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| Our Church's History | |||
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On October 7, 1948, under the leadership of Rev. Cravens and the Board of Deacons, the First Baptist Church of Lancaster approved the beginning of a Baptist mission in Palmdale, at that time a community of about one thousand people. On November 7, 1948, Rev. Cravens and fourteen volunteers conducted a religious survey of the central Palmdale area. They were hopeful to find a group of people in Palmdale willing to support this mission project. However, their findings were less than their hopefulness. Nevertheless, these people were convinced of the need for a Gospel witness in Palmdale, and the ministry began with a bible study on Thursday evening December 2, 1948. Nine people were there for what was the beginning of a ministry which has lasted to this very day. The mission work was under the leadership of Rev. H. E. Johnson, and sponsored by First Baptist Church of Lancaster. Within a very short time, however, the work had grown to the extent that the need was felt to organize as an independent Church, and the organizational meeting was held May 6, 1949. At that time the Constitution was adopted and officers elected. There were 28 on the charter membership roll. Pastor Rev. Johnson, who was ably assisted by his wife and daughter, Phyllis, was forced by ill health to retire from active service the following year (August, 1950), but with the satisfaction of having seen another infant church grow in spiritual and numerical strength to adulthood under his ministry. In September, 1950, the church called Sidney W. Wyma back to a field which had been his concern as a layman. For several months, in 1946, preceding his departure for further schooling in preparation for the ministry, he led a Bible study and prayer meeting group in Palmdale, realizing the great need for an evangelical ministry in this area. Meetings were held for some time in the Palmdale Grammar School, until it became necessary to find other quarters due to destruction of the Grammar School auditorium by fire, at which time permission was obtained to hold services in the Palmdale Woman's Club Building. The Lord wonderfully provided meeting places until the Church was able to move into its own building. On May 31, 1949 the Church voted unanimously to affiliate with the Baptist General Conference. The church having negotiated for the present site in the summer of 1950, an architect was commissioned to prepare plans for Church and Bible School facilities to be constructed on a unit plan as our membership warranted, and ground breaking for the initial sanctuary took place on Sunday January 7, 1951. The first services in the new sanctuary were held on Sunday, November 19, 1951, followed on Monday evening by an ordination service for Pastor Wyma. By that time, church attendance had reached approximately 85. In January, 1953 an additional acre of land was purchased adjacent to the church property to provide for additional parking and future expansion of the building. In the early years of the Church, children in the outlying areas were brought to Sunday School in a twenty-one passenger school bus. The bus was purchased in July of 1949 for the sum of $400.00. Later a sixty-passenger bus was used for transporting the children, as well as for a classroom during Sunday School. |