Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutA&M/Covenant Presbyterian History Notes Infonnation in the following reports was taken from documents from the files of Rev. Anderson and DW and Madge Williams (1952 &1963). Also the Houston Family , Newspaper of June7,1958 Various histories have been written over the years. Many of them by unid~ntified writers but presumably Rev. Anderson. One in a sermon by Rev. Fisher in 1977: Some by the Session when campaigning for funds to build an A&M Presbyterian church. Some undated. Others 1935-36, 1940, 1945 by Judge Robert Bobbett (chainnan of the campaign committee). From OUR CHURCH, An informational brochure presenting The A.&M. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, College Station in 1952. These two HISTORY CORNERS were printed in the Dee, 2006 & January 2007 Covenant Courier with a few corrections made in these reports. HISTORY CORNER Did you know that the Memorial Presbyterian Church, shrine of Presbyterianism in Texas, is located in San Augustine in East Texas? Presbyterianism in Texas formally began in 1837 when Sumner Bacon returned from fighting the Mexicans' and began organi7.ing Presbyterians who had come from Eastern States. The gravestone for Sumner Bacon lies in the Chapel Hill Cemetery five miles east of San Augustine. . Did you Know that the Western Presbyterian Encampment was founded by the Presbytery of West em Texas in 1906 in Kerrville Later it was turned over to the Synod of Texas under the name "Westminster School and Encampment". From the first, emphasis was laid upon the study of the Bible as one of the outstanding purposes of the institution. At the time of its founding Capt. Chas. Schreiner and the City of Kerrville gave about forty acres. Ten acres lies between the highway and the Guadalupe River giving access to the river. The City of Kerrville and Capt. Schreiner gave $2500 in cash which was used in building the old Dining Hall and in clearing the grounds. The first conference was held under a tent and all of the visitors were housed in tents. By 1943 when this article appeared in a Synod publication entitled "Buy Bonds For Building Presbyterians Go Forward Westminster Encampment - A&M Church" The Encampment included the old Dining Hall, the Young Peoples Building, the old Auditorium and the new Auditorium which was only partially completed. Also there were forty-one "cottages" in various stages of disrepair due to limited funds. In addition there were fifty-one privately owned "cottages" . . Submitted by Eleanor Gates I~ - ~ - mSTORY CORNER Did you know as late as 1936 A&M Presbyterian Church was officially known as first Presbyterian Church of College Station? When that became it's name and when it officially changed to A&M Presbyterian is so far unknown by this writer. In last month's article about funding .for the Westminster Encampment the Synod was a1W campaigning for the $150,000 to be shared with the "A&M Church" since they had no permanent building. In 1922 A&M Presbyterian Church was organized and in 1927 a lot was purchased on which a manse for Rev. Norman and Mrs. Anderson was built. From its organization until 1942 the congregation worshiped in the Y.M.C.A. chapel after which they were moved to Guion Hall, the main chapel on campus. In the summer of 1943 services were moved to the Campus Theater and were held there until June 1945 when they returned to the Y.M.C.A. The first request to purchase additional land in the North Gate area in 1944 was denied by the City Council of College Station because of restrictions on the land. Finally in 1947 permission was granted and the land was purchased for A&M Presbyterian Church. The original manse was moved to the comer of Church Street and Boyette which is now the core of the present restaurant on that comer. The Andersons had purchased their own home at 208 Timber Street in College Station. . In 1947 an Anny chapel was purchased from Foster Field, an Air Base in Victoria, TX, for about $1000 plus demolition, moving.and rebuilding bringing the estimated total to almost $30,000. An EducationlFellowship wing was added in 1951. The organ, which is now at Covenant Presbyterian in College Station, was installed in 1962 as well as some of the air conditioning. The chapel underwent at leas~ two major remodeling projects and numerous upgrades before eventually being tom down in March 2000 in order for the private Traditions dormitory to be built. Traditions includes a small prayer chapel with two pews purchased from A&M Presbyterian Church and a portrait of the old church. The property was purchased for $1,500,000. The salvage sale netted about $14,000. However $25,000 had to be returned to cover the cost of the removal of asbestos which was unfortunately discovered when purchasers of the many windows started removing them. $600,000 was used to purchase the 10 acres on which Covenant resides '. We had been told that the big live oak trees that encircled the property would be preserved, but only about three have survived. . Submitted by Eleanor Gates Dec. 4, 1988 Feb. 19, 1989 Sept.24, 1989 Jan. 28, 1990 Nov. 7, 199,9 Mar. 5, 2000 Mar. 18, 2000 Apr. 30, 2000 Feb. 18,2001 Apr. 8,2001 Sept. 29, 2002 Oct. 2002 Dec. 28, 2003 Some A&M Presbyterian History Landmarks Retirement reception for Bruce Fisher Reception for Billie Baines, interim pastor . \ Reception for Billie Baines (leaving) and Jack Harrison (new interim) Installation for Tom Estes Service to merge Trinity Presbyterian and A&M Presbyterian Last Sunday service at A&M Presbyterian .. Moved to Pebble Creek School and old Humpty Dumpty Day School for temporary quarters Salvage auction at A&M Presbyterian building Ground breaking for Covenant Presbyterian on Rock Prairie Tom Estes Retirement Reception Move to new Covenant Presbyterian church building Tom Huser Retirement reception Sam Steele becomes pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Last Sunday service conducted by Sam Steele (From the journals and reports of Eleanor Gates)