In December 1906, Rev. R.J.
Harp was appointed to the Shreveport City Mission. His task was to
start a church in the southern suburbs of the city. He called on
James S. Noel, a friend who lived in the area, to help. By the end
of 1907, the roll had 13 members (12 from the Noel family). The group
became known as the Creswell Street Methodist Episcopal Church, South in
1908 and met in one of Mr. Noel’s houses on Creswell and Wyandotte.
Mr. Noel agreed to build the
congregation a new church, which would be named after his deceased son.
Land for the James S. Noel, Jr. Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, South
was purchased in 1910.
The new church’s cornerstone
… containing a Bible, a hymnal, the Ritual, three newspapers, a coin, and
various other papers … was laid on December 31, 1911. The new sanctuary
- the largest in the city at that time - was formally opened on February
2, 1913.
In 1925, a fire destroyed the
insides of the church, leaving behind only the brick walls. Services
were held at Centenary during reconstruction. Later that year, Mrs.
Noel and her children donated the property to the church. The name
of the church was changed to the Noel Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
to honor the family rather than just one person. Reconstruction was completed
in 1926, and a dedication service was held on January 24, 1927.
Land was purchased north of
the sanctuary on Stephens. An education building was constructed
on the property in 1941. The first Protestant church library in the
city was established at Noel in 1943.
To accommodate the growing congregation, land was
purchased on the east side of the church on Herndon. An activities
building was constructed in 1954-55. By the time it was dedicated
on March 12, 1962, plans had begun on additional facilities such as a recreation
building and remodeling of the activities building. A fellowship
hall was built in 1963. After working on renovations first, the recreation
building was completed under the leadership of Rev. Benedict Galloway in
1976.
After Addie Noel Lane passed
away, her family donated the funds to build a chapel in her memory.
Source: Noel at Seventy, Thomas F. Ruffin |
