Church of Nazarene Anniversary

BRESEE, HOOPLE, JERNIGAN, BACKOUS

Posted By: Betty Hootman-Volunteer
Date: 3/17/2014 at 16:21:10

CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE OBSERVE 40 ANNIVERSARY

On October 10 the Church of the Nazarene located at Farmington will join a churchwide celebration of the Fortieth Anniversary of the organization of the Church of the Nazarene as a protestant denomination.

The union of separate groups from the West, the East and the South took place at Pilot Point, Texas in 1908 under the leadership of Dr. P. F. Bresee of Los Angeles, Rev. Howard Hoople of New York City and Rev. C. B. Jernigan of Texas.

At the time of the organization there were in 1908 there were 10,000 members scattered widely in 228 churches with a few missionaries in a half dozen foreign areas. At that time the Sunday School department had an enrollment in excess of 6,000 and the total giving of the church as $149,000. Forty years later (1948) the Church of the Nazarene had grown until its membership has reached 210,000 representing 3,350 churches in the United States, Canada, and the British Isles with nearly 200 missionaries in twenty-eight foreign areas. The Sunday School enrollment had advanced to 400,000 and the total giving for all purposes during 1947 was more than $44,000,000, making the per capita for the year $90.28.

The Church of the Nazarene, which maintains its International Headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, supports six major colleges in the United States, one in Canada, and one in the British Isles and Nazarene Theological Seminary, graduate school for ministers and missionaries. In addition ‘Showers of Blessing’ radio voice for the Church of the Nazarene, is heard over 150 radio stations and by short wave around the world.

The local Church of the Nazarene was organized in 1909 according to Rev. Forrest Backous, pastor of the congregation. Special Fortieth Anniversary services honoring the founding of the denomination will be held next Sunday. The public is cordially invited.

Source: Scrapbook of Unknown Origin, page 99