|
|
|
The
History of Mackey
Chapel United Methodist Church
In 1937 Mrs.
Henrietta Washington had a dream. Having moved to Odessa, Texas, a few years
earlier and having seen a few struggling churches in a town new to Negroes, she
thought seriously of a Methodist Episcopal Church being established for the slow
growing Negro population.
She began to put her thoughts into action. She prayerfully called Rev.
Frederick D. Young, Superintendent of the Dallas District and Bishop Alexander
P. Shaw of the New Orleans Area to see whether a Methodist Church could be
established here.
At that time there were in Odessa about six or eight members of the
Methodist Church. They were Mr. And Mrs. Alex Washington, Mrs. Sylvia Lewis,
Mrs. Bertha Duncan, Mrs. Emma Scott, and Mrs. Johnnie Dean Felder. All of the
above mentioned are deceased.
There were some who did not come in as charter members. Among this group
was Mrs. Lochie Merrell who was in New Mexico on the day of chartering. Mrs.
Johnnie Felder, the last charter member on the church roll, died on March 28,
1981, and was buried April 2, 1981.
Mrs. Freda Belle Spence, and Mrs. Nancy Lou Warren were the only children
of deceased charter members on the roll. Both of these ladies are now deceased.
The first pastor was the late Rev. J.D. Mackey who served until his death
in 1940. Other ministers who have served the church are these: Rev. Columbus C.
Moore; Rev. Fortson; Rev. I.H. Pearson; Rev. C.L. King; Rev. W.B. Lott; Rev.
Eldridge M. Cooper, builder of the church building located at 702½ E. Murphy;
Rev. James W. Morgan; Rev. Elvis H. Carter; Rev. Charlie J. Houston; Rev. E.A.
Rogers; Rev. Joe H. Carter; Rev. Walter A. Webb; Rev. Earl L. Spencer; Rev. H.A.
Gregory; Rev. Nathaniel Johnson; Rev. Meredith C. Stone; Rev. George B. Young,
Sr. (1997-1986); Rev. Dean E. Simmons, Sr. (1987-1990); Rev. Hadley R. Edwards
(1990-1997), Rev. Johann C. Neethling (1997-2000), and our present pastor, Rev.
Curtis Hayes who came to us on June 1, 2000.
The church has been housed in three buildings, one in the 200 block of
south Hancock, one at 702½ E. Murphy, and the present building at 306 W.
Clements. The present property was given to the members of Mackey Chapel United
Methodist Church May 13, 1969, by the adoption of a resolution calling for the
transfer of the property to Mackey Chapel United Methodist Church and its
successors.
Nineteen District Superintendents have served the church: Rev. Frederick
D. Young; Rev. J. Hudson Carruthers; Rev. Thomas Madison Bruton; Rev. Joshua B.
Phoenix; Rev. J.A. Wills; Rev. Rall L. Palmer; Rev. William M. Ellison Jr.; Rev.
Marcus A. Lucas Freeman; Rev. Lavelle Lowe, Jr.; Rev. E. Charles Purnell; Rev.
Lloyd A. Hughes; Rev. B.C. Goodwin; Rev. Robert Templeton; Rev. Hollis B. Shook;
Rev. Don Forsman; Rev. William Hutchinson; Rev. Douglas Wofford, Dr. Milton R.
Chester, and Rev. David Weyant, the current Superintendent. There have been eleven (11) bishops of Mackey Chapel U.M. Church: Bishop Alexander Preston Shaw; Bishop Robert E. Jones; Bishop Edward W. Kelley; Bishop Robert N. Brooks; Bishop J.W.E. Bowens; Bishop Willis J. King; Bishop Matthew W. Claire, Jr.; Bishop Noah W. Moore, Jr.; Bishop O. Eugene Slater; Bishop Alsie H. Carleton; Bishop Louis W. Schowengerdt, and our present bishop, Bishop Alfred L. Norris, Sr. |
|
Send mail to Siyabonga@aol.com with questions or comments about
this web site.
|
