Category: Churches

First United Methodist Church of Athens will be celebrating its 50th anniversary 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 12. Lunch will be served following the service.

Fifty plus years ago, members of First United Methodist Church, Athens followed a vision to construct a new sanctuary and education building to further the legacy of a strong Methodist presence in Athens. We are so very grateful for their forethought and dedication. Our church family is blessed with an outstanding facility enabling us to gather and worship the Lord with prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness/outreach to our community and beyond. Reverend Becky Love is focusing her sermons on these themes during the 50 days leading up to our Anniversary Celebration. We invite the community to join us in celebrating the history of FUMC, Athens as we look forward to the next 50 years.

Mark your calendar now to join this exciting 50th anniversary celebration. Luncheon tickets are available for purchase at $12 per person; children under 12 are free. To purchase luncheon tickets, please contact the church office at (903) 675-5161, or mail your payment to FUMC Athens, P. O. 911, Athens, TX 75751.

The First Baptist Church at 220 W. Mitcham Street is celebrating its 130-year anniversary Sunday, Sept. 21, at 9 a.m. with lunch to follow. Pastor Jody Jones invites all past and present members and others to come and join this celebration.

A Brief History of the Church

The people of Malakoff worshipped together in the early 1850s. In 1844, Hezikiah Mitcham, a Methodist minister, led the people to build the First Methodist Church building in Henderson County. When the railroad was laid through Malakoff in 1880, the people moved in to be near the depot. The building was built facing the tracks. In 1884, the population and church attendance had increased. Because of difference in doctrine and beliefs, those of the Baptist persuasion pulled out and formed a Baptist Church.

The following story was told to a Mrs. Evans by her mother-in-law, Mrs. J.L. Evans, a charter member of the Baptist Church. After the Cotton Belt Railroad was constructed during the 1880s people began moving near the railroad and the new Methodist building was constructed just south of the present one, facing the railroad. All of the people continued to worship together for a time. In 1884, because of different beliefs the Pastor Hesikiah Mitcham asked all the Methodist believers to stand with him on one side of the building and those holding the Baptist belief to stand on the other side with Josiah Evans. Thus a Baptist congregation was established in the fall of that year. Continue reading “First Baptist Church Malakoff Celebrates 130 Years”

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. Continue reading “Fourth Generation Descendant to Speak at Johnson Chapel”