Our History

The old pond on Ridge Avenue holds many sacred memories for early Pentecostal believers in Draper.  It was here in 1923, that Pentecost gained its first followers in this town.

     A group of Christians from the Leaksville Pentecostal Holiness Church erected a tent at this location, and began the services that were later continued in the home of interested persons.  It was this same year that the church was organized with 22 charter members.  Services were conducted in the homes of the members during the winter of 1923 and until a building was erected in 1924.  Mr. B. Frank Mebane and wife were the donors of the lot on which the first church was built.

     The Draper church has been served by fine and capable pastors, the first being E. R. Suttenfield, followed by R. L. Scearce, H. V. Dempsey, H. M. Shropshire, J. L. Carter, H. L. Robertson, G. E. Fisher, D. S. Schronce, C. A. Stroud, N. N. Williams, J. A. Wells, W. E. Baulding, Don Whitfield, Don McKellar, Ben Rose, and the present pastor Jonathan Todd.  The story of the Draper church has been one of progress with each pastor and member contributing his proportionate part.

     In 1950, a building fund was begun with a new church in view.  At the time this step was taken, little did we realize that in one short year we would be forced into a building program by circumstances beyond our control.

     On March 26, 1951, after the initial service of our spring revival, we were called upon to stand helplessly by and see the place that had meant so much to us reduced to ashes.  Quite miraculously, God provided places of worship for us and our revival continued without the loss of a single service.

     A building committee was elected and immediately plans were laid for the construction of our new church.  Grading of the lot was completed before annual conference, and Brother and Sister Williams came to us as pastors with the determination to see a new building erected.  On Sunday, July 6, 1952, the new church was dedicated with Conference Superintendent J. W. Kelly as guest speaker.

     In 1956 a fellowship hall was erected and served for years until a new fellowship hall was erected in 1986 and was named in honor of Deacon Ronnie Tolbert.

     Over the last 25 years we have purchased property to expand our parking space.  The Sunday School Department has been completely renovated and a new sound system was installed in 1995.  In addition, the Fellowship Hall was expanded to include a solarium addition and the old fellowship hall was converted into a youth center.  In 2006, we purchased our new church bus.

      In the years to come, we pray that God will continue to bless this church not only with physical buildings but also in spiritual growth.