Church Record Sunday is an ongoing series developed by Gena Philibert Ortega at Gena’s Genealogy. Participants should describe a specific church record or a set of records held by a church or denomination and how they can assist genealogists. [Information from Geneabloggers Daily Blogging Prompts.]
Oct [1922]
The Members of St. Luke’s Church met Saturday before the second Sunday in October 1922 transacting the Business of the Lord.
On motion the church be called St. Luke’s.
Then moved and agreed that we send Bros. Bob Toler and Bro. Stilley to the General Conference with a collection of $2.00.
On motion we send Bro. Charlie Toler and Bro. Ernest Heath to the Union Meeting with a collection of $3.00.
All Business transacted a motion was made to adjourn until next regular meeting.
Meeting was concluded by prayer by Bro. Stilley and song #210. Benediction by Pastor.Jan. 13, 1923
The Members of St. Luke’s Church met Saturday before the second Sunday in Jan. 1923.
Meeting opened by singing Hymn No. 132 and prayer by the pastor. The Bible lesson was read from the 6 chapter of Galatons.
The roll was called with 13 members present and 9 absent.
Minutes read and approved.
As the Conference and Union Meeting did not accept our church a motion was made to take the contribution and use it on the church. Three dollars was contributed.
On motion Bro. Frank Toler serve the Church as deacon.
Moved and second that the meeting closed.
Meeting closed with prayer by Bro. Bob Toler, song No. 5. Benediction by pastor.
Bertha Toler, Clerk.
These two church entries are the first two records from what became New Haven Church. In August 1922, twenty-two members from Friendship Church organized another church that was called St. Luke’s Church. As related above, the church sent Bob Toler [James Robert Toler] and “Bro. Stilley” [probably William Joyner Stilley] to the General Conference and Charlie Toler and Ernest Heath to the Union Meeting; however, the delegates were not accepted at the meetings. This effectively meant that the Conference did not recognize the church.
For the next two years pastors from the Conference looked into the situation that caused the St. Luke’s members to leave Friendship. Local tradition states it was a disagreement over a Christmas tree in the church. It wasn’t until November 1924 that the situation was resolved. At the 1 November 1924 meeting, the members of Friendship and St. Luke’s met “in special session by order of the Eastern N.C. Conference.” At the meeting, it was agreed to build a church in the fork of the road near Caton School and to change the name of the church from Friendship [since the conference never officially recognized St. Luke’s] to New Haven.