The First meeting of the LAKE JACKSON CHURCH OF CHRIST was held on a Sunday afternoon, March 5, 1944, in the Community House on Azalea Street. Troy Cummings of Freeport conducted the service with only eight souls in attendance. Within a few months, Calvin Reed began serving as a part-time minister until 1946 when J.T. McClung moved to Lake Jackson to serve in that capacity until the following year.

Except for a few months at the very beginning, regular services were conducted in the buildings of the public school system including a house at 226 Center Way. By 1946, the congregation had grown to some 40 members and began meeting in the newly constructed elementary school on Yaupon where classrooms were available for Bible class. Later, in 1948, a move was made to the Junior High cafetorium. On June 13, 1948, H.D. Smith began serving as the first full-time minister followed by F.R. Petty.

 

In 1950, the first unit of a small auditorium and a few classrooms were completed at the present location, 402 Center Way. Nelson Stark was the minister followed by James Rushing. Six classrooms were added in 1951 and on June 11 of that year the congregation’s first elders were chosen: Wilson Dowell, Harvey Piggott, and Grady Rasco. As the congregation grew, additional elders were chosen: D.B. Rambo (1955), Oral Farris (1960), Sanford Thompson (1963), Charles Monroe and Roy Schmidt (1966), Jerry Mays and Cliff Allen (1969), Johnnie Laman and Joe Talbot (1973), Jule Born and Waiford English (1975), Bill Knight (1979), Ron McDaniel (1986), Jim Karl (1991), David Barkemeyer and Rodger Thompson (1994), Don Kelly and Ron White (1996), Charles Garrett, Frank Hickl, and Tom Wenzel (2002), Joe Hairston and Robin Lee (2009), Bob Long and Craig Nisbett (2013), Jerry Miller, Randy Moore, and Jeff Pauls (2018).

 

In 1955, a new auditorium seating 430 was completed, and in 1961, ten new classrooms were constructed. As the membership increased to 450 plus, additional facilities were needed. The present 800 seat capacity auditorium was completed in the spring of 1969 along with the remodeling of all classrooms.

 

Between 1953 and 1963, F.R. Petty (returned), Flavel R. Yeakley, Sr., Hank Tankersley, and Stanley Shipp served as ministers. During the summer of 1963, Clifton Rogers began his service with this congregation ministering through January 1972. Gary Montgomery began his service in June 1972 and served through December 1976. Homer Anderson began his service in May 1977 through July 19, 1991. Randall “Randy” Moody began his service in December 1991 through August 1996. Chris Benjamin served from January 1998 through October 2003. Chris Workman served from February 2004 through August 2007. Others serving as ministers primarily in education and youth areas were David Ingram, Charles Boren, Charles Porter, Charles Wilson, and Garry Clark. From May 1988 until August 1992, Chris Hatchett served as Youth Minister. David Moses came in September 1992 and served through December 1995. Stephen Corbett served from August 1996 through July 1999. Scott Meadors served from May 2000 till October 2006. Richard (Hoss) Ridgeway served from March 2008 till October 2010. Cole Montgomery served from January 2011 till June 2013. Curt Gunz served as our education minister from August 1995 to March 2005. A.G. Figueroa L. served as our bilingual minister from March 1979 through 1985. Jule Born served as a full-time elder on staff from July 1987 through April 1991. Cliff Allen served as a full-time elder from August 1989 to May 1992. Andrew Banjarnahor, Shelly Bryant, Jean Baptiste Chery, Joaquin Reyes Parra, and Lyndsay Phillips are on our staff of missionaries.

 

In 1992, five acres of land was purchased for a future building site. In 1999 a new two story fellowship hall was added onto the existing building.