History of Keys Valley Baptist Church

History of Keys Valley Baptist Church

Celebrating 130 years, Sunday, September 25, 2011

1881- 2011

Our church was organized as “The Baptist Church of Christ of Keys Valley” on September 23, 1881. It was changed to Keys Valley Baptist Church in 1909. It was located 8 miles southwest of Belton on the Youngsport Road. It was a small one room building. Our classrooms were divided by toe sack curtains on wire, which were later stolen.

During those days if any member failed to attend church, a committee was formed by the church. They visited and reported back to the church. If they continued to miss, they were dropped from the roll. Also, if they danced, played dominoes or walked disorderly, they could be dropped from the roll.

In 1929 the clerk’s home was burned and our records destroyed. On November3, Keys Valley met and recalled as many members’ names as they could and formed a new roll.

In 1937 we had a great revival. Services were morning and night for 10 days. Several of our members were baptized, among them Ford and Frances Copeland (Zonna Kay and Donnie Copeland’s parents) the preacher was preaching “hell fire and brimstone.” The gas lantern got too close to the brush. We had no water so it burned down. The men saved our piano.

Rev. Charles Parker was our pastor from 1946 to 49 until the time of his death. We got electricity installed. How great that was.

I remember a little incident that happened when Bro. Parker was preaching at his best one Sunday. Men wore double breasted suits with large buttons. His jacket button came off at a high rate of speed and went in the audience. It sounded like a tin pan hit. It was hard to be reverent.

In December of 1949 Bro. Wally Culp from Baylor accepted a call from our church to be pastor. We became “full time.” His salary was $60 a month. Training Union was started but it was called BYPU. The WMU and Brotherhood started in 1952.

In 1952 we were notified by the county that we would have to move. What are we going to do? No money, no tithers in the church at that time. The Lord knew what we were going to do. Build. After a revival in March, one of our deacons, Homer Crow, made a motion to build. People started praying and giving and sharing. One of our deacon’s small lads donated his calf to be sold to buy materials for the new building.

In the meantime we had services under the trees. Our feet were dirty with dirt in our shoes. We were rejoicing though for God had a plan. Men went to work saving what lumber was good of the old church. The little church foundation gave us $1,000. The Lord moved people to give that weren’t members of our church. This was a real test of our faith.

Dorothy Alexander sponsored the young people for 25 years. We had so many young people in a small room that when one got up to say his speech, they all had to stand up.

Jack Dulaney was a young man out of the Navy. He was asked to help Dorothy let the kids to church on Sunday night. We had lots of college kids that we picked up. He saw our need for more space so he volunteered his labor to add on an annex. He was not a Christian at the time. He was later saved and baptized and ordained as a deacon in our church. God is still working in mysterious ways.

In 1958 the church was notified again, that they would build Stillhouse Reservoir and our church would have to move. By the way, Stillhouse got its name because there were many bootleggers and stills of whiskey in the 1880's. In 1958 the church bought 4 ½ acres of land where we are now located. On September 30, 1962, we had our ground breaking for the building program. We built the church and some classrooms. In 1963 the first services were held in our new church here on 190. Bro. John Clark Herrington was our pastor. He left in May 1965 to go do mission work in Wyoming. Bro. Bill Landers accepted our church in 1967. The church council was formed under his leadership. The church approved accepting any nationality to our church. Carl Williamson, Clyde Tamplen, and Bill Yearwood were accepted as active deacons. Bro. Herrington returned again to finish his education in 1970 and pastored once again. We bought our first bus - “ole green.” We also started the little white church. It was designated for birthday and anniversary collections. The money was to be sent to the Children’s Home at Round Rock. In 1974 groundbreaking was held for the annex on the east side. Bro. Paul Mitchell was our pastor – we voted to have 150 copies of our church history made. Bro. Paul left in 1977 to go to the World Hunger Mission field.

