KINGS IDUNTAIN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION MINUTES, 1945

REV. LAWRENCE ROBERTS /

Pastor Lawrence Roberts of the Fallston Church is a great church- _ builder as well as pastor. He led the people of Fallston in erecting the commodious and beautiful church house which was completed in 1940. Patterson Springs. Mr. Roberts is also pastor of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church near

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KINGS MJUNTAIN BAPI'IST ASSOCIATION MINUTES, 1944

IN MEMORIAM

MRS. ELLA KENDRICK ROBERTS

Mrs. Ella Kendrick "Roberts, wife of S. Lester Roberts, died April 23, 1944, and was buried at Elizabeth Baptist church where she had ·been a life-long member. She was greatly loved by all the people of Cleveland county who knew her. Mrs. Roberts taught the principles of righteousness to her children with telling effect, and as result of such teaching all the children show fruit of such instruction. During the forty and eight years, as wife and mother, she' was an example of kindness and wielded an influence for good which shall live through eternity. One of the children, the Rev. Lawrence. Roberts,. who is pastor of three. prominent churches of Cleveland county, is an expression of such influence.

Clerk's Note-This memorial page paid for by the Roberts Family.

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BAPTIST ASSOCIATION

I PADGETT

a native of Cleveland County, de­ as reared in the Sandy Plains com­ by the Sandy Plains Baptist Church.

.nistry. he attended the following 1001, Carson-Newman College, Sou­ serrnnaries. During his College days Whiteville Baptist Church as pas­

, church to the full Gospel Ministry. in 1916, he was called to serve two

z hland and Brookford. Brother Pad­ Churches: McAdenville, Gaston As~ ~oss orove, New Hope and Mt. Sina! n · Old Buffalo in South Carolina; nhlinYille and Ramseur Churches in Gaston Association; and then back

- work. Grover First, Poplar Springs,

ast ten years of his life was retir~

KINGS MTN. BAPTIST ASSOC. MINUTES, 1951

KINGS MOUNTAIN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION 3

REV. LA WREN CE ROBERTS

Lawrence Roberts was called to become the pastor of the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church September, 1943. This church is near by his home community. The Elizabeth Baptist Church is his home Church. He was ordained by this church in May, 1925. Since that time he has held the '.ollowing pastorates: Painsett, Laurel Creek and Camp Creek Churches, South Carolina; New Hope and Bethel Churches, Texas; Mt. Zion Church, Gaston Association; Ross Grove, Fallston, Sandy Plains, Casar, Mt. Sinai. Putnam Memorial and Pleasant Hill Baptist Churches of :\orth Carolina. He ·was dividing his time between the latter two rhurches at the time of this writing.

4 KINGS MTN. BAPT. ASSOC. MINUTES, 1963

KINGS MOUNTAIN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION ------ KINGS MOUNTAI ------

LA WREN CE ROBERTS

For the past 17 years, Rev. Lawrence Roberts has been Clerk-Tr~ of the Kings Mountain Association. We intend the following to be a to Bro. Roberts as he relinquishes this post.

Mr. Roberts was born in the Elizabeth community where he now As a boy he became a Christian and joined Elizabeth church. There served as a Sunday School secretary and teacher, BYPU secretary, and deacon.

In July, 1923, he was licensed for the ministry. He attended schoal Boiling Springs and Mars Hill. He received the B. A. degree from man and the Th. M. degree from Southwestern Seminary, Fort W Texas.

He served as pastor of three churches in South Carolina, two in one in Gaston Association and eight in •the Kings Mountain Assocla Along with these he has also served .ten years as secretary of the Bap• Pastors' Conference and also as secretary for the Greater Shelby terial Conference.

Anyone who knows, has known or observed Lawrence Roberts agree to the following.

1. His faithfulness-It is difficult to recall a time when he Wal present for the General Board meetings. His reports and minutes always up to date and complete. He was faithful also in attending meetings such as Pastors'. Conference, church organization meetings, rnittee meetings and others.

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2. As a Joyal Baptist-He h the work of the Kingdom as

111 t :ae believes in our Baptist OU. c:1JiiiOD, to the State Convention, -vttermost ends of the earth." rernIDded all. of us o~ the urge as Baptists m the will of God.

3. Thoroughness of work­ sne best. Early in 1963 he receiv $UJldaY school Board Statistical

"Your minutes hav meet ithe highest Better Minutes Co

4. His genu'.ne Chrlstlikenes ts to kJlOW a man who loves the quietly and unassumingly, he ha U be as a husband, a father. a concern for people which is wortl

.In all of these we must add coznpanion through the years. S bllt also she has walked with hi way possible-<teaching, playing t so mention.

We wish for both every joy Ibey have the love and best wishe gJ.ngs Mountain Association.

ASSOCIATION ----

11 a time when he was ls reports and minutes hful also in attending o!: organization meeting:s,

KINGS MOUNTAIN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION

2. J\s a loyal Baptist-He has displayed an almost passionate interest

t}le work of the Kingdom as Baptists interpret it and seek to carry It .JD t, lie believes in our Baptist work from the local church, to the Asso­ ~ion. to the State Convention, to the Southern Convention and to the "Uttermost ends of the earth." Many times he has with fervent speech .rezninded all_ of us o~ the urgency of the times and of our responsibility ..S Baptists m the will of God.

