First Baptist Church Lee Heights

Lee Heights Family Church

History

In the latter part of 1934 and early 1935, the ladies of Lee Heights, a small neighborhood just north of Veterans Administration Hospital on Highway 71, began having home organized prayer meetings. The following year a Women's Ministry Unit (WMU) was organized from this group.

In the spring of 1936, the only choice for the adults and children in this neighborhood to attend a worship service was to attend a Methodist Church in Pineville Louisiana.

The ladies of the WMU felt it was time to organize a Sunday School Class in this neighborhood. The ladies continued talking about the possibility of organizing a Sunday School until some of the men also became interested. The WMU ladies contacted Bros. Stafford and Mose Mercer, young ministers, to interest them in starting a Sunday School Class in the neighborhood. Bros. Stafford and Mose Mercer became interested and gave the WMU ladies some apple boxes to be used as benches in their grocery store. They started to grow and as a result needed a place to establish and organize a mission. Mr. Joe Edwards came to their rescue and rented a small building, located on the opposite side of the road from the present church position.

Bro. Mercer organized a Sunday School with Superintent Mr. H. E. Wilbanks as Secretary / Treasurer, Murray Jones, and Bro. Mercer. Bro. Mercer was selected to be the Minister.

This small but vibrant organization continued until God called them to establish a mission in this little village. God blessed their efforts and the mission prospered and they bought the present lot on which the Church now stands.

Bro. L. R. Sheldon from New Orleans, Louisiana, was contacted and agreed to help Bro. Mercher in a two week Revival. God blessed this Revival with nine baptisms and seventeen that joined by letter. The mission was not yet completely organized so the Revival's baptisms and letters became part of the First Baptist Church of Pineville, Louisiana. The Mission became a full fledged Church on September 20, 1936. At this time the Church was using a large tent for their worship services. This tent was loaned to the Church by the Army. Thus, the First Baptist Church was organized the third Sunday of September 1936. The first official Pastor was Bro. Stafford G. Rogers, Church Clerk was Jesse Nelson, and Sunday School Supertendant was H. E. Tullos.

The first Church letter to the Southern Baptist Big Creek Association on October 8, 1936, was accepted with twenty six Charter members and with a Sunday School enrollment of fiftv seven.

Again in 1939, the year turned to a year of hardships. No full time pastor, but Bro. J. G. Harris of Pinevlle was called as the part time Pastor. God turned those hard times into a blessing as the Sunday School continued to grow with an enrollment of ninety three.

With the Church growing a church building was needed. A Sanctuary was planned and work began on a building of 36'x 60'. In 1940, money was needed to finish the church construction and clear up some debts. A loan was obtained and with construction complete, church could be held in the building and it was fairly comfortable.

In 1941, Bro. Harris became the full-time minister and continued into 1942 as pastor. Bro. W. Z Lewis followed as pastor in July 1943 until May 1944. In 1944, O. B. Barfield was called and served until 1946.

In 1946 Rev. O. T. Hammonds served the church as minister until 1947.

In 1947 S. J. Sylvest was called as pastor. Bro. Sylvests date of resignation is not clear. In 1947, Rev. George Hammons served as pastor, resigning June 27, 1954.

In August 1954, Rev. Perry Wallace was called and regular church activities continued and enrollment increased. In May 1955, a two story educational building of approximately 46'x 70' was added on the back of the present building at an estimated cost of $32,000. Bro. Wallace served as pastor until June 1, 1959.

In October 1959 Bro. W.O. Sparks was called and his ministry terminated at his request to go into the Mission field, effective December 1961.

In January 1962, the Rev. Barnett Ates pastored the church until 1964.

In March 1965, Bro. Kim Dunbar was called as pastor until August 1968, when he resigned go to the Seminary in New Orleans Louisiana.

In January 1969 Bro. Ates again was called as Pastor until October l , 1971.

On October 6, 1971 Bro. Henry Mott came as interim pastor until April 1972.

The following served as pastors: Bro. Michael Malone and Bro. Winford Belgard. Following their resignations Bro. Dan O'Reagon and Bro. Herb Dickerson served as intermins.

As the church was considering closing it's doors, Bro. James Greer accepted the call to be pastor on June 6, 2004. The membership was approximately twenty five.

The first Sunday of Bro. James Greer's ministry, June 6, 2004, thirty joined by letter and one by statement. Since that day and through August 2006, we have had fourteen Baptisms, ninety one by letter and thirty two by statement. God has continued to bless this church and with God's help, the church has purchased the land adjacent to the church and hopefully will be building a new sanctuary in late 2007.

In April 2006, Bro. Brad Webb was called as Co-Pastor and Wednesday night services were resumed.

In August 2006, we had the first Vacation Bible School in approximately four years. We had fifty three children participate with thirty seven volunteers.

November, 2006, Don Arbuckle became Associate Minister and Worship Leader.