Turnertown Baptist Church

1936 – 1986

Used by Permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission

Submitted by : Gloria B. Mayfield

Coordinator: Dolores I. Bishop

The First Baptist Church of Turnertown, Texas, originated with a group which met on Saturday, February 1,1936, at the Turnertown Community Church. The Community Church was a small church whose building was located on the north side of Hwy. 64 near Smooley Road. Sunday School was held each Sunday, and different men preached in the worship services.

  The group of people who began Turnertown Baptist Church withdrew from the Selman City Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist Church located about a mile west of Turnertown highway intersection.

  Until they built a new building later that year, the newly organized First Baptist Church of Turnertown, 38 charter members, met in the small frame building of the Turnertown Community Church, which no longer existed, but rather merged with the group which had withdrawn from Selman City Baptist Church.

  Brother James Brooks pastured Turnertown Baptist Church from March 1936 to August 1936. Rev. Harvey Elledge was called as the first full-time pastor in October 1936.

  At the Tenth Annual Meeting of the Rusk-Panola Missionary Baptist Association, Turnertown Baptist Church was officially received into the group.

  During the years of Brother Elledge’s pastorate, the church building was completed, then enlarged, and another building was added. The 2- bedroom parsonage was originally located about one mile west of the intersection on an oil road which connects Hwy. 64 with Carlisle. At a later time the parsonage was moved to a site about one-half mile west of the intersection on the north side of Hwy. 64, behind Hook’s Machine Shop, which is no longer standing.

  On September 21,1941, Turnertown Baptist Church was dedicated at a special note-burning ceremony. According to a newspaper article in 1940, a new addition had been built to house the Junior, Intermediates, and Young People. The elementary departments met in another building. The growth of the church during the early years was phenomenal: by 1941 over 400 persons had been received by baptism and more than 500 by letter.

  The W.M.S. was a very active part of the church from its inception in 1936, promoting missions locally and abroad.

  Brother Dean Elkins came as pastor of the Church in March 1942. By that time the resident church membership exceeded 700 and the Sunday School enrollment was over 500.

  In January of 1944, the E.L. Long family donated a new pulpit to the church. The evidence of God’s work in the lives of His people was the licensing of Jim Baker and Billy Bob Tisdale to the gospel ministry on May 20,1944. Bill Tisdale later became a missionary to the Philippines and in 1982 was called as pastor of the First Baptist Church in Henderson. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Tisdale, and sister and brother-in-law, Mr. And Mrs. H.K. Coffer, were charter members of Turnertown Baptist.

  The church voted to sponsor a Boy Scout troop. A log hut was built on the church property at an approximate cost of $200, which was to be raised by   “popular subscription”. The men’s Sunday School class in the 1980’s is still known as the “Hut Class’ because for years they met in the Boy Scout hut.

  Rev. A.L. New from Rodessa, Louisiana, came as pastor in August 1944.

  In November 1945 the church called Rev. J. Melvin Ray.

  It was apparently a practice to elect deacons annually. In 1947 the church voted to increase the number on the “Board of Deacons” TO nine. In 1946 an architect in Tyler was hired to remodel the auditorium to include carpeting, new ceiling installation, and choir rearrangement. New Church pews were purchased, and fans were installed. The church in October 1947 authorized a bedroom, closet and shower bath to be added to the parsonage at a cost of approximately $2,000. Another important addition during Rev. Ray’s pastorate was the purchase of a Hammond organ for $2,202.

  The church grew in these years, with Sunday School attendance averaging about 350. Several young men were called of God to preach: Elma Peddy was licensed in 1946, Johnny Ray Stuckey was ordained on May 30,1948, Donald Tisdale in November, and Maxie Johns also in that year. Brother Ray resigned in December 1948. Brother Roark and Dean Westly Smith from East Texas Baptist College in Marshall were chosen to supply until a new pastor was found.

  On January 19,1949, the church voted unanimously to call Edward S. Shirley as pastor. Soon after Brother Shirley came to Turnertown, the church adopted the slogan “The Church with a Welcome”.

  Mr. And Mrs. E.J. Phillips both worked for the church in the capacities of custodian and nursery worker. It was while Brother Shirley was pastor that Mrs. Phillips acquired the name “Ma Phoobie”. One of her nursery children had difficulty pronouncing Phillips, resulting in “Phoobie”. This much loved and admired lady served the church faithfully for many years; she was active in Sunday School and W.M.U. One of her projects was planting and tending a rose garden on the church lawn.

  There was a need for a building renovation and an annex. The estimated cost in 1950 of $7,500 was to be raised by cash and pledge.

  Rev. Ed Cummings was unanimously voted to come fill the place vacated by Rev. Ed Shirley in August 1952. Tommy Marshal was licensed in 1953 and Danny Kyle was licensed by the church to the gospel ministry in this same time period. During Brother Cumming’s one-year pastorate the church voted to purchase new Broadman Hymnals, and a used church bus was bought.

