Who We Are
The
following is a short history of the O’Neal church and work in our
community. Rose Lapington has supplied much of this information. Christians
of the O’Neal community met in the school building during the 1800’s.
Later they met in homes of members on Sunday afternoons. They would all
get together and go in wagons to attend gospel meetings at New Hope,
Oakland, and Shanghai. During the summer members at O’Neal would build
a bush arbor where the O’Neal cemetery is now and have a gospel
Meeting. Mr. Harry Daniel gave one half of an acre of land for the
building and Mr. Cason Knowles gave one acre of land for the cemetery.
Mr. Jim McMulley and Mr. Bird McMunn were the leaders in getting it
started. They gave lumber and money, others donated lumber. The men
donated their time to build the building. The exact year is not known,
but it was around 1923 to 1924. Mr. Bennie Craig was the song leader at
that time. Baptisms were held in Jack Branch, Big Creek at Tillman
Mill, and the Elk River. During winter it was so cold that they would
gather around the wood heater for the Bible lesson. Lawrence Evans
began leading singing about 1940 and led regularly until 1985. The
first elders were appointed in 1948. They were Levi Weir Sr., Jeff
Chittam, and George Moran. Bro. A.J. Rollins appointed them as elders.
Stacy Pressnell served as a deacon until his death in 1991. The first
Deacons were appointed around 1967. Charles Tucker, Charles
Christopher, Fred Robertson Jr., and Glen Pressnell served as deacons
until they were appointed as elders. Others who have served as elders
were Fred Vaughn, Wesley Griffin, Henry Hood, Lawrence Baugher, Tommie Smith & Jeff McKinney.
A new auditorium was built in 1966, and on August 1 465 attended the
first Sunday service. The old building was used for class rooms for a
while until new classrooms were built. Our current building was
completed in June, 2006. The first services in the current auditorium
were on June 25. Charles Christopher and Doug Matlock preached on that
Sunday and 5 people were baptized. Preachers who have worked with the
O’Neal congregation have included Howard Andrews, Roland Andrews, Roy
Fudge, Edwin Spencer, James Curtis, Bobby Robinson, Fred Evans, Dale
Robins, Randall Hammock, Doug Matlock, Jeremiah McElyea, Jay Looney, Al
Burns, Matt Burns, Matt Taylor, Britt Thompson, Stuart Wilson, Mike Richardson and
presently
Guy P. McDaniel and Daniel Tucker. Today
O’Neal has a great Bible class program where all students study the
Bible from Genesis to Revelation every three years. After three years,
the cycle repeats with more detail. By the time a young person
graduates from high school he will have studied the Bible through three
or more times.
We are confident that this helps our young people go into the world
ready to give a defense for the hope that is within them (1 Peter
3:21). O’Neal presently has about 350 members. We have two elders who
oversee the congregation as described in Acts14:28 and I Peter 5:2.
These men are Jeff McKinney and Tommie Smith. We also
have several
deacons as listed in the link above who work under the elders’
oversight. Our goal is to grow in strength and number in the Lord's
Kingdom. We welcome you at each of our services. Please come, bring your
Bible and a friend!