Barry Baptist Church

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll pass it along just as it stands. Way out in Navarro County, there's a congregation with roots that go back further than you might expect from a quiet little church on a country road. It started not as the Barry Baptist Church at all, but as the Elam Baptist Church congregation, established in September of 1891 with exactly seven charter members.

Seven. You had to start somewhere, and that was their somewhere. By June of 1892, the Reverend C.

R. Roberts had come on as the congregation's first pastor, and those early services were held in a church structure one block northeast of the spot where the building stands today. Not far, but a different place.

That detail matters, and we'll come back to it. Now, these folks didn't stay quiet for long. In July of 1892, just months after Roberts took the pulpit, the congregation affiliated with the Navarro County Baptist Association of the Baptist Convention of Texas.

They were planting themselves in something larger than a single Sunday morning. Then, by 1895, they had a Sunday School up and running, led by J. M.

Head, the congregation's first Sunday School superintendent. Things were taking shape. Fast forward to 1916 and 1917, during the pastorate of the Reverend A.

W. Luper, and the congregation did something that takes real conviction: they built a second church structure, right here at this site. And come December of 1917, worship services moved to this location, and they haven't stopped since.

Over the years, the Barry Baptist Church has concentrated on local mission programs and played a prominent role in the community, and the marker notes plainly: over one hundred years of that. Seven charter members in September of 1891. That's what one hundred years of showing up looks like when it gets started right.

What the marker says

The Barry Baptist Church congregation, originally organized as the Elam Baptist Church congregation, was established in September 1891 with seven charter members. The Rev. C. R. Roberts became the congregation's first pastor in June of 1892. Early services were held in a church structure one block northeast of this site. The congregation quickly became involved in county and statewide Baptist church affairs, affiliating with the Navarro County Baptist Association of the Baptist Convention of Texas in July 1892. Additionally, the congregation was able to institute a Sunday School program by 1895, under the leadership of J. M. Head, who served as first Sunday School superintendent. In 1916-17, during the pastorate of the Rev. A. W. Luper, the congregation built its second church structure at this site. Worship services have been held at this location since December of 1917. The Barry Baptist Church congregation has been involved in a variety of missionary activities over the years, concentrating on local mission programs, and it has played a prominent role in this community for over one hundred years. (1991)