Church: History of Gandy Baptist Church Source: From the files of Thelma Shields Submitted by: Thelma Shields, 210 South Third St., Eufaula, Oklahoma 74432 - badge470@swbell.net ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** History of Gandy Baptist Church By: Luther Sandel On Sunday November 9, 1947 interested Christians of the Gandy Community met with pastors and members of several Baptist Churches to organize a Missionary Baptist Church. Rev. Nelson Mitchell was chosen moderator. The resolution after having been approved by the council, was signed by all charter members. Some of the churches represented were: Many, Fisher, Pleasant Hill, Zwolle, Florien First Baptist, Toro, and Mt. Zion. On October 19, 1949 the church petitioned the Sabine Baptist Association for membership and was accepted. The name chosen for the new church was Gandy Baptist. On October 23, 1949 a ground breaking ceremony was held. The first service was held in the new church building on January 22, 1950. Some of the people who were charter members were Mr. and Mrs. Alex Savell, Mr. and Mrs. W. T. (Bill) Horton, Mr. and Mrs. Efton Martin, Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Ensinger, Mrs. Bobbie Joy (Horton) Pitt, Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Chism, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Royals, and Mr. and Mrs. John Mahaffey. Mrs. Lena McDermott worked hard to get money to buy lumber and other building materials to build the church. She got salesman and others to donate. Mrs. McDermott was Lloyd King's mother-in-law and Rose Downs grandmother. It seems that Rev. Mitchell preached for a while but soon went elsewhere and Rev. Woodrow Killen was called as first pastor in April 1950. The first deacons were Efton Martin, W.T. Horton, and Clovis Steward. On October 28, 1951 John Mahaffey and Buster Chism were also ordained as deacons. Some of the pastors of Gandy Baptist Church are as follows: Nelson Mitchell, Woodrow Killen, Elton Martin, Kenneth Leach, Steve Stoneking, H.H.Tibbetts, Joe Hext, Jason Kay, E. O. Browning, Elton Mitchell, Marvin Brown, Howard Arnold, M.A. Neely, LeRoy Chance, Bobby Moore, Gary Hamilton, Lamon Carver, Leroy James, David Hipler, John D. Brown, Buddy Freeman and Jerry Ford. When the church was first organized they leased one acre of land from Dirks Lumber and Coal Co. The people must have been told the lease would be for 99 years but when it was written on paper it was for only 20 years. The lease was renewed for another 20 about 1969. In 1987 the church decided to purchase two acres of land the building was sittin on. After much pleading and many prayers we were able to buy the land from Boise Cascade for $7,000.00. Oscar Gandy, Francis Dean and this writer, Luther Sandel went tp DeRidder and bought the land. It was recorded in Many on August 20, 1987. Bro. J. D. Brown was the pastor at that time. Many improvements have been made and the church is growing. Thanks to God!