The first signs of religious
activity in Kentwood date back to 1889, when general religious meetings
were held in a school built that year. The Kentwood Methodist Episcopal
Church, South was organized as a charge on the Amite Circuit in 1892.
Fred Woolver donated a lot for the church on December 1, 1892, though the
building wasn't finished construction until 1896, under the leadership
of Rev. S. S. Keener. It was Rev. Keener who organized the building
fund. The local paper recalls that the church was raised on August
29, 1896. The steeple contained a 500 pound bell that had been ordered
by Mayor Ball and Dr. Reeves. The steeple was later (early 1930s)
removed due to deteriorating lumber and the weight of the bell. The
dedication service for the church was led by Rev. Harry W. May on November
19, 1899. The charter for the church was drawn up on November 11,
1907.
The church experienced rapid
growth in those early years. In one quarter of 1905, the records
show that the preacher was paid the sum of $16.45. Only 2 years later,
the pastor was paid $231.45 for a quarter. By 1913, church membership
was up to 600.
A Sunday school was organized
on October 31, 1896 with P.J. Whitley as Superintendent. The first
parsonage was built in 1902. It was replaced in 1962 when the present
parsonage was purchased. The present educational building was built
when Rev. A. G. Taylor was pastor and was dedicated on January 13, 1951.
The church was remodeled in
the late 1950s. This included refinishing the interior, building
a slender spire, installing air conditioning and heating, and veneering
the exterior with brick. The work was completed in 1959 and dedicated
in 1963. |
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