The Earliest Days
When a church is formed, people abandon their own
history to form a new one. In doing so, just as Abraham was led to a new place,
so are the people who answer the call of the Lord and move forward to a new work
and a new adventure. Taken from the original Charter document are the names of
those who began this incredible Journey of Faith:
In
the beginning, there were 28 members from Eagle Heights:
Arnold Cooper, Dorothy Cooper,
Eane Smith, Nellie E. Bartlett,
Ines Martin, Mrs. Earl Smith,
Fred V. Waldrop, Edith Waldrop,
Mae Loe, Lucy Holcombe,
Mrs. Clyde Crow, B. B. Elam,
Lois Elam, Dora Winstead,
Earl Baxter, Mrs. Earl Baxter,
Mrs. Willa Paul Dale Walker,
Albert M. Walker, Ruby Walker,
Frank Dees, Mabel Faye Dees,
Deanna Dees, Frances Dees,
Mr. N.W. Woodard, Mrs. N.W. Woodard,
Lelan Lewis, Eunice Williams
From
the Methodist Church of Everton:
Joan Fleming
The First House of Meeting
The
local congregation is not characterized by the building they meet in. Jesus said
He would build His church. Christians have come to understand this to be the
“Body of Christ”. Still, we call the place where we meet to worship, disciple,
minister, fellowship, and evangelize our “Church”. In many countries the church
is a house where people gather. In the New Testament, the earliest churches were
also “House Churches”. Our first church building, the house of meeting, was an
actual house.
Record of Pastors
1. Ivan Davis, 1957 – 1958
2. Milton Edmonson, 1960 – 1961
3. Tom Lawing, 1962
4. Elmer Griever, Jr., 1964 – 1965
5. Without a Pastor, 1966
6. Gene Oldham, 1966 – 1968
7. Curtis Bryant, 1969
8. J.D. Passmore, 1969 – 1971
9. Marvin James, 1972 – 1973
10. Joseph .A. Hogan, 1973 – 1990
11. Marshall Boggs, 1990 – 2005
12. Ernest Nelson, 2005 – Present
Historical Documentation
The
following information was taken from two documents that were recorded by members
of our church and officials from the North Arkansas Baptist Association:
Association Recognition of Our Church
"NEW CHURCH ORGANIZED IN BOONE ASSOCIATION"
The Woodland Heights
Baptist Mission, a mission of Eagle Heights Baptist Church of Harrison, was
constituted as the Woodland Heights Baptist Church, Sunday afternoon November
23. This new church is the result of the missionary vision of the Eagle Heights
church, and the faith and loyalty of those who have worked to make it possible.
This new church promises to fill a great Spiritual need in this part of Harrison
and the surrounding territory.
The 39 charter members who transferred from the Eagle
Heights Church were assured by Rev. Dale Jackson, pastor of the mother church,
that the Eagle Heights church, as well as other sister churches in the
Association would uphold and support with their prayers, and by any other means
needed, as this new church inters a progressive program of service for the
Master.
The Woodland Heights Baptist Church, begins her service, as a church, by
pledging her support of missions, beginning on the local field, then to the
uttermost part of the earth, as she supports missions through the Association
and the Cooperative program.
Rev. Dale Jackson, Moderator
Rev. Dennis James, Missionary
Early
Hand Recorded
History of Our Church
Recorded by Clyde Crow, 1984 (Charter Member)
I may not remember the exact dates or the order they took place, I am giving a
lot of this from memory. About the year 1956, I and several others asked
Hugh Cooper pastor of Eagle Heights Baptist Church to start a mission church on
Woodland Height.
In the spring of nineteen fifty seven and after an elderly couple by the name of
Vangant had died, the Eagle Heights Baptist Church bought their property at 515
South Locust Street in Harrison, Arkansas and started a mission church. The
first service was the first Sunday in June 1957 in the home that belonged to
this elderly couple. The living room was used as the auditorium and the kitchen
and two bedrooms served as class rooms. We did not have a baptistery, nursery,
or pastor’s study, nor a kitchen.
Ivan Davis was the pastor of this mission and was pastor when Woodland Heights
Baptist Mission became an independent Cooperating Southern Baptist Church in
November 23, 1958, with twenty nine charter members. In Feb. 1984, we had 228
members enrolled in Sunday School.
A Short History: "From Then
to Now"
About the year 1956, Rev. Hugh Cooper
was pastor of Eagle Heights Baptist Church. At that time, several of their
members asked Pastor Hugh to start a mission church in the Woodland Heights
area. In 1955 and 1956 a survey was made, followed by an open air revival. The
revival was sponsored by the Brotherhood of Eagle Heights Church. Rev. Hugh
Cooper did the preaching and choir of members of Eagle Heights and others sang.
Mary Lou Blevins Raley played the piano.
