MacArthur Heights Baptist Church

A Mission was organized in the home of E.M. Waggonner in the Spooner community ( now called Pinehurst) on January 17, 1946, under the leadership of Rev. Jaroy Weber, pastor of the North Orange Baptist Church, and Rev. A. O. Jenkins, associate pastor of the North Orange Baptist Church. Seventeen people were present at the first meeting with Rev. Amos Bone serving as the Mission Pastor.

During these meetings, the people expressed their desire to organize a church and on Sunday, August 7, 1949, the church was organized. Rev. Kenneth C. Green was called as the first pastor of the newly organized church.

On October 18, 1950, Rev. L. R. Gay was called by the church to serve as full time pastor. On January17, 1951, the church decided to elect a building committee. This committee recommended the purchase of property on the corner of Georgia (Nightingale) and MacArthur (Strickland) for the purpose of relocating the church site for the erection of a building. At the time, the church building was located Mardee Drive (Mockingbird). The property was purchased and is now the present site of the church.

On October 8, 1952, Rev. T. W. Byrd was called as pastor of the church. Under his leadership, pews were purchased from the Cove Baptist Church, two dressing rooms wer added and the baptistery was built. On December 8, 1954, the church voted to purchase a parsonage on Raven Street in Pinehurst.

On January 29, 1958, the church voted to call Rev. Francis S. Holt as pastor. On March 5, 1958, the church elected a planning committee to investigate the ways and means of building a new auditorium. Members of the church sold $40,000.00 in Church Bonds after the contract was awarded on September 3, 1958. Ground Breaking services were held on May 3, 1959.