Las Sabinas, Volume 35, Number 4, 2009 Page: 10
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Las Sabinas History Journal and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Orange County Historical Society.
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Later History
During the ministry of Reverend John O'Keefe (1943-46), lots just east of the
church on Main Street were purchased from George Bancroft to be used for
expansion of the Sunday School. At this time the congregation was growing and the
members began plans to someday build a new church on the corner of 9t and Cypress
Streets on land purchased from Mr. and Mrs. V.H. Stark. After the untimely death of
Rev. O'Keefe in 1946, the drive for a new church stalled.
The women of the congregation working through the CWF (Christian Women's
Missionary Society) continued to raise money for the new church on 9t and Cypress
by holding bazaars. They held many a gumbo dinner and spaghetti supper. Mrs.
Allie Lock sold her famous pies. All the money raised went into the building fund.
The youth also worked along with the ladies and the men.
The drive for a new structure at the location on 9t and Cypress did not really get
going until Rev. Ben Turpin became minister in 1952. A building committee
consisting of F.L. Butcher, Chairman, R.R. Allen, W.R. Callahan, George D. Craft,
Mrs. C.J. Rollins, and Rev. M.C. Turpin, brought in Goleman & Rolfe as architects
for the new sanctuary project. G. Sarge was the contractor for the construction. The
construction of the new sanctuary was completed and it was dedicated on March 28,
1954. Then Attorney General of Texas, John Ben Shepherd, a member of University
Christian Church in Austin, was one of the speakers.
Reverend Turpin resigned in 1957. He left a vacuum of leadership. Rev. Robert
Deal, chaplain at the Orange Navy base, served as interim, and was very effective,
drawing in new members and baptizing several. The congregation extended a call to
the Rev. J. R. Johnson in 1958.
In September of 1959, a building committee began to make plans for an addition
structure. Prominent leaders in this effort included George Craft, F.L. Butcher, Paul
Slaton, A.M. Biggs, C.A. Ward, Mrs. H.T. Johnson, R.L. Touchstone, H.L. Hiller,
R.A. Long, Mrs. C.J. Rollins, and J.R. Johnson (pastor). By 1960 the congregation
had financing for a new building arranged through the Board of church Extension in
Indianapolis, a Disciples lending agency.
The new structure, an education building, was completed and dedicated on Dec.
18, 1960, six years after the dedication of the sanctuary. Additional adjoining
property was purchased in 1973 for a fellowship hall and a committee was assembled
under the leadership of Alvin Keown, Don Covington (chair), Dr. Max Pachar, G.D.
Craft, and F.L. Butcher.
The new hall was dedicated in December, 1974. It was named Keown Hall in
honor ofMr. and Mrs. Alvin Keown. That Keown Hall was destroyed by fire in
January, 1981, and another "Keown Hall" was dedicated in that September. (3)10
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Orange County Historical Society (Tex.). Las Sabinas, Volume 35, Number 4, 2009, periodical, 2009; Orange, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth312948/m1/16/?q=Lamar+University: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Orange County Historical Society.