Remembering Our Yesterdays

75 Years a Work in Progress

Tabernacle Baptist Church was organized November 1925 with a membership of 11 persons.  A.V. Pickeren served as pastor for the new church, holding services at City Hall in Vidalia.  In 1926, this church merged with North Thompson Baptist Church, thus becoming a member of the Daniel Baptist Association.  Reverend Pickeren agreed to stay on as pastor. A committee, consisting of A.V. Pickeren, L.H. Darby, M.H. Fountain, W.H. Sasser, M.E. Hall, and P.F. Phillps, was appointed to secure a suitable location, arrange financing and solicit funds for a new building.  Ground was broken in January 1926 for a new building on the present lot at 311 Peachtree, with the pastor removing the first dirt.  On the 16th day of February, the women prepared dinner for the 36 men who were working on the building.  In April 1926 the hammering and sawing ceased an at 11:00 a.m. on the first Sunday in April the first service was held in the new building.  Securing a loan from the Home Mission Board, the church underwent renovations in 1932.  The building was completely renovated in 1980, adding offices and education facilities and remodeling the kitchen area.  On March 16, 1980, the first service was held in the new sanctuary.