Congregation, Sun City Baptist Church, Barber County, Kansas. From Elloise Leffler's photo collection, courtesy of Kim Fowles.
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Congregation, Sun City Baptist Church, Barber County, Kansas. From Elloise Leffler's photo collection, courtesy of Kim Fowles.
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Sun City Baptist Church, 29 May 2004.
Photo by Kim Fowles.
Services at the Sun City Baptist Church: Sun City Baptist Church
Sunday School 10:00 a.m.
Worship Service 11:00 a.m.
Sunday night & Wednesday evening
Service 7:00 p.m.
Pastor: Jeff Woods
Phone: 620-248-3219
(Information current in March 2006.)
Sun City Baptist Church, 15 December 2006.
Photo by Nathan Lee.
"Rev. Adams was an ordained minister of the Baptist church and delivered the first sermon ever preached in this part of the country, to the congregation in Sun City, when most of the population consisted of cowboys. Through-out all the years since, Grand-father Adams has stood for the right in religion, temperance and society, and lived consistently the precepts he taught. He was in the service of the United States during the Civil War and marched with General Sherman from Atlantis to the sea. He served until the close of the war."
-- From the obituary of Johnson M. Adams. His son, Lee Adams, was shot in 1880 after an argument over gambling in a "whiskey shop" in Sun City which was owned by another of Rev. J.M. Adam's sons, Green Adams.
According to records at the Kansas Secretary of State's Office of corporations in Sun City, the Sun City Baptist Church was incorporated on September 17, 1903
The following is from the Minute Book of the Sun City Baptist Church:
The Sun City Baptist Church was organized __________. The following named persons being the original members:
J.M. Adams
Lucinda Adams
Manerva Adams
Green Adams
Mollie Saunders
L________ HarmonJ.M. Adams was the pastor of this little congregation for several years preaching once a ____ or whenever he could have the use of the school-house. The M.E. were in power at the ____ and held regular services. The S-School was__________.
Clara Ward
Mary Balding
Julia A. Bissantz
Bettie Likes
Beatrice Likes
Adolph Bissantz
Walter Saunders
Lily BullockThese members united with the church during a revival held by Rev. Sloan of ____ in __________. He advised the members to ___ a church. This advice was acted upon with results that the church was built and paid for through the efforts of the above named members. Rev. C.W. Owens now took charge of the pastorate preaching once a month for whatever they were pleased_____. In ____ he removed to Belvidere leaving the church without a pastor.
In Jan 1908 Rev. I.N. Bailey visted the church at Sun City seeing its great need engaged J.M. Cauldwell an evangelist ______ a revival meeting. During these meetings the following members were added to the church list:
W.S. Freeman
Carrie Freeman
James Olmstead
John T. Clawson
Mrs. Jim Urton
__C. Jackman
Mrs. Jackman
Bettie Hasting
Nove Hasting
Dollie Freeman
Ruth Saunders
Etta Urton
Abbie Clawson
Wm. Moad
Tiry Lott
Lola Lott
Tim Clawson
Artha L. Massey
Myrtle Moad
Anna Watkins
Minnie Meadors
Sun City Baptist Church organized 1902. These members united with the church during a revival held by Rev. Jent assisted by the pastor I.N. Baily:
Mrs. Mary Hilton
Cora Hilton
Ethel Freeman
Bettie Ward
These members were admitted into the church by letter Oct. 10, 1909:
Richard Hart
Susan Hart
Fannie Hart
Roy Hart
Frank Hart united with the church Oct. 10, 1909 by confession.
Rev I.N. Baily was pastor of the Sun City church from Feb. 1908 to Feb 1910, given 1/4 time salary $120 per year. Owing to trains not making connections it took 3 days for him to fill his appointment at Sun City. This he felt occupied to much of his time so in Feb. 1910 Sun City was again left without a pastor.
In April, Bro. S.M. Land, a blacksmith who had been ordained to preach the gospel, moved to Sun City and worked at the blacksmith trade. He lived here a short time and preached or talked to the congregation a few times while here. While here with his wife and son united with the church April 27, 1910.
Bro. S.M. Land - April 27, 1910.
Bro J.H. Land and Sister ___ Land - April 27, 1910
Excerpts from the Obituary of Rev. Jesse W. Wade Rev. Wade kept accurate records of his work as a preacher, but on March, 10, 1934 their home burned and he lost those prized records. He has married hundreds of couples, only one of which ever separated that he had knowledge of. He has preached many funerals for both old and young, for saved and unsaved. He has comforted the sorrowing on many occasions with promises found in God's book... Rev. Wade came to Sun City two years ago as pastor of the Baptist church where he lived at the time of his death.
Obituary: Rev. Jessie W. Wade, The Wilmore News, July 17, 1936.
Construction of Sun City Baptist Church, Barber County, Kansas.
(Ella Lott & Artha Massey are two of the people in the photo.)
From Brenda McLain's photo collection, courtesy of Kim Fowles.
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Congregation, Sun City Baptist Church, Barber County, Kansas. From Elloise Leffler's photo collection, courtesy of Kim Fowles.
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Baptism by Rev. Charles Wesley Owens, 23 January 1916, Sun City, Barber County, Kansas.
Photo from the Kim Fowles Collection.
At left: Pastor John Presley Woods of Sun City Baptist Church
From Elloise Leffler's photo collection, courtesy of Kim Fowles.
Sun City Baptist Church minute book: "John Presley Woods of Clearwater Kans. was called to fill the pastorate and in May 1911 removed, with his family, to Sun City and commenced his pastoral work preaching his first sermon May 17, 1911." (He left in May 1912.)
He was the same Rev. J.P. Woods who was pastor of the Wilmore Baptist Church.
At left: Pastor Harry Hayes & his wife, Flora Hayes.
Photo courtesy of their son, Norris Hayes.
Also see:
Rev. Jessie W. Wade
Pastor of the Sun City Baptist Church, circa 1934 - 1936.
Obituary: The Wilmore News, July 17, 1936.Nate Massey: Memories of Barber County People and Events for some anecdotes about J.P. Woods and this church.
Google search results: "Sun City Baptist Church"