History ofCarolina Memorial

Baptist Church422 Liberty Drive

Thomasville, NC 27360

Table of Contents

History 3

Pastors 8

Interims/Staff 10

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1926 - Carolina Memorial Baptist Church has gained possession of a portion of Conference and Deacons Minutes that indicate Carolina Avenue Baptist Church met unofficially as a body as early as May 1, 1926.

1930 – Carolina Avenue Baptist Church officially organized in the summer of 1930 with 10 charter members, Mr. & Mrs. H.D. Bradshaw, Mr. & Mrs. Will Beusse, Mr. John Britt, Mrs. Ada Hill, Mrs. Neppie Gordon, Mr. Bud Dennis and Mr. & Mrs. George England. The “Building Committee reported and settled up with Brother L.E. Bruton for work done on church”. The first church building was a one room frame building valued at $2,500 on land donated by Mr. Eugene Carter. Additions were added to the church building during the 1940’s and 1950’s including the digging of the basement by the hands of the men of the church.

1930 – 1932 – R.L. West, Pastor

1931 – Joined Liberty Baptist Association with messengers Mr. & Mrs. H.D. Bradshaw, E.Z. Smith, and Howard Hunt.

1931 – Women’s Missionary Union was organized. Miss Sallie McCrakin, Associational WMU Director led the women to organize. There has never been a year that WMU has not given mission service to our church.

1932 – 1935 – B.F. Clark, Pastor

1936 – 1946 – J.A. Cox, Pastor

1946 – E.L. Kincaid was Pastor serving one year then leaving to organize Glenanna Baptist Church

1947 – The church purchased a house on Aycock Street to service as the parsonage.

1947 – 1948 – C.M. Oates, Pastor

1948 – 1950 – A.L. McGee, Pastor

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History of Carolina Memorial Baptist

1951 – 1953 – M. M. Summey, Pastor

1953 – 1957 – Joel Tyson, Pastor

1957 – 1990 – Carl Hemphill, Pastor (wife, Ruby). The church was richly blessed and a new parsonage was built on Duke Street where the Hemphill’s lived.

1958 – On March 2, 1958, the church purchased the Siler property on the corner of Liberty Drive and Sunrise Avenue as the future site of their new building.

1960 – In January, 1960 the church had their first Forward Program. This was a program that asked each member to pledge to give a tithe the following year.

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1961 – The church voted to sell bonds to finance our new building.

1963 – Ground-breaking Ceremonies took place on March 24, 1963 for the new 422 Liberty Drive Sanctuary and Education Building. The Building Committee was hitched to a plow. Fred Young, Chairman of the committee and Pastor Carl Hemphill cracked the whip and plowed a straight furrow to signal time to start construction. The building plans were designed by Wilber, Kendrick, Workman and Warren. The cost was approximately $211,943.

1964 – On February 9, 1964, the church voted to sell the old church property on Carolina Avenue to the Evangelical Wesleyan Church.

1964 – Dedication of the New Sanctuary and Educational Building (current location) took place on Sunday, March 8, 1964. Mr. H.D. Bradshaw opened the door for the first time. The church changed its name to Carolina Memorial Baptist Church.

1964 – 1991 – The church has periodically purchased adjoining parcels bringing our total property as it is today.

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1991 – 2002 – Stuart White, Pastor (wife, Sandra). During his pastorate, due to membership growth, we began two Sunday morning services (8:30am & 11:00am), renovated our existing Educational Building, and built a new Fellowship Hall and classrooms which was dedicated on May 21, 1995.

1993 – The church was incorporated.

1993 – The church called our first Youth/Education Minister Rev. Daryl Triplett, who served until 1996.

1994 – The church adopted By-Laws.

1996 – Kim Dickey was appointed September 10, 1996 and commissioned on October 8, 1996 by the Foreign Mission Board as a Journeyman to China.

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1997 – Tim Landreth became our Youth/Education Minister.

1998 – Growth Fund Committee formed to make plans to retire debt.

1998 – Rev. Ken Miller was called August 30, 1998 as the first Associate Pastor of Visitation.

2000 – In June, we became co-sponsors with Rich Fork Baptist Church to start a Hispanic Mission. Their first service was June 25, 2000 with Rev. Tino Yanez (wife, Yvonne). January 2003, Rev. Hector Olguin (wife, Wendy) was called as Pastor.

2003 – 2005 – Dr. David Mills, Pastor (wife, Wanda)

2003 – Care Team Ministry started meeting every Tuesday of each month. (Christians Actively Reaching Everyone) – sending cards, making call and visits and praying for those in need.

2004 – Craig McKinney came September 2004 as our first full-time Minister of Music.

2005 – 75th Homecoming Weekend which started Saturday Oct 8 with Day in the Son Celebration with Dr. Ken Hemphill as our speaker. Sunday, Oct 9 was our Homecoming Service with former Pastor Rev. Stuart White as guest speaker.

2006 – 2011 – Dr. Dana Slack, Pastor (wife, Rose).

2007 – Tim Landreth became our Associate Pastor.

2008 – Contemporary Service started with Exit Plan Band in the Fellowship Hall with sermons via live feed from the Sanctuary.

2012 – We ended our Covenant with the Hispanic Mission on August 31, 2012.

2012 – Voted to do one 10:30am Blended Service in the Sanctuary starting the first Sunday in 2013.

2014 – Jason Poe, Pastor (wife, Kim) started their ministry here July 6, 2014. They have two children, Micah and Hannah.

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Pastors of Carolina Memorial Baptist Church

Rev. R.L. West1930 - 1932

Rev. B. F. Clark1932 - 1935

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Dr. David Mills2003 - 2005

Interim Pastors Rev. C. F. McDowell

Rev. Sammy Shoaf

Rev. Ken Miller

Rev. Bynum Orr

Rev. Tim Landreth

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Staff of Carolina Memorial Baptist Church

Rev. Daryl TriplettMinister of

Youth/Education1993 - 1996

Rev. Tim LandrethMin. of Youth/Education

1997 – PresentAssociate Pastor

2007-Present

Rev. Craig McKinneyMinister of

Music2004 - 2007

Rev. Ken MillerAssociate Pastor of

Visitation 1998 - (Retired)

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