In early 1958, the Shreveport
District Board of Missions wanted to start a church in a growing area of
Shreveport. A parsonage at 255 Roma Drive was made available and
Tracy Arnold was appointed to start the new church. The first meeting
place was the Broadmoor Theater, while Sunday School classes were held
in the Scout Huts at the A.C. Steere Park. Rev. Arnold had to carry
in a portable pulpit, hymnals, and lights hooked up to an extension cord.
Since there was no baptismal font, the first baptism had to use a paper
cup. The new church was chartered on September 21, 1958. By
the end of the year, there were 101 charter members.
In November 1958, they began
holding services at Brown Chapel at Centenary. Land for a church
site at 6312 Sandbeach Blvd. was purchased on January 8, 1959. Groundbreaking
on the new church was on May 14, 1961. By March 1962, the construction
was completed. An addition was built in 1968.
In the 1970s, the church began
to open its doors to allow others … such as LSU-S students, Weight Watchers,
the Sentry School … to use the facilities.
In 1974, a parsonage was purchased at 7505 Camelback
Drive. A new wing and a flexible activity/class room was built in
1976-77. The sanctuary was renovated in 1977-78. |
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