In
the spring of 1957 Eagle Heights Baptist Church purchased the property of the
Vangant family located at 515 South Locust St. On the first Sunday of June,
1957, the first worship service was held in the house that was purchased. Under
the leadership of Rev. Ivan Davis a revival was conducted with Jesse Reed
preaching. It resulted in three persons being saved. About 18 months later, on
November 23, 1958, the mission was organized into a Southern Baptist Church with
Rev. Ivan Davis as its pastor. The church was established with 29 charter
members.
Woodland Heights Church soon formed a Brotherhood, Woman's Missionary Union,
Young Woman's Auxiliary, and a Sunbeam Band as well as Sunday School and
Training Union. In the house that was converted to a church, the living room was
used as the sanctuary, the kitchen and the two bedrooms served as class rooms.
The mission did not have a baptistery, nursery, or pastor’s study. By February
1984, the church had a Sunday School enrollment of 228 members.
In
the year 1960, with Rev. Milton Edmonson as pastor, the church borrowed money
from First Savings and Loan Co. and erected the first auditorium which seated
300 people. In the year 1964 while Rev. Elmer Griever served as pastor, the
church started building an educational building at the back of the church. This
building would be a two story structure that would include a nursery department
with three rooms, and an activity room. A kitchen and heating system was located
on the ground floor. Class rooms, an assembly room, a pastor’s study and office
was located on the second floor. The auditorium was joined to this new structure
by tearing down the old dwelling house which was still part of the church. This
space was used to add stairways to the fellowship hall and to the second floor
of the educational building as well as a baptistery and a choir loft. In the
early 1960’s, the church purchased a small dwelling house and moved it onto the
church property to be utilized as a parsonage.
Our next project was started in 1969. This project was to add bricking to the
outside of the auditorium and adding pews to the sanctuary. In 1971, the project
was finished by adding asphalt. In 1974, the church added the third story to the
educational building, changed the nursery to the second floor, and added more
class rooms on the third floor. The last project changed the location of the
kitchen and enlarged the fellowship hall. The church also received an impressive
baptistery scene painted by Dorothy Cooper, a member of the church. A life-like
water fall was constructed by T.J. White, also a member.
Under
the leadership of Rev. Joseph Hogan, the third story was added to the
educational building; an active ministry to the deaf was started; and a
department Bible study was developed. Mission gifts increased about 600% and new
hymn books were purchased.
The church has always had a vision of following the Master's great commission:
to go and preach the Gospel. We have had a history of being alert to mission
projects needed in the city and have been a great witness to the people of
Harrison. The Woodland Heights Baptist Church has grown steadily and has had a
continually effective ministry.
Along
the way, under the preaching of the gospel and the teaching of discipleship,
with an active ministry and a loving fellowship, many people have come to know
the Lord and have grown in their spiritual walk. Marriages have marked this
journey as well as witnessing the passing of dear saints as they left this world
for the Kingdom that has been prepared by the Lord Jesus as described in John
14:1-6. Their journey in this world has marked the ministry of our church and
reminded others of what is waiting for the believer in the Kingdom of God.
Since that time, the congregation has once again recognized the need for
additional space to accommodate the growth of the church. Several attempts were
made to purchase additional land in close proximity to the church’s property.
These attempts did not produce any outcome suitable for expansion. In 2005,
While Rev. Bill Kendrick was serving as interim pastor, the city of Harrison and
Woodland
Heights Baptist Church began a prospective venture concerning a section of land
that totaled 20 acres. A proposal by the congregation was made to the city of
Harrison and a deal was solidified to secure the purchase of this land. Bro.
Bill Kendrick was instrumental in helping secure the deal and to work out the
details for the final purchase. In July of 2005, Rev Ernest Nelson became the
next pastor of our church. He began working with the church leadership in
securing the land for the church’s development. In September of 2005, the
proposal was accepted by the city of Harrison. The city would reserve a little
more than one acre of the land to erect a water tower. The deed was purchased
and Woodland Heights began an incredible journey in the next step of ministry
for our congregation. As of
September
2005, under the leadership of Pastor Ernie, the building committee began the
task of securing an architect, surveying the needs of the church, and designing
the new facilities that will be located south of town in close proximity to Hwy
65 south. In the later part of the year 2005, we published our first Website
with address of
www.whbcharrison.org and hosted our first Fall Festival.
Our ministry has been demonstrative of the original intent of reaching a lost
world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These efforts will continue until the day
Jesus comes backs and claims His church.
We
are living in exciting times and the future is bright. As we embark on this most
incredible journey we are encouraged by what the Lord is doing. Our people are
looking to the future as we take the next step of faith in the ministry of
Woodland Heights Baptist Church. The future is bright, the Kingdom is
progressing, and the journey continues.
