North Coleman Baptist Church
Coleman, Texas
by Jewel Chapman 

from A History of Coleman County and Its People, 1985 
edited by Judia and Ralph Terry, and Vena Bob Gates - used by permission
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The North Coleman Baptist Church was organized on March 3, 1927, at the old North Side Tabernacle on the corner of Ripley and Blanco.  The 17 charter members were: Mrs. Frank Billings, Mrs. Tempest Burroughs Vaughn, Mrs. A. S. Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hughes, Mr. and Mrs. R. M. Lykins, Ernest Lykins, Miss Lucille Lykins, Mrs. T. L. Sparkman, Mr. and Mrs. F. A. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Hardy Taylor, Miss Aleene Taylor and Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Touchstone.  The council as follows: The Reverends J. R. McCorkle, Presiding Officer; J. M. Cooper, Special Clerk; J. R. Davis; J. C. Strickland and Mr. L. F. Collins.  After the church organization procedures were completed the church doors were opened for new members.  The following came by letters: T. L. Sparkman, J. S. Jackson, Bro. and Mrs. R. M. Hickman.

On March 6, in the evening service the first business meeting was transacted with the following results: T. L. Sparkman, Church Clerk; Lucille Lykins, Church Organist; J. S. Jackson, Sunday School Superintendent; R. M.
Hickman, Assistant S. S. Superintendent; Allene Taylor, Sunday School Organist; Mrs. T. L. Sparkman. Sunday
School Sect, and Treasurer; W. H. Touchstone, recognized as senior Deacon; J. R. Davis, Fourth time pastor called.  Results of a two week revival, H. O. Lee, was the first member by statement and Miss Willie Mae Pridemore, first member by baptism.  The first purchase by the church membership was a second hand piano for $100.00 from J. C. Bourland.  The purchasing committee was: R. M. Lykins, J. S. Jackson, F. A. Smith and Hardy Taylor.

On April 3, 1927, the following men were named to secure a lot for a church building: R. M. Lykins, Hardy Taylor and J. S. Jackson.  In August, 1927, the lots were bought.  The building committee appointed were: Bros. Jackson, Hughes, Lykins and Lee and Sisters Jackson, Vaughn and Lykins.  On August 7, 1927, North Coleman Baptist Church asked and were admitted to the Southern Baptist Convention, as a church having adopted the articles of faith and the church covenant as laid down in Pendletons Manuel, as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in session in Houston, in 1926.

The New Hope Baptist Church disbanded and presented their building to the North Coleman Baptist Church, March 7, 1928, and the building to be placed over the basement being prepared, 32 by 40 feet, and the wooden structure was to be brick veneered.  By June 1, 1931, the membership had reached 123.  A revival held August 2, 1931, led by J. M. Cooper, coming by baptism were Terrell Connelly, Irene Ray and L. B. Chapman.

Church minutes dated October 16, 1933, named Mildred Comedy and Bessie Jackson as card teacher and B.V.P.U. director and on July 11, 1936, Waylon Armstrong was director, and Miss Syville Evans, secretary.  The roll consisted of 124 members; 42 men and boys and 82 women and girls on November 10, 1934.  The Connelly, Ray, Jackson and Knowles families led in numbers.  The first Brotherhood was organized February 18, 1940, with S. Mask as president.

A new piano was purchased in December, 1943.  From January through October, 1944, the steps at front of the church were repaired; 100 new song books were bought by the members; a light was installed at front of the building; a light and fan installed in the choir; the church and parsonage were insured; two bedrooms, a bath, closets and porch were remodeled at the parsonage.  On February 7, 1945, the note to Mr. Horne on the building was paid in full, burned by pastor in presence of the membership.

A new piano was bought in July, 1954 and Sunday School improvements were made with more classes in January 1954.  On March 7, 1956, the church entered into the Broadway Bond plan to finance a building program with R. L. Mitchell, secretary.  On January 9, 1957, the Broadway Bond representative came and was gracious in relieving the church of much financial strain.  With Bro. Melvin Guthnie as pastor, he presented an agreement to the church and soon our financial crisis was passed.  A carport was built on the east side of the parsonage by volunteer labor, October 5, 1960 and a baptistry painting was done by Mrs. Morton, wife of Silver Valley pastor.  Junior White and Donald McDorman bought the paint for her.  The church has always appreciated Mrs. Morton for this service.  Two terms became familiar speech in the church in Bro. J. B. Everett’s pastorate; the Lottie Moon Christmas Tree and Christmas in August.  There were two active circles of W. M. U. at one time.

