Sumner Baptist Church

This article was written about Sumner Baptist Church on October 8, 1942 in the Sumner News.  It includes a list of past pastors and some of the charter members.

SUMNER BAPTIST CHURCH TO OBSERVE 70TH ANNIVERSARY----The seventieth anniversary of the organization of the Sumner Baptist Church will be observed Sunday morning at 11o'clock, and the membership of the church is looking forward with particular interest to this occasion. It was in the Summer of 1872 that several baptists met at the Brooklyn Methodist Church, across the bayou at Webb, and organized Enon Baptist Church. Neither the exact date nor the names of all the charter members has been preserved, but among the original members were H. A. Ferguson, J.E. Redding, R.F. Chrestman, J. B. McKee and Mr. Dollahite. The first pastor was J.N. Acker and he was followed by Rev. H.A. Ferguson, father of W.W. Ferguson, of Friendship, who served for fifteen years, the longest pastor to date. The first building of Enon Church was a two story frame structure located on the old Sumner-Webb highway at what is known as Midway. The first floor of the building was used as the church auditorium, the second floor being the meeting place of the Masonic Lodge. About 1900 the location of the church was changed to Sumner, and a building was erected on the west side of Cassidy Bayou between the present homes of Mrs. R.L. Cannon and Frank Mitchener. In 1917, during the pastorate of Rev. W.R. Cooper, work was started on the present handsome building, and it was ready for occupancy in January, 1918. About this time the church ceased to be called Enon, and became Sumner Baptist Church. Since its organization the following have served as pastors;

J.N. Acker	1872-1875
H.A. Ferguson *	1876-1892
J.W. Collins	1892-1898
Joel D. Rice	1898-1902
J.T. Graham	1902-1905
C.H. Mize	1905-1908
J.P. White	1909-1914
J.F. Measells	1914-1915
W.R. Cooper	1916-1921
J.A. Barnhill	1921-1925
F.J. Crocket	1925-1928
J.G. Lott	1928-1929
A.L. Jordan	1929-1931
Madison Flowers	1931-1937
J.H. Pennebaker	1937-

Sumner has been the mother of two churches, Webb which was organized in 1908 and Friendship, organized in 1912l The present pastor has been serving the church since November , 1937. According to the records available, the largest membership recorded at any one time was 254. The present membership, as reported to the association recently, was 139, and gifts to all causes during the past associational year amounted to $2,597.36.

The following interesting program has bee arranged for Sunday morning;

Prelude:
Doxology:
Invocation:
Responsive Reading:
Hymn No.406:
Scripture Lesson:
Prayer:
History of the Church-Mrs. Velma Carr:
Special Music-Choir:
Recognition of Oldest Member:
Announcements:
Offertory:
Vocal Solo-Mr. Bill Nason:
Sermon-Pastor:
Hymn-No. 201:
Benediction:

A cordial invitation is extended to everyone to attend this anniversary service, and members especially are urged to be present.

*(Note by Lela Evans - H.A. Ferguson is Henry Adams Ferguson, brother to Susannah Ferguson who married Joseph Burton Sumner. Henry Adams is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.)

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