At the time the church was established
on November 25, 1894, services were held at the Hebert schoolhouse.
The pastor was Rev. G.W. Garret, a former Methodist Episcopal Church, South
minister. The charter members were Henry Olivier Hebert, Amelia Ann
Hebert, Emily Smith, and David Duncan.
The first church building was completed
in February 1910. That original location was a few hundred yards
north of the present site. Carpenter Martin Howard built the church
on land donated by H.O. Hebert for the church and cemetery. By 1904,
membership had risen to 124.
By 1925, attendance had dropped and
services were moved back to the schoolhouse, which was closer to most of
those attending. In 1935, Rev. Virgil Morris led the church in holding
services at the church once again and a Sunday School started.
After non-use for a long time, the
building was suffering from termite damage. In 1948, the damaged
wood was replaced and four classrooms were added. In the 1950s, the
school board gave the church three rooms from the Ward 8 schoolhouse.
To allow for expansion of the facilities and cemetery, property was
donated to the church by the Martin Howard estate and by Charlie Garner.
Later, the sanctuary received
paneling, new windows, new ceiling tile, and a central heating and cooling
system. The church’s pews were replaced and the current set is the
third that the church has used. |
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