Call Church of God in Christ

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Call Church of God in Christ, out in Newton County. Settle in. Now, some churches get built because a wealthy patron writes a check and a contractor shows up on Monday.

That is not this story. This story starts in 1915, when Elder W. G.

Law stepped up and established the Call Church of God in Christ. That is the foundation, right there. One leader, one congregation, one purpose.

For twenty years, the community kept that church going. And then, in 1935, something important happened. A.

C. and Coella Armstrong deeded land for a church building. Not sold. Deeded.

That is a gift with intention behind it, and it meant the congregation had a permanent place to plant its roots. The years kept moving. By 1948, the church had grown into something bigger than its original name could quite hold, and it was changed to the Call Community Center Church of God in Christ.

Community center. Two words that tell you this congregation understood its role was wider than just Sunday morning. Then came 1955 and 1956, and here is a moment worth marking: the congregation hosted a district meeting for its parent church organization.

You don't get asked to host unless people trust what you've built. And they kept building. The sanctuary was updated and improved over time.

The congregation has supported domestic and foreign missionary work, provided traditional spiritual programs for its members, and continued to serve the area right on up through the time this marker was recorded, in 1997. But here is the line that stops you, incised right there on the base of the marker, quiet and plain and absolutely not to be overlooked: a group of dedicated women were the early workers. No names listed.

Just the truth of it. The whole thing, from 1915 forward, had women working at its foundation. The marker makes sure you know it, even if history didn't always bother to write it down.

That congregation knew. And now, driving past on this Texas road, so do you.

What the marker says

The Call Church of God in Christ was established in 1915 under the leadership of Elder W. G. Law. Land for a church building was deeded by A. C. and Coella Armstrong in 1935. The name of the church was changed to Call Community Center Church of God in Christ in 1948. Over time improvements have up-dated the sanctuary. In 1955-56 the congregation hosted a district meeting for its parent church organization. The congregation supports domestic and foreign missionary work, provides traditional spiritual programs for its members, and continues to serve the area. (1997) Incise on base: A group of dedicated women were the early workers.