Brother Graves discussed the above report, which was adopted.
As the church had complied with the requirements for admittance into the Association, she was duly received; and the Moderator, H. M. Suthard, extended the hand or fellowship to Messengers Ulysses S. Kelton, Mrs. Allie Kelton, Ernest Wilson, and Byron Wilkerson. The date was October 29, 1941, When the Association met with the First Baptist Church, in Mafield.
The organization of the church came about as the result of a brush arbor meeting being conducted near the Rhodes Cemetery in the early part of October, 1941, by Missionary. W.E. Graves and Pastor C.W. Lawrence.
According to the best information obtainable the following were in the charter membership or shortly thereafter:
W. Byron Wilkerson Cecil Seay
Hertis Wilkerson Edell Seay
Merchie Harris Clarence Cook
Fannie Harris Ulysses Kelton
Ernest J. Wilson Ruth Wilson
Noble Wiggins Jennie Mae Wiggins
Allie Kelton Mrs. Ezra Turner
Charlie Canter Duloie Canter
The Wilkersons, Wilsons, and Harrises are considered as the first six members, while the Wiggins and Keltons, and perhaps Mrs. Turner, Mr. Cook, the Canters, the Seays, were in the number of 14 reported to the Association, or they became members shortly thereafter.
The church went under the name RHODES CHAPEL through the year 1946. When she reported to the Association in 1947 the name had been changed to LYNNVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH, by which the church is still known.
For some time services were held at the old site as a mission outreach of the Lynnville church. However it fell into disuse for a few years, especially in the period 1949 through 1951. The present Rhodes Chapel Baptist Church is not to be confused with the body organized in 1941. It is a re-organization, as will be noticed later.
ASSOCIATIONAL MEMBERSHIP
As has been noted, the church became a member of the Graves County Association in 1941. She has continued faithfully her membership in this body since that time. The body has never held a session with the church.
PASTORS CLERKS
W.E. Graves 1941-1942 Leo Galey 1942-1945 Byron Wilkerson 1941-1945
L.I. Kingston 1945-1956 Walter Hopkins 1956-1958 Cecil Seay 1945-1958
L.I. Kingston 1958-1965 Odis Shultz 1965-1968 Noah Canter 1958-
Thomas Grubbs 1968-1970 Odis Shultz 1970-1972
Glenn Terry 1972-
DEACONS
In the period 1941-1947 at Rhodes Chapel the following men, who were ordained at the same time (date unknown), served as deacons; Brethren Noble J. Wiggins, Ernest S. Wilson, W. Byron Wilkerson, and Dick Wheeler. Both Wiggins and Wheeler are deceased.
On January 7, 1950, the church ordained brother Jessis Stom to the Ministry and Brethren Lowell Cantor, Lonzo Griffith, and Herchel Lance to the deaconship. Ministers L.I. Kingston (Moderator), Bill Lowry (Sermon), Harold Smotherman, Roy Shepherd (clerk), and Deacons James George, J.C. Hicks, and Clovis Bazzell served as the Presbytery. In February, 1951, Noble Wiggins was recognized as a deacon again as he had moved his membership and returned it.
On March 3, 1955, Brethren Ambrose McClain, Noah Canter, and Ozzie Rowton were elected to the deaconship by the church. No record of their ordination is given.
On April 15, 1960, Brethren Carl Brown Burnett, Gerald Canter, and Bill Wheeler were ordained by the church as deacons through a presbytery composed of Ministers L.I. Kingston and H.M. Suthard.
Brother Marshall Poyner was ordained as a deacon by the church with Ministers Tommy Grubbs (Moderator), Ray Jackson, Orman Stegall, Charles Nelson, and Bill Wade, together with Deacon Noah Canter (Clerk), serving as the Presbytery. In July, 1971, Brother Marcus Peal was ordained by Ministers Odis Shultz and Orman Stegall, and perhaps others, as a deacon.
