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Maplewood Baptist Church

8700 Hwy. 218 Bypass
731-642-2022

History:


Maplewood Baptist Church was organized on Sunday afternoon, August 12, 1934, when a body of people met in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chester Underwood to organize a church in the Maplewood vicinity. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Underwood still stands at Maple Street. Bro. L. H. Brown was elected moderator and Bro. Bill Mustian was elected temporary clerk. Bro. Brown read from I Corinthians 12 and preached the message.
The church continued to meet in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Underwood during its first year. During this time the congregation was busy trying to get their building constructed on its present site that was donated by Mr. T. P. Jernigan, who "was of another faith." The original building was a one-room church, which is a part of the present chapel on the south side of the church. Many members and friends worked to build the church and not one penny was spent for labor. On Sunday, August 18, 1935, the first service was held in the new building.
The church sold the old pastor'' home on Jean Street and built a new brick home on the corner of Grove and Harrison Streets at a cost of $7,800. The church bought an organ on April 17, 1960. In August 1960, Miss Kay Lee was employed as part-time secretary at $1.00 an hour. Miss Lee (now Mrs. Kay Parish) serves as part-time secretary today.
On April 18, 1962, the church entered a contract of $54,311 to construct a 42x85-foot new auditorium to seat 400 people and add more Sunday School rooms, with a modern kitchen in the basement. Miss Marie Bevill was elected librarian of the new church library.
In May, 1972, Bro. Noel Edwards began serving as pastor and served until August of 1974. During his tenure the church voted to purchase a church bus, to sell the parsonage on Grove Street, and build a new parsonage on Green Valley Drive. It is still used by the church today.
On Mother's Day, May 13, 1984, Bro. Lynn King began his ministry at Maplewood. He was the longest tenured pastor of the church until he left on Mother's Day, 2000. During these years the church has continued to grow and support missions.


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