spiritual walk so they can minister the truth of Christ to the world. I pray the Lord gives us another hundred years to serve Him.”
The church will have a special morning service this Sunday beginning at 10:45 a.m. with a pot-luck luncheon following the service and then a special afternoon service from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. In both services former pastors and ordained ministers will share testimonies of their time at the church and give the church a challenge for the future. There will also be special music.
Everyone is welcome to attend the services and luncheon.
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