Dale County AlArchives Photo place.....Baptist Church October 15 1970 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Christine Thacker http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00033.html#0008100 May 4, 2004, 3:59 pm Source: Southern Star Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/dale/photos/gph189baptistc.jpg Image file size: 108.7 Kb CENTENNIAL SECTION Ozark Baptist Church Traces History To 1847 This past summer, the Ozark Baptist Church celebrated its 122nd anniversary. The date of its organizatio was August 23, 1848 and at that time there were only two missionary Baptist Churches in Dale County - the Ebenezer Baptist Church and the Newton Baptist Church. It was organized by a group of fourteen pioneers under the leadership of its first Pastor, Reverend U. H, Parker. Its first meetings were held in the home of William Andrews. The charter members were U. H. Parker, William Andrews, J. M. Andrews, J. H. Martin, B. W. Martin, Caroline Chambliss, Z. Chambliss, John Chambliss, Frances Andrews, Mary A. L. Andrews, Sarah A. Martin, Lack Chambliss, William M. Andrews, and Thomas B. Andrews. It took the name of Andrews Baptist Church. During the summer of 1852, Reverend Reuben E. Brown came to this area from Georgia.He made the acquaintance of Moses Matthews, a wealthy planter in the neighborhood. They agreed to work together in conducting a revival at the spring near Gordon's Tannery. Mr. Matthews owned a large number of slaves, so he took his slaves and built an arbor and provided it with seats. During this revival Moses Matthews and several members of his family were converted, and were among the seventeen who asked for church membership. At the close of the meeting little Claybank Creek was dammed up just above the old ford and below the bridge now on Haw Ridge Road and Reverend Reuben Brown baptized the new converts. They all united with the Andrews Church. Moses Matthews proposed that the name of the church be changed to Union Baptist Church and that a new building be erected at the arbor where the revival was held. So there was a new name and a new location for the church. Matthews gave two acres of land for church purposes. Soon the new church building was erected and great progress was being made in the life and activities of the new church. In 1901, during the pastorate of Reverend J. J. Haygood, a new church building of SpanisH architecture was erected on the spot where the present auditrium now stands. A year later the name was changed again to the Ozark Baptist Church. This building served the church until 1955 when the present auditorium was erected during the pastorate of Reverend Charles H. Landers. The most recent pastor was the Rev. L. Don Miley, who retired in September, after serving the church for 13 years. During this period, the church erected the Clarice Andrews Educational Building, the pastorium on Garner Drive, purchased a home on Dexter Drive for the Minister of Music and Education, purchased five acres of land on Roy Parker Road for a mission church, purchased the Smith property on College Street for recreational purposes, purchased a new church bus and recently installed a new Wicks Pipe Organ. Also during this period, the church has received some 2,000 members and $1,200,000 in offerings. The church is almost free of debt. 1970 has been observed as the "Year of the Anniversary," with special projects throughout the year under the direction of the Anniversary Committee consisting of Johnny Bryan, Harold Williams, Chapman Glaze, Jesse Sharpe, Bernie 0. Parker, Mrs. Leroy Bedford, Mrs. Charles Harper, Mrs. John Parrish and Mrs. Bill Callaway This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 4.0 Kb