  Rev. R.D. Copeland succeeded Ed Cummings at Turnertown. The late 1950’s were a time of transition for the Turnertown community as many people were moving away from the area. Resident membership dropped from 495 to 355 in 1960; during the same period Sunday School average attendance went from 350 to 170.

  The church building was again in need of painting and remodeling at an estimated cost of about $1,900. Vacation Bible School was made even more memorable by the purchase of a snow cone machine in 1954. The $60 purchase price was apparently well spent since the machine served for other activities, including several mission trips to the Rio Grande Valley.

  Other highlights in the late fifties were the licensing of Donald Pool and Doug Copeland to the ministry and the ordination of Ira Goodwin, Jess Nuska, and Roger Whitehead as deacons.

  After Rev. Copeland resigned in July 1969, Rev. E.C. Harris was selected as interim pastor. Warren McAlister came to Turnertown as pastor in October 1959.

  The people’s concern for missions continued to be expressed in their giving. A transistor-type public address system was purchased for Bill Tisdale to use in his mission work. The budget for 1961 allocated 20 per cent to the Cooperative Program. Also in 1961 Mrs. Clarice Battles resigned as pianist and organist, a position that she had held since 1945.

  There continued to be an exodus from the East Texas oil field. Some of the strong leaders in the church were moving away from the area, and the church felt the loss. However, the church remained steadfast, and Sunday School attendance averaged near 200 during the three years of Brother McAlister’s ministry. Brother McAlister resigned to go to Temple Baptist Church in Clute, Texas.

  In the absence of a pastor, S.R. Malone preached during the interim until Rev. L.G. Eaves was called as pastor in March 1963. Just prior to Brother Eaves move, the church had voted to move the parsonage from its site behind Hooks Machine Shop to the property owned by Afton Thrash on which the church building was located. This property was used by the church for years at no cost.

  In the four years of Eaves pastorate, the people began to talk more seriously about building a new church building. In 1964 goals were set to pay off the church debt, purchase land, and raise money for a new building; this was to take place over a five-year period.

  The youth were active in the mid-1960’s. A youth recreation program was instituted, and there was a youth publication called The Turnip. Other notable events included developing an organized library program with a designated place and specific hours of operation. Randall Montgomery was licensed to preach in 1964. From 1963 to 1966 the resident membership declined from 372 to 253; Sunday School attendance went from 151 to 107.

  Rev. Eaves resigned in February 1967. David Lawson of Longview was interim pastor until Rev. A.M. Averette came to pastor the church. Under brother Averette’s leadership the discussions and prayers concerning a new building developed, and it became a reality. A ground-breaking ceremony was held on April 7,1974 with the first shovel of dirt being turned by “Ma Phoobie”, who was at that time the oldest resident member. The church had acquired property on the south side of Hwy. 64, some donated by Clyde and Lucile Waggoner, and some purchased with money donated by G.H. “Tobe” and Karlena Jackson. The building committee was composed of Eunice Gresham, Wilson Harmon, Q.P. Hooks, Karlena Jackson, Evelyn McClain, and Bob Giles, who served as chairman. The contract for $64,000 was with J.P. Sides of Henderson. Gratitude to God was expressed in a dedication service and open house held on September 22,1974. Tommy Marshall, son of charter members T.F. and Estelle Marshall, delivered the dedication message, and Don Kyle gave his testimony. Both of these young men had been previously ordained by Turnertown Baptist Church to the gospel ministry.

  Dorothy Averette, wife of the pastor, was a talented vocalist and she, along with Elwyn Harmon and Evelyn McClain formed a trio called “Treble Tones Trio.

    In October 1975 the church called Brother Ward Mallotto as interim pastor. Brother David Stine was called as pastor in July 1976. During his pastorate, G.H.”Tobe” Jackson and John Witherspoon were ordained as deacons. In March 1978 Stine was sworn in by the Air Force as an Air Force Reserve Chaplain of The Southern Baptist Convention. He resigned on June 2,1978. In August of 1978 the church called Shane McCardell as pastor. Dave Riddle was then Minister of Youth. Brother McCardell resigned April 30,1979.

  Brother David Lawson again came as interim pastor until Rev. Charles Barham was called as pastor on November 18,1979. The church celebrated its 45^th anniversary and paid off the building note in seven years, which was on the anniversary date. In 1982 a carillon system was installed on the roof of the church and the total cost $7,000 was paid for by special offerings by members of the church and the community. The bells strike the hours during the day and hymns are played at two designated hours. Special seasonal tapes are enjoyed during the holidays. It is a testimony to all within hearing of the church’s presence in the community.

  In October 1985 Brother Barham and his wife, Mary, were appointed by the Foreign Mission Board to an English speaking language church in Kobe, Japan. Brother Warren McAlister was again called as church pastor, and continues in his ministry to the congregation. Other ordained deacons who are still active in the church are Jimmy Jones and Jesse Gresham.

  Looking back over 50 years of the life of this church, many people have been a part of this family. They are and have been a precious people. God has worked in the lives of these people as they committed to worship and fellowship and serve Him together. But the past is behind, and now there is a fraction of the number of former years. The challenge to the church is the same as it has always been: disciple – teach – baptize in the name of Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit.