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An SBC Congregation |
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God’s Heart Our Hands |
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FBC Havana History |
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On July 20, 2002, First Baptist Church of Havana celebrated its 100th year anniversary or centennial anniversary. The following history was read into the record during a special church service held on July 14, 2002 |
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The Missionary Baptists of Havana, Arkansas met on Sunday, July 20, 1902 to organize a Missionary Baptist Church. The following brothers and sisters entered into the organization: Brothers Sisters W.E. Logan J.A. Moffitt W.D. Moffitt S.E. Girst N.H. Girst T.D. Medford T.J. Lacey E.M. Moffitt W.F. Moffitt M.S. Watkins J.W. Gilpin M.C. Caple J.O. Jones C.C. Caple Gertrude Turner
The church was named the Havana Baptist Church. The members voted on July 22, 1902 to build a 32 x 48 foot church building on lots donated by O.S. Fergeson on the corner of Slay and Wyer Streets. The first seats in the church were on loan from the Pleasant Valley Church.
1926 Electric lights were installed.
1927 A parsonage was constructed.
1940 The church is remodeled and two classrooms are added.
1959—1960 The original church was torn down and a new church constructed on the same site. During construction, FBC Havana met in a building owned by a Mrs. Robinson. By August 1959, sufficient work on the new church was completed to allow members to begin meeting in the new facility. The first service held in the new church was on a Wednesday evening, August 12, 1959. Immediately following, revival services were held from August 14 to August 23.
November 13, 1960 Dedication services for the new church.
Fall, 1965—Spring, 1966 New classrooms added. These classrooms were shortly followed by the construction of indoor restrooms.
1972 A new fellowship hall is constructed onto the church
1980 A church bus is purchased. This bus was replaced in 1983. Subsequently, a smaller bus was purchased in 1997, followed by a 15-passenger van in 2002. Since that time, both busses were sold and an additional 15-passenger van was purchased.
Fall, 1988 A new building project is started. Phase 1 consisted of building a new educational annex and “drying in” a new auditorium. This phase was completed in the spring of 1989.
1990 Phase 2 begins and is completed with the construction of the new FBC Havana Sanctuary that same year.
January 27, 1991 Dedication services for the new sanctuary
January, 1993 Additional property for future expansion purchased from Sandy Lehmann.
1995 The original sanctuary is remodeled into the new FBC Havana Fellowship Hall
February, 1996 The “Baker” property is purchased with the house being renamed the “Faith Annex.” This facility has been used for a variety of classroom purposes as well as the location of the FBC Women on Mission Clothes Closet.
December, 1998 Additional property for future expansion purchased from Beulah Lewis.
July, 1999 First mission trip sponsored and staffed by members of FBC Havana.
August 1, 1999 FBC Havana began our first full-time pastor position.
Spring Break, 2000 First mission trip sponsored and staffed by FBC Havana youth.
March, 2000 Additional property purchased from Mrs. Shawler. The house on this property was renamed the “Hope Annex.” For several years, this facility doubled as both classroom space and as an apartment for visiting evangelists. It was later converted for use as a full-time parsonage.
Fall, 2000 A large metal building was constructed for use as a storage building and bus parking facility.
Below is a list, in chronological order, of pastors at FBC Havana: Bro. W.E. Logan Bro. W.A. Clark Bro. Gathright Bro. L. Quinn Bro. W.J. Pinkerton Bro. George Hunnicutt Bro. Claud Hill Bro. Edd Poindexter Bro. M.P. Henry Bro. J.I. Owens Bro. Charles Finch Bro. Bullock Bro. Yancy Bro. Brewster Bro. G.A. Patton Bro. John D. Baker (March 12 1939-June, 1940) Bro. Austin (December 1, 1940—March 9, 1941) Bro. S.C. Simpson (July 6, 1941—March, 1945) Bro. George Findley (Feb. 3, 1946—July 1949) Bro. John Westfall (Nov. 6, 1949—March 1950) Bro. E.L. Field (March 1950—May 1, 1950) Bro. L.B. McCoy (July 19, 1953—May 9, 1954) Bro. John Clement (May 19, 1954—May 22, 1955) Bro. R.L. Whitten (June 22, 1955—July 28, 1957) Bro. Doug Jones (Aug. 19, 1957—Aug. 1958) Bro. Bill Storts (Aug. 1960—May 26, 1963) Bro. Don Hankins (July 14, 1963—May 19, 1965) Bro. Carl Self (July 19, 1965—December 11, 1968) Bro. Noal Greenfield (Jan. 1, 1969—March, 1971) Bro. Howard Laneer (July 19, 1971—April 1973) Bro. V.W. Simpson (April 30, 1973—Aug. 28, 1977) Bro. Bill Storts (Oct. 2, 1977—April 17, 1994) Bro. Charlie Bird (Associate Pastor Sept. 2, 1992—Aug 1, 1999) Bro. Charlie Bird (Aug. 1, 1999—Aug. 2003) Bro. Jeff Smith (Nov. 2, 2003—Present) Bro. Mark Lane (Youth Minister October 2009—Present)
On the first Sunday of December in 1950, FBC Havana held a homecoming celebration. At that time, a history of our church was presented. The closing comments of that history are still relevant for us today and should be our prayer for the future of FBC Havana.
“It would be impossible for us to list the many members who have served their church so faithfully through the years. We are grateful to God for them all. May we as the older Christians of this church live such lives before the youth of this church, that the same faith, courage, and determination of our forefathers be carried down through the ceaseless ages of time and that there will a ways be a Havana Baptist Church.”
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Copyright 2011-2012. First Baptist Church of Havana. All Rights Reserved. |