Mt. Paran Baptist Church’s homecoming service marks 100 years as a church

September 6, 2024, marked 100 years for Mt. Paran Baptist Church. The celebration took place on Sunday morning.

By Clayton Carroll

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- Mt. Paran Baptist Church in Jacksboro had a very special service on Sunday. This service marked 100 years since the church was established.

The church was founded by seven Presbytery— Rev. LL. Mowell, Rev. Sam Bolton, Rev. Burchfield McGhee, Rev. J. A Crabtree, Rev. James Grissom, Rev. Mose Phillips, and Rev. Garfield McGhee.

Mount Paran had twelve original church charter members—Brown Boshears, Bertha Boshears, Pauline Jordan, Louis Boshears, Bertha Hollifield, Texas Jordan, Bertha Cox, Silvia Boshears, Linda Sexton, Pearl Boshears, Jesse Hollifield, and Della S. Boshears.

The small church was founded on September 6, 1924, and the location of the church has remained the same since 1935.

It was near full house for Sunday’s 100-year celebration at Mt. Paran Baptist Church.

The church has seen much growth and change in the past 100 years. The first building built in 1935 quickly needed to be expanded due to such growth.

This building, despite being added on-to, would soon be not enough for the congregation. The Family Life Center was built above the old church building. Since 2014, Mt Paran has hosted services in the much larger Family Life Center, formerly used as a gym. The original building still stands and is used most often for Wednesday Night Bible study.

One current Mt Paran member shared a memory of the “old church.” She noted that when the church building was in its original form, there was one corner of the church where the deacons would sit known as the “Amen Corner.” She also had very fond memories of the night she was saved, in that very church building.

In the first seventy-five years of Mt Paran, the church saw 26 pastors. In the past 25, only one. Ron Williams has been the pastor since late 1998.

Mt Paran Baptist Church holds services on Sunday morning at 10:30, Sunday night at 6, and Wednesday at 7 pm with Awana meeting at 6:25.

A NOTE FROM THE GRAND ON CENTRAL: “There is so much good going on in our community, and I want to share all this good with you every Monday here on WLAF in hopes that you will start your week in a grand way making each week a Grand Week,” said Olivia Lobertini, owner of The Grand on Central.

Below, take a visit through The Grand on Central.

For bookings, email Olivia Lobertini ohlobertini03@gmail.com. Check on avails HERE. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 09/09/2024-6AM)

Related