1925 - March 5th, Rev. E.J. McClendon as Moderator, and fourteen members met and drew up a resolution to organize Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. Rev. E.W. Whitfield was Pastor elect. Bro. King Burse, Bro. L.B. Bush, Bro. J.M. Sumrise and Bro. W.M. Haynes were chosen as Deacons. Sis. L.L. Haynes was chosen to be Church Clerk, Sis. Ella Scott, assistant and Sis. J.M. Sumrise was elected to be Treasurer. Sis. L.L. Haynes was elected President of the Missionary Society. Sis. Ella Scott was elected Vice-President, Sis. Neal, Secretary, Sis. Bush, Teacher and Sis. Nelson, Bible Teacher.  Two lots at 511 and 513 Fort Worth Street were purchased and building was constructed.

 

Over a period of ninety years the church has had nine pastors:

• 1925 - 1930 Rev. E.W. Whitfield

• 1930 - 1932 Rev. M.C. Graves

• 1932 -   Rev. Lemons

• 1932 - 1934 Rev. T.A. Gaines

• 1934 - 1937 Rev. G.W. Lillie

• 1937 - 1967 Rev. L.L. Gordon

• 1943, under the leadership of Rev. Gordon, the mortgage was paid and the note burned

• July 23, 1944, the present building was erected. 

• 1962, additional educational facilities were completed. Trustees were J.T. Trotty, Matthew Wesley, Conley       McDaniel, Henry White, Ollie Hampton (Treasurer), and Rudolph Harris, Sr. (Secretary).

• 1968 - 1970 Rev. Leo Barbee

• 1971 - 2007 Rev. W.O. Everett

• February 17, 1974, under the leadership of Rev. W.O. Everett, the church observed mortgage burning ceremonies.

• June, 1973, the church purchased property at 600 Walnut Street with plans to erect a parsonage.

• December 4th, 1975, the pastor and family moved into the parsonage. 

• February 21, 1977, chain link and stockade fencing was added to parsonage

• July, 1977, new carpet, pulpit furniture and additional pews were installed in the sanctuary.

• May, 1978, a fifteen passenger bus was purchased for evangelistic outreach.

• 1979, the church purchased lot at 510 Waco Street to utilize for parking.

• June, 1979, two Kimball pianos were purchased.

• January, 1981, church purchased adjacent lot to the structure for future plans to extend the facilities.

• July 5, 1984, renovation and expansion began on facilities.

• November, 1984, $125,000.00 renovation and expansion completed; extension of sanctuary, erection of new classrooms, three new restrooms, new fellowship hall, central heat and air, remodeling of original educational facilities and kitchen and new concrete parking lot along with chain link fence on the westside of the building completed.

• March 13, 1994, church refinanced note from 1984 renovation and expansion

• March 10, 1999, church refinanced remaining $53,000.00 of 1994 note

• May, 2000, the first Pilgrim Rest Educational Scholarship was awarded to college bound seniors.

• June, 2002, the church completed $27,000.00 project to remodel the sanctuary with new pews, wall to wall carpeting, new light fixtures and ceiling fans.

• April, 2007, remaining balance of $53,000.00 church note refinanced in 1999, was paid in full.

• July, 1, 2007, mortgage burning ceremony was held.

• 2008 - Rev. Don A. Washington, Sr.

• February 2009, construction began on parking lot located at 512 Fort Worth Street

• Sunday School classrooms, finance office, restrooms remodeled; new heating/air conditioning unit installed; Hammond organ donated by Deacon Robert Hayden in memory of his wife

• September, 2012 - Purchased new 15 passenger bus 

• January 2019, Pastor Harris was called to Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church to serve as Senior Pastor.  In Pastor Harris’ first year, he implemented a church website, conducted deacon training sessions , secured property for future growth and development, implemented multimedia tools for PowerPoint presentations, extended the pulpit area and secured new chairs for choir stand, encouraged the building of a handicap ramp as well as baptized several members and added to the fellowship of the church: ordination of additional deacon.