Brief History of the Presbyterian Church of Salado
The Presbyterian Church of Salado was initiated by the Rev. Billy P. Smith, Th. D., and his wife, LaGreta Reed. The first worship service held on March 10, 1996, in Allen Meeting Hall was attended by 8 people. Shortly thereafter, a steering committee met to organize a mission church and to name Rev. Billy P. Smith as pastor. At that time, the fellowship had 11 members representing 6 families.
On March 15, 1997, Grace Presbytery voted to charter the Presbyterian Church of Salado. The service of organization and commission was held on October 5, 1997 with a charter membership of 32. The Rev. Marilyn Wedell-Legge became the pastor in November 1998.
Prompted by continued growth and the need for educational and program facilities the congregation expressed the desire to move to a larger space. In 1998, the session began the search for a new church site. When the present location became available, representatives from Grace Presbytery examined the property, expressed support for the purchase, and pledged financial help. The congregation voted unanimously to purchase the property that consists of 2 ½ acres and a 6,800 square foot building.
Using cash reserves, generous special gifts, and much “sweat equity” on the part of the members, the new church home was completed and dedicated on February 11, 2001. The location provides room for future growth and gives the congregation an identity in Salado and a home from which to witness its faith and minister to the needs of our community.
Several Presbyterian pastors served our congregation by contract and with the approval of Grace Presbytery in the years 2001-2004. In January, 2005, the Reverend Carl V. Thompson, Jr. became our stated supply pastor and has been with us ever since.
Since Reverend Thompson became the pastor of our church in 2005, we have achieved several milestones. Our membership has grown, but more importantly we welcome everyone into our fellowship for one time or for a lifetime. Carl has brought us the faithful witness of Jesus Christ as head of the church, and he has given us the stability needed to govern our church order, or polity.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.