Gilfield Missionary Baptist Church

Gilfield Missionary Baptist Church. Choctaw County. , In 1851, when nearby Rehoboth Church was organized, the church granted permission to enslaved people to join them in membership. Rehoboth Church received them into membership, adding 120 Black people to the congregation. In December 1868, the church granted letters of intent to Black members to organize into house of worship. These members used the main church until their own separate body and build their own church could be built. In May 1870, Rehoboth appointed a committee to advise the Black congregation on the best course to pursue in building their church, and in July 1874, the church granted letters of dismissal to the Black members for the purpose of organizing into a separate body. Officially founded in 1874, Gilfield Missionary Baptist Church began meetings in a brush arbor, with a frame building completed a few months later. Rev. Daniel Wilson served as the first pastor. I. Ruffin and Amos Harrison were the first deacons. On November 16, 1885, Ed McCall, administrator of the estate of John Curry, executed a deed for five acres of land to the deacons of Gilfield Black Baptist Church, in lieu of the original deed, which had been lost., (Reverse Side) , Some of the oldest deacons in the church at that time were Wilson Harrison, Calvin Roberts, Tommy Glenn, Eldredge Glenn, Pete Ruffin, and Lonnie Marsh. Some of the ministers were Elder Abraham L. Perkins, Rev. Pringle, Rev. Gordon, Rev. King, and Rev. R.D. Gragg. Gilfield Baptist Church was remodeled in 1938 under Rev. A.L. Perkins who was pastor for 51 years. Deacons who served during the 1938 remodeling were M.S.O. Ruffin, W.L. Ruffin, N.H. Horn, M.R. Ruffin, and L.A. Marsh. After Rev. Perkins' departure, Rev. M.C. Barnwell served as interim pastor before Rev. R.D. Gragg was named as pastor. On April 27, 1952, the frame building was torn down and a new red brick church building was constructed under Rev. R.D. Gragg, Pastor, who served for 31 years. Rev. Edward Knighton, Sr., then served as interim pastor before becoming the permanent Pastor in 1991 and serving for 16 years. The red brick church building was destroyed by fire on the morning of September 4, 1998. In 1999, a new church building was built.