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- A Brief Lesson In
Our History -
In the beginning....
The Shepard's Chapel Missionary Baptist
Church was organized on April 25,
1948, at the Fairview
School. E.C. Clifton of
Rogersville First Baptist
Church served as
Moderator of the organizational council and E.A. Cope served as Clerk. The
church has been served by 19 pastors (listed in order of service): Lee Jinks,
John Way,
Bill Hunter, Callie Drummonds, Onzie Gilmore, S.F. Way, Elbert Henard, George Martin,
Roy Presley, Jim Elkins, Grady Byrd, Joe Simpson, Floyd Looney, Fred Goodson,
Dale Cook, Randall Burton, Johnny Carr, David Taylor and Stevie Rogers.
- Cornerstone Of Bell Tower -
The cornerstone is made from pink marble probably taken from a
mine here in Hawkins
County. It has been
stated that this mine was the only one known in the world to produce this
rare color of marble. This same marble can be found in some of Nashville's capital and
governmental buildings.
Challenge To Build
After much prayer, Shepard's Chapel Church
entered a Challenge to Build with a desire to build a new sanctuary
and fellowship hall. The original architectural rendering was done by Brent
Fugate. The commitment of Shepard's Chapel Church
was: To continue worship without interruption, to maintain mission gifts, and
to build and retire debt in a three year program. A building committee of
Phillip Webb (Chairman), James Absher, Gene Brooks, Perry Carpenter, Nila
Fugate, Jeff Greene, Ron Herron, Melvin Horton, and Walter Webb met for the
first time March 13, 1997. The Board of Trustees accepted the financial
obligation for this endeavor. Much can be said for their faith in God and in
the membership of Shepard's Chapel
Church. This board
consisted of Mary Alice Absher, Marshall Barker, Peggy Mathews, Walter Webb,
and Clay Fugate (Chairman). Ground was broken May 11, 1997. John Hageman was
selected to build the new addition. At the onset of the Challenge to
Build, services were held in the original auditorium. As the work
continued, the original auditorium became encompassed in the construction,
and Easter Service conducted in the new fellowship hall. Services were held
in the fellowship hall until the present sanctuary was completed. The first service
held in the new sanctuary was Homecoming Sunday 1999. The financial
obligation was retired with a note burning ceremony on May 7, 2000. Just as
He provided the means to a simple farm community some fifty years earlier to
build a place to worship, God provided the means to advance His kingdom's
work at Shepard's Chapel
Church once again. It
was such a moving thing, to open the original basement door and see rows and
rows of construction paper rectangles, representing bricks. These paper
bricks were sold for one dollar each...and represented birthday presents,
allowances, gifts, and sacrifices...almost all were bought by the children
and youth of this church. For every gift given and every sacrifice made by
young and old, may God be glorified forever and ever.
Amen.
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