Brooks United Methodist Church
began as an outgrowth of the City Mission Church School under the leadership
of Mrs. Edith Henry Keelen and Rev. B.F. Smith.
Edith Henry was only 16 years
old when she asked the manager of her housing project if services could
be held on Sundays. The first "service", held on March 22, 1942,
included Edith, two children, and the pastor. Edith promised the
children gifts if they would bring new children. By August 25, there
were 111 children enrolled in the church school.
On the second Sunday of November
1948, Rev. C.O. Greene met with five adults in the Church of God
in Christ to organize a church. Rev. Greene had been working on building
the Lafon Home. The group became the Brooks Methodist Church in January
1949. The church was named after the Louisiana bishop at that time,
Robert N. Brooks. The small church was aided by the fact that Rev.
Greene served for a number of years without drawing a salary.
On January 18, 1959, the new
church was formally opened. After Rev. Greene had a heart attach
in church on Easter Sunday 1963, he was followed by Rev. W.T. Handy, Sr.
Rev. Greene was named pastor emeritus and was reimbursed for personal funds
he used in the building of the church. Rev. Handy also got the Board
of Missions to refinance the church.
Hurricane Betsy caused so much
damage in September 1965, services couldn’t be held in the sanctuary during
ten months of repairs. By the time it was repaired, Rev. Robert Williams
had been appointed as Brooks’ third pastor.
Source: History of Brooks United Methodist Church, 1959 |
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