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| Berean has a history which takes it
back earlier than 1907. The church history consist of the mental recollection
of some of the pioneer survivals - Elam Davis, Eddie Shirley, Willie
Wyche and Dewitt Cobbs.
The congregation found itself in the home of the Perkins family on Hickory Street from 1916 -1918. In 1921 the men decided to pool their skills and money to build a church at the intersection of Rosa and Pascagoula Streets. The structure was completed in 1922. |
Local elders alternately with visiting white ministers, carried on the services until the conference decided that the clutch had grown sufficiently to warrant a pastor of its own. Elder Tate was sent in 1924 as the first official black minister. The burden of a church school rested upon these few hearts and Mrs. Tate, the pastors’ wife, became the first church school teacher. In 1928 Elder Lee came to the church
to replace Elder Tate who had been called elsewhere.
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Elder Ewing succeeded Elder Lee. Later,
Elder J. G. Thomas ran an evangelistic meeting to help build the churches
membership.
Elder Wilson picked up the responsibility in 1932 and continued to keep and win souls for Christ. Miss Sweetenburg was the teacher. The church school's mission was to help shape the minds of young students for the world to come. Elder 0. B. Hall and F. S. Kitts were evangelist during the middle thirties. Mrs. Hall worked in the church school as a teacher. |