Rev. Frank Dearing was called in May of 1977 to be our pastor. We celebrated our 100th anniversary under his direction we had a brush arbor meeting. The men of our church built the arbor. Ladies wore long dresses and bonnets. Men wore overalls.

An organ fund was established and was purchased in May of 1981. Bro. Dearing resigned in December of 1982.

On April 6, 1983, Bro. John Roark came to pastor our church. On August 26-28 we had a Lay Renewal. Church members indicated this was a wonderful renewal weekend. On April 1, 1984, John Cheatham was ordained as a deacon. In 1985 we had groundbreaking for the new annex on the south side of the church. We added a new kitchen and classrooms that are converted into our fellowship hall. In 1988 our church sponsored the Stillhouse Mission. It was built by our men and the men from Christian Farms with the help of the Texas Baptist Men’s team. In 1988 Canyon Creek Baptist Church notified the church that we could have their steeple if we would move it from Temple.

In 1990 the lights on the brick sign in front of the church were donated by Lee Copeland in memory of his parents, Fred and Bertha Copeland. In 1991 we celebrated our 110th anniversary. Ford Copeland donated a picture of JZT Smith and wife to the church. They were the oldest members of our church. Bro. John resigned February 9, 1992 after 9 years of service.

Bro. Paul Thompson became our pastor in February of 1992. We had Vacation Bible School with an average of 73. Some nice person donated 20 new chairs to the Mary Martha Class. In 1994 Bro. Paul resigned.

On August 22, 1994 Bro. Al Jordon came to pastor our church. We had Vacation Bible School with 101 enrolled. We had the pink pig for missions. This was a wooden cut out created by our GA leader Hope Mahnken. If the pig was placed in your front yard, you had to give $5 to Annie Armstrong Missions to get rid of it. A fund was established for new hymnals by the Copeland family. Our 115th anniversary was celebrated on September 29, 1996. Six deacons were ordained in our church, including Red Randolph. Two of those are still serving, Charles Swindoll and Don Parker. On August 6, 1998, Team Kids was established. Bro. Jordan resigned on August 23, 1998.

In December we elected Bro. Mike Bergman as our interim pastor and Leo Chenoweth as our choir director. In April of 1999 Bro. Mike became our full-time pastor. Members delivered Meals on Wheels for two weeks in July, the Mission Committee had a baby shower for Hope Pregnancy Center, and four members went to Oregon to help build a Southern Baptist Church there. A new sound system was installed in the auditorium. On April 8, 2001, we licensed Ben White to the ministry.

In 2002 we began Backyard Bible School and held several in yards of church members and friends. Our youth went on a mission trip to Mexico. We celebrated our 120th anniversary with a lunch and special program. The church history was rewritten and we sold 100 copies. Bro.Mike resigned effective October 31, 2003. At a business meeting on October 8, we voted to call an intentional interim pastor as we were having some difficulties with our denominational linkage. On December 7, 2003, we called Bro. Gene Hoover to serve as intentional interim. In February members voted for individuals to serve on a transition team. This team recommended and the church voted to reactivate the church council, acquire a fireproof filing cabinet to keep vital church records and to be more frugal in spending money. Job descriptions were also written at this time. In June 2004, our church sponsored a group of our members including youth to go to Wyoming. In September five Baptist organizations came and presented information about their beliefs. On October 24, 2004, our church voted to keep our affiliation with the Southern Baptist Convention and the local Bell Baptist Association. We voted to join the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. Bro. Hoover died on December 3, 2004, after a long battle with cancer.

In early 2005 we formed a pastor search committee and called Bro. Hezle Stewart as our interim pastor. On May 15, 2005, we voted to call Bro. Hezle as our full-time pastor. We formed a constitution revision committee. Committees were given job descriptions so that each committee knew its responsibilities. In July Bro. Hezle had gall bladder surgery and was diagnosed with cancer.

Our 2006 budget recommended we give 10% to the Cooperative Program. In 2006, we went back to the traditional Vacation Bible School rather than Backyard Bible School.