On April 29, 1964, the church voted to buy property just east of the church for a new parsonage from the Charley Grays.  The stucco building on the property was moved near the church and redone into a recreation room and named Crosby Hall.  The parsonage floors were sanded and covered, a closet built and a partition moved in the kitchen in 1965.  During J. C. Tankensley’s pastorate he managed to obtain new pews for our auditorium and the first carpet.  Bro. Archie Phillips was called back for a second time as pastor in September 1968.  He and his family were at the church 9 years this time.  He pastored the church near 12 years, kept us out of financial trouble and was always ready to roll out the barrel and raise money for missions, revival on back debts.  Our offerings were deposited in this barrel and it worked.  Bro. Billy L. Roberts was called to North Coleman Baptist Church in August 1977 and he is still our pastor.  He has promoted much remodeling in the halls, bathrooms and the nursery where some new furniture has just been installed.  There has been fencing and other improvements around the outside.  Several of his members from the White Chapel ministry are now his members in North Coleman Baptist Church.

Longtime members on the church roll are: Mrs. Lois McWhirter, appearing on July 14, 1934; L. B. Chapman since August 2, 1931 - 52 years on the roll but only 41 consecutuve years as he lettered out about five years into White Chapel.  He and his wife returned on December 13, 1942; and Mrs. Maggie Wood, appearing July 7, 1944.  If she cannot get a daughter or grandaughter to play the piano, she does it herself, and well.  These four people have a total of 176 years in the church.

Pastors who have served are: J. R. Davis, March 6, 1927-Sept. 7, 1930; C. A. Farnis, Sept. 21, 1930-Jan. 17, 1932; Brother Fuller, April 17, 1932; I. K. Holmes, April 9, 1933-Dec. 6, 1936; J. A. Loudermilk, Jan. 24, 1937-July 4, 1937; M. O. Row, Sept. 5, 1937-Aug. 27, 1939; Taylor Henley, Nov. 26, 1939-Dec. 12, 1941; H. C. Bnistow, Feb. 22, 1941-Aug. 18, 1943; C. J. Coffman, Sept. 15, 1943-June 1, 1945; W. W. Nowlin, July 8, 1945-Sept. 5, 1945; J. O. McCaleb, Nov. 21, 1945-Nov 1, 1950; J. C. Shipman, Dec. 20, 1950-March 12, 1952; L. L. Hatfield, March 7, 1952-Nov. 1, 1955; Joe Dillard, Dec. 1955-Jan.
13, 1957; M. L. Cuthrie, March 3, 1957-Jan. 24, 1960; J. B. Everett, March 6, 1960-June 3, 1962; Archie Phillips, Aug. 12, 1962-June 20, 1965; W. B. Cartwright, July 18, 1965-April 3,1966; J. C. Tankersley, June 26, 1966-Aug. 25, 1968; Archie Phillips, Sept, 22, 1968-April 1,1977 and Billy L. Roberts, Aug. 7, 1977-the present.

Some ordained or licensed to preach while members (incomplete) were: Hardy Taylor, 1927; Leon Myers; Bradley Cross, 1936; Waylon Armstrong, 1938; L. D. Waldrip, 1938; Alvin Jones, 1945; Eugene Traylor, 1952; Dan Hamby, 1953; and L. Bob Anderson, 1954.

Some of the Deacons of the North Coleman Baptist Church: W. H. Touchstone, Elmer Hughes, R. M. Lykins, J. S. Jackson, Loyd Maples, O. V. Rutherford, Sam Mask, Holhert Minor, A. J. Walton, T. C. Jackson, J. W. Jackson, F. M. Moore, Neal Smith, Albert Jones, Clifford Crenshaw, Wilbur Lancaster, L. B. Chapman, L. A. McClellan, Oscar Yates, Ivy Barker, Edd Crenshaw, Fred Sparks, Wade Harkey, T. H. Crosby, A. C. Goodwin, Edd Haynes, Waylon Armstrong, Gordon Pearce, Harold Phillips, J. D. Bodine, Delbert Snow, Tommy Albertson, Dewey Cason, Donald McDorinan, Floyd Donica, Lee Jones, Lee Traylor, George Riley, Derald Burns, Jesse Griffin, Clifford Powe, W. C. Jameson and J. P. Richardson.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


 




North Coleman Baptist Church Members- 1940



North Coleman Baptist Vacation Bible School - 1944

Back row: C. J. Coffman, Pastor, Alma Lee Cooper, Marcel Smith and Jimmie, Mrs. Addock, Alice Cole, Eldred Coffman;
second row: Peggy Story, 2 unknown, Betty Myrle Staggs, Mrs. Mildred Comedy, 3 unknown, Charlene Burr, Joey June Belyeu;
third row:  Biddy Cole is number 1 and Billie Priddy is number 7;
fourth row: Mrs. Geraldine Graves and baby, 3 unknown, Barbara Yates, unknown, Betty Ray Jackson, 2 unknown, Billy McClellan;
fifth row. 8 unknown, Freddie Smith, Wayland Walls, Louise Downs; at front: Charles McClellan, Billy Coffman and Walter Coffman.




North Coleman Baptist Church - 1983

 
Churches Index
Coleman County Index
Use the Search Engine to search the Coleman County website.