The First Church of God, Laurel, is celebrating 100 years of ministry in the Laurel community. The Centennial Celebration will be held Nov. 7-8.

On Nov. 7, a gathering will take place at 5:30 p.m., followed by a reception at 6 p.m. A musical service and church history will begin at 6:30 p.m.

On Sunday, Nov. 8, a morning worship will bgin at 10 a.m. with guest speaker David Hall, followed by a dinner and fellowship.

In 1909, L. V. Strickland, Berry Phillips, A. B. Cox and Erastus Morgan held a tent revival in Laurel. From that meeting, a group formed that would become the First Church of God, Laurel. Erastus Morgan stayed on after this meeting and is identified as the first pastor of this fledgling group. This group rented a building on Thirteenth Avenue known as Breece Hall and began holding regular services.

Some of those who were charter members included: the E. P. Small Family; C. W. Randall family; Mrs. M. E. Trammell; Barry Phillips family; A. B. Cox Family; Mrs Jeanetta Price; Mrs. Massey; Homer Trammell family; and C. G. Morgan.

In 1912, under the leadership of Pastor Wiley W. Hare, and with the generous gift of land at the corner of Seventh Street and Eleventh Avenue by Mrs. M. E. Trammell, a sanctuary was erected. This building was known as the “Pond Church” due to its proximity to the pond which held logs waiting to be processed at the sawmill.

In 1929 the congregation relocated to the corner of Third Avenue and Thirteenth Street. This facility, with various renovations and improvements, served the church for 44 years. The congregation was called Third Avenue Church of God until 1948-1949. About the same time as the name change, final additions and brick veneer were added to the structure at 3rd Avenue and 13th Street. This building still stands and is still in use as a church.

In the early 1950's the congregation began a radio ministry on WAML. The church quartet,

W. O. Best, Paul Craven, Bob Keyes and Patricia Close sang, accompanied by Frances Keyes, with Pastor Virgil Close delivering a devotional message.

In 1950's property was purchased at the corner of Seventeenth Avenue and General Pershing Street. A new parsonage was constructed and finished in 1956-57. Between 1961 and 1963 the congregation and leaders pressed hard for building a new facility on the property at General Pershing. Plans were developed and a drawing of the proposed facility was commissioned. In the end, the congregation felt it was too costly to build at the time. Then, just a couple of years later, the congregation had shifted their focus a few blocks to the north for their new building. I-59 had recently been completed and property adjoining that highway and 16th Avenue became available. They acquired 3 ? acres on what would become Grandview Drive.

In the fall of 1967, a son of the congregation, Raymond L. Horne assumed the pastorate. (He would later serve again as pastor and twice as interim.) It was under his leadership that the current facilities would be designed and built. They broke ground June 16, 1971. Much of the work was performed by the members. An impressive 10,000 sq. ft. facility was completed and the first service in the new facility was held November 19, 1972 and dedication services were November 26th of that year.

In 1985, Attendance reached an average of 132 for Sunday School. (This is the largest attendance in the history of the congregation to date.)

In August of 2005, the 33 year old facility was devastated by winds from Hurricane Katrina. The structure survived, the people survived, but the interior was inundated with water when the roof was blown off. Remodeling took nearly 8 months and the sanctuary was rededicated in 2006. Pastor Duane Parker serves as spiritual leader for the church at this time.

The First Church of God, Laurel, is affiliated with the churches of God whose headquarters are in Anderson, IN.