3. 'fhoroughness of work-Every year his minutes have rated up with tJ]e best. Early in 1963 he received a Ce11tificate of Achievement from the SUJl<laY school Board Statistical Department along with this citation:

"Your minutes have been graded and found to meet the highest possible award in the 1962 Better Minutes Contest."

4. His genu:ne Christlikeness-above all to know Lawrence Roberts

11 to knOW a man who loves the Lord Jesus Christ. Through the years, quietly and unassumingly, he has radiated the Christian spirit. Whether Jt be as a husband, a faJther, a pastor or a friend he has shown a Jove and concern for people which is worthy .of emulation.

In all of these we must add a word of appreciation for his faithful eoznpanion through the years. She not only has made a home for him, bUt also she has walked with him through his pastorates helping in any Wi"&Y possible---<teaching, playing the piano and many others too numerous ID mention.

we wish for both every joy in retirement. They may be assured that &her have the love and best wishes of the 24,000 Baptists who make up the £1ngs Mountain Association. -,

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NAME: Roberts, Lawrence

DATA: Photograph

SOURCE: History of Ross Grove Baptist Church, Shelby, N. C. (286.1756775/R73)

Page:-- ---- 10

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volunteer basis in some of the missio· leveloped in recent years in Winsto

Jted with the members of Putnam ~ I meeting in the tent before the churu

helped to organize the church. Ever ule serving as Kings Mountain Baptir rreed to serve as supply pastor of Put . ould be called. During this time th: I on Oct. 30, 1949, still meeting i~ th~ been held in the afternoon. On Nov. 6. egin immediate construction on a tern was completed within a month. Or ured assistance from the Baptist Stats t in the amount of $40.00 per month s and elected the first pulpit committee: dopted its first budget.

REV. LAWRENCE

ROBERTS

Lawrence Robertswas born July 10, 1897 in the Elizabeth Community in Shelby, N.C . He joined the church at age e­ leven. In 1921, he was ordai­ ned a deacon at Elizabeth Church. In July of 1923, he was licensed to preach and on Sunday, May 3, 1925, he was ordained for the Baptist Minis­ try at Elizabeth Baptist Church.

He attended school at Boiling Springs and Mars Hill. He received the Bachelor of Arts degree from Furman University and the Master of Theology degree from the Southwestern Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas.

He married the former Miss Clevie Branton, and they are the parents of three children, John B., Evelyn and Margaret.

Rev. Roberts served as pastor of three churches in South Carolina, two in Texas, one in the Gaston Association and eight in the Kings Mountain Baptist Association. Along with pastoring these churches, he also served for 17 years as both clerk and treasurer of the Kings Moun­ tain Baptist Association, ten years as secretary of the Baptist Pastor's Conference and also as secretary for the Greater Shelby Ministerial Conference.

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Rev. Roberts was called as the first pastor of Putnam Memorial Church on November 28, 1949 and preached his first sermon as pastor December 4. He served from 1949 until Feb. 16, 1955. He had also been closely associated with the members of Putnam Memorial since the earliest beginning in the tent.

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During his ministry, the Training Union was organized, a portable building was added to the temporary church building for additional Sunday School space, the Woman's Missionary Union was organized as well as Sunbeams, Royal Ambassadors and Girl's Auxiliary, the first deacons of the church were ordained, an educational plant was begun in October of 1951 and finished in June of 1952, a new piano was pur­ chased and open house for the new educational plant was held August 25; 1952. Also, the temporary church building .and the portable Sun­ day School rooms were sold September 7, 1952. During these years, the church went from a part-time to a full-time program of work.

There were nineteen members the first year of Rev. Roberts' min· istry at Putnam Memorial and ninety-one at the close of his work.

Rev. Lawrence Roberts passed away December 19, 1965 after an illness of six weeks. Funeral services were conducted at Elizabeth Bap­ tist Church and burial was in the church cemetery.

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REV. JOE T. WHITWORTH

Joe T. Whitworth was born May 12, 1922 in Lavonia, Ge· orgia. He married the former Miss Elizabeth Hollingsworth and they have four children, Bonnie, Francine, Kathy and Danny Joe.

Rev. Whitworth attended Fruitland Bible Institute and the School of Pastoral Care at the North Carolina Baptist Hos· pita I.

In addition to his ministry at Putnam Memor worth has served as pastor of the following chur ca, S. C., Double Springs in Mountain Rest, Lenoir, N. C., Oak Dale and Bristol Drive in St Baptist in Cherryville and Fraly Memorial in Ga tor of New Buffalo Baptist Church in Grover.

Rev. Whitworth was called as pastor of Put 8, 1955 and served until Feb. 23, 1958. Ourin gregation sponsored a radio program with the p choir singing, elected Mr. B.V. Mcintyre and M honorary deacons for as long as they lived, h ceremony on August 25, 1957 for an addition educational plant and began construction, pure for the new addition to the church, elected Mr. custodian and completed construction on the n of 1958.

There were 91 members at the beginning nam Memorial and 151 at the close of his wor

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Roberts, Lawrence

B History of Kings Mtn. Baptist Association. 286 K614 · Photograph of Lawrence Roberts, p. 10 .

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