Lakeside Baptist

Lakeside Baptist Church – Its Beginnings

1983

This church was called out of the San Pedro Baptist Church to organize and later to be identified as the Lakeside Baptist Church. It’s mission – to win the lost.

Forty-seven Christians agreed, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, a church was needed as a witness in this community.

This group met in the Foley Baptist Church, Foley, Florida, on Thursday night, September17, 1953, for the purpose of organizing a new Missionary Baptist Church.

It was decided to meet in Brother Howard Carrin’s barn until the new church building was ready to move into. Brother and Mrs. Carrin donated (2) acres of land for the building site.

Work started on the building November 1953 with most of the work done by the men of the church. The first service was held in the new building (although not completed) on Wednesday, June 2, 1954. Before the end of the year, gas heat was installed in the auditorium.

During the ministry of Brother Francis Cruce in 1959, the west wing educational building was constructed and baptistry was installed. Mrs. Elizabeth Landingham, a member of the church, painted a picture in the baptistry  in 1970.

During the ministry of Brother Claud Crosby the pastorium was built. On March 23, 1958, the building committee (Ralph Carlton, John Ritch, Jesse Falling) recommended to the church that we purchase a lot where the pastorium now stands. Ground breaking ceremony was on September 25, 1960 and work began immediately with most of the work being done by the men of the church. Dedication of the pastorium was March 5, 1961. The Crosby family was the first to live in the new pastorium.

During the ministry of Brother Hubert Barnes the church office was opened. Annie Joe Brannen had been doing this work since 1958, so she was given the position of Church Secretary and has served this position since.

Under the leadership of our present pastor, Brother Roy King, on June 13, 1979, a committee was elected by the church to study the cost and make plans for a fellowship hall and kitchen. The committee members were Hoyt Regans, Ralph Blue, A. L. Adkinson, Donald Todd, Marion Sullivan, Edna Parker and Annie Joe Brannen. On May 30, 1982, we dedicated our new fellowship hall and kitchen along with fifteen folding tables and one hundred new folding chairs to the Glory of God, completely debt free.

From the beginning in 1953, Lakeside has had an active Sunday School, Church Training, WMU and Brotherhood.

For the thirty years that we have been a church we have had only one treasurer – Brothe