BELEW'S CHAPEL GENERAL BAPTIST CHURCH - Est. 1910

Type:: Church record
Location:: Gibson County, TN
Year:: 1910

BELEW'S CHAPEL GENERAL BAPTIST CHURCH - Est. 1910

The Belew's Chapel General Baptist Church, located at the intersection of Belew's Chapel Road and Gann Road, was established in the Year of Our Lord 1910. It is named for the man, R. Lewis Belew, from whom the land for the church building was purchased. It was built originally across the road from where the old

Zion Church of Christ stood. This Church of Christ had a cemetery under its care, and when the church dissolved and Belew's Chapel was formed, Belew's Chapel took control of the cemetery. The earliest date of death located in the cemetery is that of Molcy J. Hill, the wife of W.L. She died in 1871, about 39 years before the Belew's Chapel Church was even established.

Today, the pastor is Rev. Rick Black of Dresden, TN. Sunday School is held every Sunday morning at 10:00. Afterwards, there is morning worship service. Sunday nights there is service held at 6:00 on daylight savings time (5:00 when on standard time). Wednesday Nights there is a Bible Study Class held here at 7:00. This church is still active and has over 100 members.

The preachers who have served Belew's Chapel General Baptist Church of Christ are:

J.L. Thomas

J.C. Moore

J.R. Pinson

T.C. Sadler

Jim Parson

R.B. Crews

Charles Polley

A.D. Serratt

H.A. Pilkinton

Claudie Bradford

E.J. Baker

Ray McCartney

Leslie Holland

George Epperson

Larry Reno

Shir Oakley

Thurman Hayes

Don McCartney

Mike Melton

Jackie Bradford

Ryan Mason

Rick Black

The deacons who have served Belew's Chapel General Baptist Church of Christ

are

T.B. Crocker

Byron G. Branson

Glynn H. McCartney

Fleekwood Browning

Carl Benjamin Hamm

Roscoe Knott

Roy C. Bradford

J.D. (Dave) McCartney

Homer McCartney

J. Ross Arnold

Thurman L. Hayes

Danny Jones

Wm. E. (Bill) McCartney

James A. McCartney

Freddie G. McCartney

J.C. Smith

Danny C. Warren

There are several things of interest in the church and several points to be

made. First of all, there is a gold plate on the organ reading "In Memory

of J.D. McCartney." The organ lamp is in memory of Mike McCartney. There

are memorial pews for Homer McCartney, Lallie McCartney, Daisy Pilkinton,

and R B McCartney. The church library was reestablished on June 8, 1996

under the name "Bro. Ray McCartney Memorial Library." There is also a plate

on the podium reading "In memory of E.D. Browning."

There is also a gold plate on the altar table reading "In Memory of Lisa G.

McCartney." This lady, Lisa Griffin McCartney, was the wife of Bob

McCartney for about 24 days and she was killed leaving VBS Services in 1987

at Belew's Chapel. She is buried in Carroll County and Pisgah Cemetery.

Her father-in-law and mother-in-law still attend Belew's Chapel. Her

widower remarried and now is a Baptist minister in Texas.

Most of the old baptizings of Belew's Chapel took place at Shades Bridge,

which is on the South Fork of the Obion River, which is the dividing line of

Gibson and Weakley Counties. This renowned bridge has been the sight of

hundreds of baptisms. Currently, Belew's Chapel holds baptisms in a

baptistry constructed behind the choir loft. There is a large lake located

across the road from the church and rolling pastures and woods surround this area of the countryside. It is a beautiful place to be and to enjoy the

greatness of God.

Our oldest member is Annie Nell Arnold Holt. She was born in December 1911 and is a resident of Weakley County Nursing Home in Dresden. She is the widower of Linard Holt and has been a member of Belews Chapel her whole life.

Directions:

From Bradford's City Hall, travel east on the Trezevant Highway until you get to Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church past Skullbone. Then, take the Gann Road and the church is a couple of miles down the road on the left. The cemetery is on a hill east of the church itself.

See Transcription of Belew's Chapel Cemetery