"How We Came To Be"
Where there is no vision, the people perish. “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain”…Psalm 127:1
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste”…Isaiah 28:16
The Ch
urch of Christ in Third Ward was established in the year 1936 under the preaching and teaching of the late Bro. He conducted an open air, tent gospel meeting in the Third Ward community, which lasted for one (1) month and baptizing one hundred (100) souls. Upon establishing the Third Ward congregation, the members worshipped in the old Douglass school building (previously located at 3000 Trulley) until purchasing property at our current day location. It was under the leadership of the late Bro. George Robins that land was purchased for our location at 2721 McIlhenny St, with a white, wooden frame building being erected there. Hogan, once again, conducted a meeting resulting in another large number of souls obeying the gospel after which the late Bro. Walter Weathers accepted the work as minister. Weathers served for about twenty (20) years before leaving to assist the Cloverland congregation. Weathers, the late Bro. Anderson accepted the ministry here and during his leadership, the white, wooden frame building was renovated and a groundbreaking service was held for our current day building. After the failing health of Bro. Anderson and his resignation, the work was taken over by Bro. Wyche in 1968. Wyche served as minister for ten (10) years until he resigned in 1978 and accepted the ministry at the Liberty City Church of Christ in Miami, Florida. In 1978, the late Bro. Alfred Holmes accepted the work as minister and under his leadership, the congregation grew by leaps and bounds. Holmes left in 1981, Bro. Parker, Jr. came and served as minister for some years before returning to his home congregation in the Texas City area. At this time, Third Ward was blessed with Bro. Hiawatha Jackson as minister. Jackson served for some years before accepting the work in the Baytown area. Jackson’s departure, Bro. Weathers, once again, returned to the Third Ward congregation and served as minister until the congregation was blessed with a minister. In 1992, Bro. John C. Whitley assumed the responsibility of minister. He, in turn, chose Bro. Royce Lemon to serve as his associate minister. In January 2001, Bro. Whitley resigned and our own Bro. Lemon became the minister of the Third Ward Church of Christ. The church of Christ in Third Ward continues to move forward under the leadership of our current minister, Delvin Criner, Sr. Criner is a faithful servant whose labor at Third Ward has spanned over 25 years and continuing.
