MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH
OUR HISTORY
The History of Macedonia Baptist Church
Macedonia Baptist Church was organized in the early 1900’s. It was not recorded for records until January 1903. The first Church may have been located under an arbor. It was started by a concerned group of men and women who were Christians. Before the Church was started, men and women traveled to Redland for services. This traveling was hard because of the distance and the travel by wagons and horseback trying to get to God’s house. Someone had a dream to build a church. Out of that dream came the name, “Macedonia Baptist Church.” This church was born out of the County Line Baptist Church which is our mother Church.
In 1900 or 1902 land was purchased for the new church from William (Bill) and Eliza Jane Warf, which was one acre at the cost of $750.
The trustees were J.B. Thomas and Mark Wallace. It was recorded for official records on January 16, 1903. It was located north of the present location on Farm to Market Road 2010. It was near the home of the late Tom and Hattie Mae Banks, where it remained some twenty years. The church was on the first floor, the Masonic Hall on the second floor. The school was nearby and there was a store up the road, not far from the church building near Edgar Street.
In the 1960’s, the building was renovated and bathrooms were put on the front of the building and no longer were outhouses needed. May 1972, the building was totally redone and bricked for the first time. A kitchen and dining area was added a few years later. In 2000, an update to the building was done. In 2008, the roof had to be redone and readjusted.
The big day at Macedonia is always the 1st Sunday in August when the annual revival begins. It begins that Sunday and continues throughout the week. Family members come from all over to country to be in attendance for this great event. Over the years, the big day has brought in guest churches and ministers from all over Texas. In the late 60’s and early 70’s, churches from Dallas, Texas would be the guest for the 3 p.m. service and people would come from surrounding communities just to hear the word and catch the latest songs.
While it is certain that we do not know all deacons and all pastors, we do know that Bill Warf was one of the first deacons. We also know Reverend Jeff Brown was pasturing when the church was moved to the present location. Land was traded by John Thomas and Bill Warf.
Pastors were:
Reverend Jeff Brown
Reverend E.O. Adams
Reverend Calvin Smith
Reverend W.R. Neill
Reverend Bob Lyons
Reverend Shelton
Reverend D. Burr
Reverend Shaw
Reverend F. Forsom
Reverend Jake Johnson
Reverend English
Reverend Jordan
Reverend C.A. Harris
Reverend J.H. Williams
Reverend Billy Delaney
Reverend H.L. Wallace 1964--1991
Reverend Lawrence Brown 1991—2001
Reverend Lexian Moore 2001—2008
Reverend Carl George 2009---Present
Some of the deacons that served the church are
William ( Bill ) Warf Sam Wallace Jim Cain
Dan Tillman John Frater Daniel Brown
Jim Frater Harvey Alexander Albert Wallace
Matthew Wallace Ruby Hill Joe Wallace
Willie Isaac Williams Ralph Phillips Bishop Beasley
William Mosley Chester Beasley Obie Williams
Matthew Wallace (June) John Milton Wallace David Thomas
Spencer Montgomery Kenneth Johnson Earl Tilley
Freddie Neal Carl Johnson F.B. Johnson
Some of the secretaries that served the church are:
Henry Hart Sam McDonald John Frater
Bud Montgomery Jim Cain Matthew Wallace
Ralph Phillips Beatrice Wallace Oscar Diggins Jr.
Lola Bell Dewberry Sherry Neal Delores Beasley
Some of the Announcement Clerks are:
Jeweline Johnson Treolia Gross Louquender Robbins
Some of the groundskeepers have been:
Chester Beasley Freddy Neal
Some of the janitors have been:
Robert Poe Chester Beasley Willie C. Beasley
John Wallace Earl Tilley
Some of the Church Treasurers have been:
Bud Montgomery C.B. Phillips Chester Beasley
Vessie Lee Johnson (S. School) Carl Johnson John Wallace
Some of the Sunday School Teachers have been:
John Thomas Ruby Hill John Frater
John B. Thomas Matthew Wallace Sam Wallace
Alice Wallace Diane Johnson Kenneth Johnson
David Thomas John Wallace Jeweline Johnson
Billy Beasley Jr. Lesley Beasley
Some of the Sunday School Secretaries have been:
Barbara Gossett Larry Johnson Velma Beasley
Vernell Johnson Margaret Drawhorn Eunice Hill
Patricia Montgomery Alice Jane Burns Wanda Hendricks
Delethia Beasley Gabrielle Johnson Billy Beasley Jr.
Some of the Mission Department members have been:
Lonia Alexander Kittie Wallace Beatrice Wallace
Emma Wallace Gertrude Wallace Caroline Beasley
Alene Phillips Lola Bell Dewberry Jeless Digins
Nola V. Beasley Vessie Lee Johnson Tinie Lyda
Gussie Hill Daisy Phillips Esther Griffins
Lizzie Thomas President Montgomery Alice Wallace
Jeweline Johnson Bobbie Tilley Delores Beasley
Sherri Neal Helen McCracklin Thelma Wallace
Barbara Gossett Louquender Robbins
Some of the Usher members have been:
Alice Wallace Spencer Montgomery Milton Wallace
Larry Johnson Hattie Mae Banks Lois Beasley
Diane Johnson Kenneth Johnson Rosie Beasley
Sherri Neal Bobbie Tilley Earl Tilley
Alicia Berry Shante Berry Nora Beasley
Delores Beasley Billy Beasley Louquender Robbins
Some of the cafeteria staff have been:
Lola Dewberry Rosie Burns Jeweline Johnson
Vessie Lee Johnson Nola Beasley Delores Beasley
Thelma Wallace Lois Beasley Rosa Oliver
Rosie Beasley Diane Johnson Kenneth Johnson
John Wallace Bobbie Tilley Sherri Neal
Shirley Moore Barbara Gossett
The main musicians for the choirs have been:
Thelma Wallace Bobbie Gossett
The Lord has blessed us and we have come from an arbor to a plank building, from lamps to electric lights from benches to cushioned pews; from outside restrooms to inside restrooms, plank floors to carpet and tile. We came from eating outside to a nice cafeteria. We came from no fans to air conditioning, from wood heaters to central heat, drinking fountains from a water jug; from a dirt walk to a concrete walk, from baptizing in a creek to an inside baptismal pool; from a frame building to a brick building, from no sound system to a P.A. System.
We have developed a Benevolence Fund and a Benevolent Committee. The Lord has made our Building Fund prosper and we have established a Building Project Committee who is right now in the midst of getting work done inside and out. The Lord has blessed our financial situation and we have a resurgence of the tribe leaders for financial goals.
In the 1990’s under the leadership of Reverend Brown and Brother Kenneth Johnson Sr., the church members attended their first church retreat in Athens, Texas. It was a spiritual blessing to the entire church.
The H.L. Wallace Youth Choir was established in the 1990’s. There was a youth choir back in the 1960’s and 70’s.
