BOONEVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH
Compiled by
Dr. D. L. Brewer
As early as 1867 an attempt was made to organize a Baptist Church in Booneville. In 1869, the Booneville Baptist Church re ported to the Irvine Association of Baptists a membership of 15 with Simpson Brandenburg and James Thomas serving as Messengers from the church to the Annual Meeting, held with the church at Chinckapin Rough in Jackson County. Elder Harvey Hall was serving as pastor and was also pastoring the churches at Beattyville and Zion in the same year. -
A second attempt to organize a Baptist church occurred in 1907. It was in this year that the church sent messengers to the Boones Creek Association and listed Elder J. C. Parsons as pastor. Messengers from the church included Talt Farley, Callie Quillen and Sarah Hall Brandenburg. The church reported 14 members.
In 1908 William Hall, along with Talt Farley and Prank Brandenburg, represented the church as messengers. Frank Brandenburg was serving as Clerk and J. G. Parsons as Pastor.
In 1909 the church again reported 14 members with Talt Farley and William Hall serving as messengers and Frank Brandenburg as Church Clerk. The church shared the services of Elder Parsons with Beattyville, Heidelberg and Zion.
Frank Brandenburg continued to serve as Clerk until 1912 with Malcolm Taylor serving as Pastor in 1910 and J.I. Wills as Pastor in 1911-1912. William Hall was Sunday School Superintendent in 1911—1912. In 1912 the church reported 18 members with an enrollment of 50 in the Sunday School. The church had received six into the membership of the church by baptism in that year.
There is no mention of the Booneville Church in the minutes of the Association from this date onward, however, on September 1, 1923, a group of Baptists met at Fish Creek in Owsley County for the purpose of organizing a Baptist Church. J.T. Turpin of West Irvine and J. W. Mahan of Beattyville were invited to attend the meeting and assist in the organization.
Twenty five members were enrolled, all having received their letters from Zion Church. This new church was named New Zion and was later received into the membership of the Boones Creek Baptist Association. J. W. Mahan, pastor of the Beattyville Church was called to serve the new congregation as quarter—time pastor. With the assistance of Brother Mahan and some of his personal friends,
H. P. Brandenburg and a few of the other members, a new church building was soon completed and all of the indebtedness paid.
A good Sunday School was carried on regularly, also weekly prayer meetings and always the church stressed the doctrines of the Baptist faith. Church membership dwindled with the moving of some of the more faithful members and for a time the church held no regular services.
In the summer of 1934 a great revival broke out at Levi under the preaching of Robert Garrison of Lexington. The meeting resulted in 2.7 professions of faith. These new converts were received into the membership of the Ashland Avenue Baptist Church of Lexington, Kentucky.
When it was learned that these Baptists wanted a place of worship in or near Levi, New Zion agreed to move their building from Fish Creek to within one and one—half miles of Levi on the Booneville—Beattyville. Road. The house was moved and dedicated in November l, 1934. The church was reorganized March 14, 1935 and received into its membership those coming by letter from the Ashland Avenue Church, some few letters from other Baptist Churches, some by statement and two by baptism.
A call was extended to James A. Walker of McRoberts, Ky. to serve as Pastor of the church. He accepted the call and served the church for three and one—half years, preaching half—time. In November, 1936, the church agreed to ask the State Mission Board for $20 per month to help carry on the work of the New Zion Church and Elk Lick Mission, agreeing that 75% of the offering was to be paid to the Pastor for his labors and 25% were to be given to mission causes and local expense. The church organized a WMU, and gave offerings to the Cooperative Program.
James A. Walker resigned as Pastor in November, 1938 and Bruce Lungsford was called to the Pastoral Care of the church. He con ducted the first vacation Bible School to be held in the church. Records show that in 1939 the church asked the state mission board for $13 Eer month for Pastoral Aid. In 1940, Sam Higan became the Pastor of the church succeeding Elder Lungsford.
On March 28, 1943, R. E. Sasser was called to the full time pastorate of the church. Much of the strength of the church is rightly credited to his work on the field. Brother Sasser once made the remark that he felt the Lord had called him to build church houses as well as preach the word. He erected a Pastor’s Home beside the church ana laid plans for a new brick building in the town of Booneville.
The church voted to build a new building, to take the new name of Booneville Baptist Church and to join the Booneville Baptist Association.
It was during this period that the 23rd and Broadway Baptist Church in Louisville started aiding the support of the work through the State Missions Department.
John Bass succeeded Reverend Sasser in 1948. Under Pastor Bass, the Sunday School reached its goal of 137 in attendance.
Isadore Childers succeeded Reverend Bass in 1952 and he, in turn, was followed by William Schsick.
George R. Williamson became pastor of the church on May 11, 1957 and remained in the service of the church until his retirement on September 30, 1975. During his ministry, the church organized a Training Union, WMU, Brotherhood and Youth Organization and also purchased a Parsonage.
John Justice came to the pastoral Care of the church on January 7, 1976.