By Delanda S. Johnson/Johnson Chapel AME
On Sunday, August 24, Johnson Chapel AME Church will be celebrating its Annual Homecoming service. Time for the event will be 3:30 p.m. with dinner to be served after the program.
The speaker for the evening will be Rev. Rickey Barnes; Associate Pastor at True Missionary Baptist Church in Ft. Worth, Texas under the leadership of Rev. Jack Crane.
Rev. Barnes is a native of Ft. Worth, Texas and is happily married to Candace Barnes and the proud father of four daughters; one daughter attends University of Houston and two other daughters attends Texas Southern University.
He is a graduate of O. D. Wyatt High School and he attended Tarrant County College and Calvary Bible College.
Rev. Barnes is associated and affiliated with the National Baptist Convention , USA Inc., BME State Conventions of Texas, West Texas Baptist District Association, Palo Pinto General Hospital as a member of the Chaplain Board, and many others.
He has traveled and motivated others in the United States, Germany, Sweden, Berlin, and other countries spreading the word of God.
The list of the Rev. Barnes accomplishments could go on, however, Rev. Barnes is a man who loves the Lord.
“I desire to teach and preach God’s intent for his creation. My endeavor is to focus on the voice, breath, manner, will, purpose and glory of God; to compel men to walk in the character of God. It is my belief that our creator is directing us to a higher level of consciousness,” said Rev. Barnes.
Johnson Chapel AME Church was established in 1897in the Cedar Creek bottom under a brush arbor on the Abe Johnson’s farm. Six months later, they built a small church out of Oak lumber with one back door and a front door.
Kerosene lamps was used for lighting; the benches were made of oak planks, nailed to blocks with no backs and the pulpit was made of oak.
Stewards of the church were: Dan Blair, John Richardson, and Abe Johnson. Stewardess were: Clemmie Bailey, Cherry Edwards, Betty Johnson, and Amy Howard. Presiding Elder Rev. Dever, Pastor Rev. Jones, and Secretary Dan Blair.
In 1915, the church moved on the Taylor’s Farm where a large modern church was built with large windows, modern doors, and kerosene lamps up against the walls for lighting.
They also had a four-room parsonage.
In 1926, the church divided because of high water and bad roads. Johnson Chapel members remain in the same church building. Others established a church in Trinidad that’s known today as Mt. Vernon AME Church for convenience.
In 1938, the Johnson Chapel members tore down the church and built a small church in Malakoff on Highway 31 with kerosene lamps for lighting. The members remain in this church building until it was struck by a storm and was condemned by the insurance company in 1944.
In the Conference Year of 1944-45, Rev. S. V. Johnson was assigned to Pastor the Church. Since was a carpenter, he built an Arbor for worship service and he began the rebuilding of the church. The little church was tore down and by 1945; the church was completed with modern conveniences. Officers of the church were: Stewards: Larkin Smith, Sr., Carlee Richardson, J. E. Edwards, Abe Johnson, and George Johnson. Trustees: Isiah Johnson, Sr., John Richardson, and Henry Walker.
The church was destroyed by fire in 1969. Rev. J. R. Roberts was assigned as pastor of the church in the Conference Year of 1969. The members held worship services in the New Hope C.M.E. Church in Malakoff, Texas but some took part in Church services in Frisco, Texas instead.
The Conference Year of 1970 brought Rev. L. R. Kindred as pastor. We continued to worship at New Hope CME Church.
On January 28, 1970, Rev. Kindred called the members together to discuss the building of a new church. The new church, which is the present building, was completed on November 9, 1970.
Rev. Kindred died in June and his wife Sister A. L. Kindred carried the church to the conference.
Many pastors have passed through Johnson Chapel AME Church over the years and many members have passed on, but Johnson Chapel still stands as “The Friendly Church Where Everybody Is Somebody and CHRIST Is All.”