To celebrate the 100th anniversary of South Winnfield Baptist Church, the congregation will hold a reception on Saturday, August 23, from 2 until 4 p.m. in the fellowship hall at 646 Country Club Road. Then on Sunday, August 24, they will begin worship service at 10:30 a.m. Phil Howard, former youth pastor will preach the service with music specials from former members. Following the service, lunch will be served. “We are so excited to be celebrating this special event and hope all our former members join us on August 24 and 25.”
One hundred years ago on August 25, 1925 under an oak tree that was located in South Winnfield, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hendrix with their church letters in hand from Ouachita Parish assembled with Reverends Joel Durham, William Hand and James M. Caves. The Hendrixs presented their letters to the ministers which were read by Reverend Caves. Those gathered then extended the right hand of fellowship to each other, thereby adopting the articles of faith as prescribed by the Baptist Church. Thus, becoming the first organized church within the South Winnfield Community. This group then went into conference with Reverend William Hand as moderator and named the church South Winnfield Baptist Church.
The group opened the door to the building they were using and received 17 members through letters and or baptism. Reverend William Hand was elected as pastor and W.S. McLeod as Church Clerk. The church met for several years in another faith’s church building twice a month.
On February 11, 1938 an acre of land was granted to the church by Brown Paper co. for the period of one year. According to church records on November 10, 1938 the building located at 1800 Gum Street was built. At the time it was a small, white, wood framed building. Once completed it had 56 members and the property was valued between $500 and $1.000.
On August 20, 1950, the sanctuary and the pastorium (the pastorium had been purchased from the Army Camp at Livingston and moved beside the church) were dedicated with 80 members. The property was then valued at $10,000. Bro. Malone and his wife became the first pastor to live in South Winnfield. Then in October of 1960 a new pastorium was built at a cost of $8,000. Bro. Ed Smith and his family were the first to live in the new pastorium.
The following year in September of 1961 they added 2700 square feet to the existing building to be used as a kitchen and Sunday School rooms. That is the year that the church was bricked and it looked more as it does today.
Pews were added to the church in 1968.There were about twenty-four pastors to serve in this location.
On February 11, 1998 the church voted to begin a Building Program. Then on February 27, 2000 the original building was sold to Reverend Roland Lynch. South Winnfield BC continued to hold services here until the new building was built and the congregation relocated to the current location on Country Club Rd.
On May 7, 2000 a ground breaking ceremony was held for the present building location on Country Club Road. Allen Construction worked with the church committee in designing and constructing the building that is currently South Winnfield Baptist Church. Bro. Jack Miller was and still is the pastor.
The first church service held in this building on February 18, 2001. The building is 8,172 square feet and consists of a sanctuary, baptistery, 4 bathrooms, kitchen, youth room, pastor study, office, nursery, copier room, sound room, 2 closets, 3 classrooms, 1 multi-purpose room and 2 additional rooms upstairs.
Since then another building has been built that includes a fellowship hall, kitchen, gym and additional classrooms.
Some of our records have been lost throughout the years, so there is no accurate list of members, but according to the records that survive, there have been approximately 1,300 members throughout the hundred years. There are also many current members who have ancestors that were members as well as some that currently have three generations attending at this time.
