1951

There was no debt at the end of the church year. Salaries excluding the pastor’s salary was $1,693. Expenditures for new building and equipment was $2,856.86.

Warren’s Creek Baptist Church was excluded from HCBA and Gentrys Mill Baptist Church was added to the membership of HCBA. There was a significant increase in the value of church property. The value of the pastor’s home was $10,500.

Calvary Baptist Mission was started in 1952. Located at the south end of Manning Street--802 Manning Street-- in the southeast part of Hamilton, its first building was a barracks moved from Fort Hood. Plans for opening Calvary Mission were developed during the ministry of Rev. R. C. Tennison, who was pastor at First Baptist Church from 1944 to 1952. Rev. Ralph T. Wooten, the next pastor at First Baptist Church, completed the plans for Calvary Baptist Mission which was opened in 1952. William Lewis "Willie" Rodgers, a retired Baptist minister, pastored the mission in its earliest days until a mission pastor could be secured.

1953

Dr. Julius R. Hickerson retired as District XVI missionary and he was replaced by Clifford Nelson. The enrollment of a mission Sunday School was 26. Value of church property increased significantly from 1952. A full-time music director was paid $300 per year.

1954

Baptist themes in 1954 were "A Million More in ‘54, and Every Baptist a Tither." The amount paid on church debt was $3,671.28. The value of the pastor’s home increased from $10,000 to $10,500 The parsonage was at 303 S. Bell.

A Vacation Bible School, which reached a multitude of lively children, was held during the summer of 1954 at Calvary Baptist Mission. Before the Fall of 1954 Charles N. Gilbert, pastor of First Baptist, closed the mission despite the fact that it was being effective in reaching unchurched people. The minutes of HCBA in 1954 noted that First Baptist Church, Hamilton supported one mission. (1954 was the first year the published minutes provided space on which to report missions supported by churches.) Mission Sunday School enrollment was 40.

There were 695 resident members. Forty-three tithers were in the church and The Baptist Standard was sent to all church families. January Bible Study was observed as well as a Sunday School Training School. There was a library, two choirs, and a film-strip projector. Church debt at the end of the church year was $20,000. Staff salaries excluding the pastor’s salary were $2,600.

The 1955 minutes of HCBA recorded a $9.83 contribution from Calvary Mission for the Hamilton County Baptist Association given between Sept. 1, 1954, and August 31, 1955; however, the data for First Baptist Church, Hamilton revealed that it did not support a mission. I remember the great concern Willie Rodgers and other men had about the fact that there was an empty church building which could not be utilized to reach lost souls, but I cannot recall why Calvary Mission was closed. I remember also that Willie would take friends to the unused church building to pray with him that the mission would be reopened. Others including David Hedgpeth, Loys Landes, Kenneth Kendall, and Ruel Todd went weekly to pray outside the empty building.

1956

The Resolutions Committee of the HCBA included the following statement:

"That we renew daily our fight against the liquor traffic, card playing for prizes, and for every form of gambling. That we vigorously protest against the modern dance which means spiritual suicide to every Christian indulging in it; and that we strongly protest the use of our public school buildings as dance halls, thus compelling every Christian taxpayer to furnish accommodations for this evil practice...."

Odell Moore 
Billy Butts

The Baptist Standard was sent to all church families. HCBA minutes in 1956 recorded no enrollment for a Sunday School Mission of First Baptist Church, Hamilton, nor that it operated a local mission. January Bible Study was observed. Choir membership was 40 and the Broadman Hymnal was used in the auditorium. The value of the parsonage was $10,500. Seventeen percent of the church budget was sent to the Cooperative Program.

1957

The Baptist Standard was included in the church budget. The 1957 minutes reported a similar status about the lack of a mission’s being sponsored by First Baptist Church, Hamilton.

George Veteto was Chairman of the Recreation Committee and Cecil Kelly was Chairman of the Royal Ambassador Committee.

At a Brotherhood meeting at First Baptist Church in 1958, Bro. Gilbert made the statement that the keys to the mission were in his pocket and that was where they were going to stay. The Brotherhood program was about providing opportunities to worship in missions for people who would not want to attend a larger church. At this meeting Seth Moore said, "I don’t know why, but some people will attend a small church, when they will not attend a large church." With the help of Seth Moore and Arvord Abernethy, three men-- Loys Landes, Kenneth Kendall, and Ruel Todd--permission was granted to re-open Calvary Baptist Mission.

In October, 1958, First Baptist Church, Hamilton, reported that it sponsored one mission which had a Sunday School enrollment of 21.

1959

Baptist Jubilee Advance was observed from 1959 through 1964. Fifty-four members were added by letter and 37 were lost by death and transfer of membership. Choir membership was 25 and the Baptist Hymnal was used in the auditorium. Reuben Smith was Chairman of the Royal Ambassadors Committee. There was no church debt at the end of the church year.

In 1959 First Baptist Church, Hamilton reported that it had sponsored a local mission which had 48 enrolled in a mission Sunday School and 63 enrolled in a mission Vacation Bible School. The mission grew rapidly and by the summer of 1959 requested release from mission status from First Baptist Church to become Calvary Baptist Church. Calvary became a church on September 20, 1959, and celebrated the occasion with a fellowship dinner at the Lions Youth Center. On October 5, 1959, Calvary was admitted to the Hamilton County Baptist Association as a church with 50 charter members. The motion to admit Calvary to HCBA was made by Rev. John P. Wheat, pastor of Littleville Baptist Church, and it was seconded by Rev. Douglas Brown, pastor of First Baptist Church Hamilton.

