SCHLEY - SUMTER COUNTY, GA - CHURCHES Ebenezer Baptist History Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: typed by Harris Hill http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002514 Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm From "The History of Schley County" compiled by the Schley County Preservation Society, second printing 1999. This history originally contributed by Mary Barnes. The Ebenezer Baptist Church, one of the oldest churches in the county, was organized April 16, 1936 (1836), in Sumter County, 5 miles from Pond Town. The presbytery constituting the church was Philip Belcher, J.J. Battle, and James Lunsford. The church attached herself to the Articles of Faith of the Bethel Association. The first pastor called to serve the church was J.J. Battle. THe first clerk was Absolom Funderburk. The deeds made to the church are still intact and are made from Gut Thompson and Samuel Caskey to C.L. Battle and G.B. Clark. Some of the charter members were Phillip Belcher, J.J. Battle, James Lunsford, Mr. and Mrs. James Jackson, Mrs. Catherine Harper, Eli F. Walker, and Caleb Owens. In the early days, slaves were allowed to worship in this church, and the names of those recorded are Fannie Cottle, Ann Smith, Isham Justice, Rebecca Cottle, and Pheling Hart. In 1837, a division occured in the Baptist churches of the south on the issue of missions and Sunday Schools. Ebenezer voted to continue her program on Missionary work, and declared that members of the church were in favor of Sunday School. It is worthy of note that Reverend Issac Hart served the Ebenezer church as pastor from February 27, 1847 until 1887, completing a pastorate of forty years. In 1938, the Sunday School was swept by revival. Attendance jumped more than 100%, from 39 to 84 within a few weeks in the Spring of 1938. Mr. J.A. McGill was superintendent. The Reverend Homer G. Fowler was the Pastor. The County School Board donated the Ebenezer School Building to the church. In 1952, materials from this building werer used to add a Sunday School annex to the church building. Diaster struck the church building on December 5, 1954 at 4:12 p.m. when a tornado leveled the main building. The new annex withstood the tornado. Immediate plans were made for rebuilding the church in the same location. While the new church was being built, religious services were held in the homes of of the members. The new church became a reality through the cooperative efforts of church members, friends, and other churches. Neighboring churches and individuals made generous contributions. Men of the community donated their time and labor to help in rebuilding the new church. The new church building was dedicated at the Homecoming Day Program on Sunday, July 31, 1955. Additional improvements made to the church include the installation of a central heating and airconditioning unit, a kitchen, restrooms, carpeting, and a steeple. The church was reroofed, painted, and other necessary repairs made. Shrubery was planted and grass sprigged, and a new piano purchased. Miss Mary Barnes gave a podium, two flower stands, and two urns containing an arrangement of greenery in memory of her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. C.B. Barnes. The children of Ike Owens gave a Commion Service in memory of their father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Ike Owens. Dedication services were held for the steeple, which was in memory of Mrs. H.H. Johnson, at Homecoming Day Services on Sunday, July 29, 1979. Her children made a generous contribution to the steeple fund. Homecoming Day is observed annually on the last Sunday in July. The church operates on a unified budget with all expenses, including the care and upkeep of the church grounds and cemetery, being paid by the church treasurer. One highlight in the church's history was October 1963, when the church was host to the Freindship Baptist Association. This marked ninety-eight years since the church had hosted the Association. In 1979, Georgia Kraft deeded two acres of land to the church for additional cemetery and church ground space. The land is in the process of being prepared for additional cemetery space. A cemetery fund has been established for maintenance of the cemetery, and also a building fund for future improvements on the church. Revival services are held either in June or July. In 1981, two revivals were held. One was held in January by Reverend Colbert and Joyce Croft, Evangelists, from Jasper, Florida, and the other in June by the Reverend Ray Allen, a former resident. During the Christmas season, a group from the church sings carols at Magnolia Manor and in the community, and also delivers fruit baskets to the older and shut- in people of the community. A Christmas program is presented at the church. Afterwards, the gifts are given out from the Christmas tree. Then the group gathers in the dining room for delicious refreshments and fellowship. This not only contributes to the social life, but also the spiritual life of each person present. The church has gone from prewaching services once a month to ful-time services. Preaching services are held every Sunday, with Sunday School at 10:00 a.m., Church Services at 11:00 a.m., Bible Study at 6:30 p.m., Prayer Meeting, Thursday night at 7:30 p.m., and a visitation program on Tuesday night. On the second Saturday night, members enjoy fellowship and a covered dish dinner at the church. The Reverend Erskine Kale is the present pastor. Other officers of the church are: Clerk, Mrs. Harriet Flemmons; treasurer, Mrs. Donna Barnhill; choir director, Mrs. Dorothy Welch; Sunday School Superintendent, Mr. Lance Fripp; Adult Sunday School teacher, Mrs. Eloise Fripp. Present membership is 146.----Mary Barnes. ============Clarence D. White http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00030.html#0007419= Comments from Clarence D. White on his memories of Ebenezer Baptist Church and the surrounding area when he was a boy. I grew up on a farm less than a mile from Ebenezer in the '50s and '60s. Our landlord was Miss Mary Battle, a spinster who was Judge of the Ordinary/Probate Court of Schley County. These Battles owned over three thousand acres around Ebenezer. The mother, I believe, was named Josephine. We called her Miss Jo. She and Miss Mary lived in Ellaville and were members of Ellaville Baptist. Miss Jo had several children including a son who lived in So GA or Florida who would bring his buddies in fall and winter to the land for quail hunting. We often attended the black Ebenezer Baptist where there were a few members with the Battle name. C.T. Battle, who was schools supt. for Schley at the time, was Miss Mary's cousin. My mother and I always suspected that there was a connection between the Tazewell Battles and the Ebenezer/Ellaville Battles. As a boy I saw the tornado that destroyed the white Ebenezer Baptist in late 1954 or early 1955. We were standing mesmerized in a window and saw the tornado coming, with the church frame, cows, etc. swirling in it, headed straight for our house. It came within less than a quarter mile from us when it mercifully veered off across a field, where it dropped piles of church pieces and other debris. The twister skipped around Ellaville, killing 5, I think it was. Would be interested to know the names of any black members of Ebenezer that might come from the church minutes. Clarence D. White http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00030.html#0007419