People can worship God anywhere, whether it is under a tree, a tent, in a great cathedral, or even in a storefront.
I have been asked to share a brief history of Hillcrest Baptist Church with you from it’s beginning.
I have been asked to share a brief history of Hillcrest Baptist Church with you from it’s beginning.
In September 1989, a group of about thirty-five (35) people felt a great desire to start a new Baptist Church in the area. We started meeting in the old Nutrition Center part time and in a couple’s garage part time on Sunday and Wednesday nights. One Wednesday evening Dr. Sam Tullock (our area Missionary) met with us to discuss the possibility of organizing a church offering his advise and suggestions. He felt that Bro Roy Merritt who lived in Kaufman might be available to serve as the Interim Pastor and would know how to lead us into organizing a church. After much thought and prayer, seeking God’s guidance and leadership, we decided to step out on faith. Bro Roy was called and accepted the invitation. Two of our men offered a building for us to meet in that they owned in town on Main St., which had formerly been a dry goods store for many years. We accepted their offer and planned a work night for the next night to get it ready for the Sunday service. There was much excitement in the air the rest of the week with cleaning inside and out, painting and fixing up with the men putting up petitions for Sunday School classrooms and a nursery. Everyone brought their folding chairs and lawn chairs. A piano and songbooks were provided. Our first service at the storefront was held on Sunday, October 15, 1989, with 31 present for Sunday School and 35 for church. Bro Roy brought the morning and evening messages.
It was suggested that the name of our new church would be Hillcrest Baptist Church, which everyone seemed to like it so a sign was purchased and hung out front.
Two weeks later on “Great Day in the Morning” our attendance was 56.
The last week in October the Christian Life Fellowship Church of Tool was given new pews. They had evidently heard about our new church with the lawn chairs, so they donated their old wooden pews to us for which we were so thankful. Some of the men picked them up and placed them in the store front for the next Sunday service. An organ was donated with another piano to be used in the children’s department. We purchased carpet which was laid and that took care of some of the squeaks in the hardwood floor. We heard many comments about the warm spirit which prevailed and how unique it was with hanging baskets and pot plants hanging on the rods and setting on the shelves where clothing, shoes and other merchandise had been displayed for so many years.
Our goal for the Lottie Moon Christmas offering for that year was set for two-hundred ($200.00) dollars which we exceeded by sixty-five ($65.00) dollars.
Of course there was the usual dinner on the ground, Christmas parties, plays and a New Years Eve watch night service, as well as many other activities and of course Vacation Bible School.
On February 11, 1990, we observed our first Lord’s Supper during the morning worship. There was a huge crowd present in the afternoon from several areas to attend the constitutional service. We were beginning to feel like a real church. Soon there were over three dozen charter members with new members being added all along. We went to a couple of churches in the area to use their baptistery to baptize several new converts.
Land was purchased up on a hill just north of town where we looked forward to building a new church before long.
Bro Roy’s last message at the store front was on June 30, 1991, which incidentally was 5 years ago today.
Bro Merle Stephens of Garland followed Bro Roy as the next pastor. It was exciting to watch the thermometer rise as the building fund grew. Sure enough we were able to have ground breaking in May 1992 to start our new sanctuary, which was to be built by Mr. Walter Nitz. People were amazed at the short length of time from when the foundation was poured until the steeple appeared. We moved in and the first service was held on July 19, 1992. As we grew there was a great need for an educational building, so Mr. Nitz built it also, which was completed and ready to move into in March 1993. Bro Merle retired in December 1994 due to ill health after forty-one (41) years in the ministry.
Our next pastor was Bro James Jacobs who came in February 1994 and was with us almost two (2) years before his resignation in January 1996.
We are so grateful for the many blessings which God has so freely bestowed upon us and for the faithfulness of so many members, Sunday School teachers and workers. Because of the love of God and peoples love for God we have been provided with so many things to help in the furtherance of his work. We are so thankful for the pianos, the organ, for the additional pews, the sound system, the pew bibles, the library, the Lord’s supper service, the kitchen appliances, the van for the bus ministry in memory of Summer Howard, the beautiful painting over the baptistery by Jerome Thompson and everything whether great or small that has been donated by various people.
We give God the praise and glory for what has done and for what he is going to do in the life of Hillcrest Baptist Church.
If God be for us, who can be against us?
It was suggested that the name of our new church would be Hillcrest Baptist Church, which everyone seemed to like it so a sign was purchased and hung out front.
Two weeks later on “Great Day in the Morning” our attendance was 56.
The last week in October the Christian Life Fellowship Church of Tool was given new pews. They had evidently heard about our new church with the lawn chairs, so they donated their old wooden pews to us for which we were so thankful. Some of the men picked them up and placed them in the store front for the next Sunday service. An organ was donated with another piano to be used in the children’s department. We purchased carpet which was laid and that took care of some of the squeaks in the hardwood floor. We heard many comments about the warm spirit which prevailed and how unique it was with hanging baskets and pot plants hanging on the rods and setting on the shelves where clothing, shoes and other merchandise had been displayed for so many years.
Our goal for the Lottie Moon Christmas offering for that year was set for two-hundred ($200.00) dollars which we exceeded by sixty-five ($65.00) dollars.
Of course there was the usual dinner on the ground, Christmas parties, plays and a New Years Eve watch night service, as well as many other activities and of course Vacation Bible School.
On February 11, 1990, we observed our first Lord’s Supper during the morning worship. There was a huge crowd present in the afternoon from several areas to attend the constitutional service. We were beginning to feel like a real church. Soon there were over three dozen charter members with new members being added all along. We went to a couple of churches in the area to use their baptistery to baptize several new converts.
Land was purchased up on a hill just north of town where we looked forward to building a new church before long.
Bro Roy’s last message at the store front was on June 30, 1991, which incidentally was 5 years ago today.
Bro Merle Stephens of Garland followed Bro Roy as the next pastor. It was exciting to watch the thermometer rise as the building fund grew. Sure enough we were able to have ground breaking in May 1992 to start our new sanctuary, which was to be built by Mr. Walter Nitz. People were amazed at the short length of time from when the foundation was poured until the steeple appeared. We moved in and the first service was held on July 19, 1992. As we grew there was a great need for an educational building, so Mr. Nitz built it also, which was completed and ready to move into in March 1993. Bro Merle retired in December 1994 due to ill health after forty-one (41) years in the ministry.
Our next pastor was Bro James Jacobs who came in February 1994 and was with us almost two (2) years before his resignation in January 1996.
We are so grateful for the many blessings which God has so freely bestowed upon us and for the faithfulness of so many members, Sunday School teachers and workers. Because of the love of God and peoples love for God we have been provided with so many things to help in the furtherance of his work. We are so thankful for the pianos, the organ, for the additional pews, the sound system, the pew bibles, the library, the Lord’s supper service, the kitchen appliances, the van for the bus ministry in memory of Summer Howard, the beautiful painting over the baptistery by Jerome Thompson and everything whether great or small that has been donated by various people.
We give God the praise and glory for what has done and for what he is going to do in the life of Hillcrest Baptist Church.
If God be for us, who can be against us?
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