Within HCBA 3,110 Baptists were members of 19 churches. Sunday School enrolment was 1,815, Training Union enrolment was 614, and there had been 78 baptisms during the past year. HCBA continued to financially support Pioneer Work in East Lansing, Michigan. Fifteen percent of the church budget was sent to the Cooperative Program.

The churches of HCBA contributed $2,400 for the Pioneer mission work in East Lansing, Michigan. Total membership of the 19 churches in HCBA was 3,082.

FBC had three choirs-- adult, junior, and primary. For the first time in associational minutes an opportunity was provided to report that FBC had a pipe organ. (This organ had been donated by George Morrow Carlton in memory of his late wife, Fronia Adams Carlton who died in 1921.) Cecil Kelly was Chairman of the Royal Ambassadors Committee, and Raymond Beck was Chairman of the Recreation Committee. While $49,000 was spent on new construction/property/material/equipment, (for a new fellowship hall and new Sunday School rooms) there was no increase reported in the value of the parsonage or church property.

1962

Choir enrolment was 48 in three choirs. Raymond Beck was Chairman of the Royal Ambassadors Committee. The library contained 1,250 books, and Mrs. George (Wilma) Williams was Church Librarian.

1963

This was the last year for HCBA to be a member of District XVI of the BGCT since the district plan was being phased out and the area plan would become operational for the next church year. Dr. Clifford Nelson was the District Missions Secretary during the last ten and a half years of the district plan. Coryell, Hamilton, and Lampasas Associations had agreed to form an area group, and there was the possibility that Erath County might choose to participate in this area.

Mrs. George (Wilma) Williams was the librarian of the 1,500 volume church library. Improvements were made in church facilities. The value of the pastor’s home increased from $10,500 to $12,000 and the total value of church property increased from $116,500 to $163,000.

1964

On May 1, 1964, Rev. N. Ray Harrell was the first Director of Missions of the new Tri-Rivers Baptist Area which was composed of Coryell, Erath, Hamilton, and Lampasas Associations. This was also the date into which the Tri-Rivers Baptist Area came into being. HCBA provided $100 each month in support of the Fairview Baptist Church, Anchorage, Alaska.

Twenty percent of the church budget was contributed to the Cooperative Program.

HCBA continued to provide $100 each month in support of the Fairview Baptist Church, Anchorage, Alaska.

HCBA contributed $975 to the Fairview Baptist Church in Anchorage, Alaska. N. Ray Harrell resigned as Director of Missions of the Tri-River Baptist Area in October, 1966.

The Baptist Standard was sent to each church family. There were four choirs--primary, junior, intermediate, and adult. Fifteen percent of the church budget was designated for the Cooperative Program. There were 100 tithers among the church membership. FBC operated a kindergarten program.

1967

Lee Roy Williamson became the new Tri-Rivers Area Director of Missions on March 15, 1967. HCBA contributed $1,125 for the Alaskan mission.

FBC had a regularly scheduled visitation program. The value of the parsonage increased from $12,000 to $15,000 when a new parsonage at 1105 East Gentry was purchased. The music program provided choirs for people from age six through adulthood. The Cooperative Program received 15% of the church budget.

1968

HCBA continued to support the Alaskan mission, as well as Latin missions within the association and area. A kindergarten program continued to be part of FBC ministry.

1969

In 1969 there were 2,620 Baptists who were members of 18 Baptist Churches in Hamilton County. Only 1,677 people were resident members. Only 12 baptisms were reported by the 18 churches during this associational year. Sunday School enrollment for HCBA was 1,217.

FBC maintained a Kindergarten program.

Fire destroyed the two-story FBC on 27 May, 1970. Ten percent of the church budget was given to the Cooperative Program. Church committees included Stewardship, Kindergarten, and Library.

A new auditorium and office space was completed in August, 1971, and dedicated on September 19, 1971, being built at a cost of $143,000. FBC continued to operate a kindergarten. Church committees included Stewardship, Church Property, and History. The church continued to have a library and to include the "Baptist Standard" in the budget.

1972

Mr. and Mrs. Kirtes Calvery were called as the first full-time Music and Youth Director. There were 20 active deacons and kindergarten enrolment was 23.

1973

The highlight of this year was the centennial celebration complete with an historical pageant, special worship services, and the publication of a centennial directory.. In the 1973 HCBA minutes, Kirtes Calvery was listed as Associate Pastor/Music. There were 23 active deacons. An enrolment was not reported for a kindergarten class.

1974

Mrs. Billy G. (Frances) Wood was Vacation Bible School Director. There were 22 active deacons and seventeen children were enrolled in Kindergarten.

Charles W. Newsom was the Royal Ambassadors Leader at FBC. Twenty-four children were enrolled in kindergarten.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE BEGINNING OF BAPTIST WORK IN HAMILTON COUNTY

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, 1896-1897

YEAR BY YEAR, 1873 - 1899

YEAR BY YEAR, 1900 - 1925

YEAR BY YEAR 1926 - 1950

YEAR BY YEAR 1976 - 1998

A HISTORY OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, HAMILTON