2007

In September of 2007 a revival was planned for September 12 but had to be cancelled because Bro. Billy Johnson’s mother-in-law was gravely ill. Bro. Hezle Stewart resigned in September. We had a KVBC roundup on September 22 with a hay ride and plenty of food – enough leftover for a lunch after church on Sunday. We voted for Bro. John Roark to be in our interim pastor. A pastor search committee was appointed with the following members serving: Glenda Berry, Charles Malone, Marylouise Parker, Callie Roark, and Charles Swindoll.

2008

April 19 we had a fish fry at 5:30 p.m. Bro. Cecil Rice began his ministry as our pastor on June 1. Vacation Bible was June 23-27 with 25 children in attendance. We collected school supplies for school children in August.

In September 2008, our average in Sunday School was 53. We had to have our air conditioning repaired.

We began collecting items for Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child project. We collected shoe boxes for children in other countries. During the November 23rd worship services we began the “Hanging of the Greens” and the lighting of the Christmas tree. For the Lottie Moon Christmas offering, each person turned on a Christmas light on the tree for each $20 donation.

2009

In January the youth began enlisting prayer warriors to pray for them every day. The youth also served a spaghetti lunch after the morning worship service on January 18. A Valentine’s Banquet was held on February 14 for all Sunday School teachers, assistants, and office staff. Marylou Parker and Charles Swindoll provided the meal.

On Saturday, May 9, we celebrated with Dorothy Alexander as she was observing her 90th birthday. Joy Rice had recommended we start a preschool at the church. One adult teacher would be needed for every 10 children. After several meetings, the church voted not to pursue that mission.

In June, 2009, the missions committee brought baby items for a mission trip to Texas City. We also purchased swing sets for the children. Vacation Bible School was held July 13-17 with 15 students enrolled.

The sound system was set up for hearing impaired. We purchased eight receivers. Maria Loertcher celebrated her 90th birthday with a party at the church on November 28.

2010

In January 2010, we voted to send $1,000 to Hope for the Hungry to be used for the victims of the Haiti earthquake. In February we had an 80th birthday party for Bro. John Roark. Amanda Featherston took the youth to the “Acquire the Fire” conference in San Antonio February 26-27. A new 52-inch TV was purchased for the sanctuary and a storage container was also purchased.

Brian Osborne was ordained as a deacon on April 11. Children’s church started May 16. On July 11, Bro. Cecil Rice resigned as pastor. On August 1 Bro. John Roark was voted to be our interim pastor. The new pastor search committee was formed: Donnie Copeland, (Chairman), Pauline Swindoll, Karen Heartfield, Ben White, John Cheatham (deacon representative) and Amanda Featherston (youth representative.) Alternates were Brian Osborne and Marylou Parker.

In September the church voted for the 6th graders to stay in the children’s wing and go to youth when entering the 7th grade. The church was flooded again.

2011

WMU began meeting at Pam Marmon’s home on the 4th Thursday of each month. Brian Osborne was licensed to the ministry. We’ve added new tile in the kitchen and hallway. We also have a new copy machine, new paint in the hallway and have sealed the parking lot.

In June Bro. Scott Matthews preached a revival June 12-15. Wayne and Cindy Spoonts led the music.

In July the Pastor Search Committee recommended we ask Bro. Bob Crowder to preach in view of a call. Vacation Bible School was held for two days on July 25 – 26. We met from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

On August 14, 2011, Bro. Bob Crowder began his ministry at Keys Valley. In August, Bro. John Roark started the Senior Saints meeting at 11 o’clock at the church on the third Thursday of every month. This last year we have seen a growth in our Sunday School and 7 people have come to know the Lord.

Here we are in September celebrating our 130th year. Through the years we have had some rough times, but through it all God has seen us through. We’ve always had good food and numerous quartets. Our church is a loving congregation concerned about lost people and always trying to help others who are in need. We have over 40 pastors who have served our church during the past 130 years.

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Keys Valley Baptist Church, History, 2011