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- e	THE	FIRST	SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH
PEARLIN6T0N, MISSISSIPPI
In the early 1960's, when NASA acquired the property for a huge space program in Hancock County, many families were uprooted and dispersed. Quite a few of these families were relocated in Pearlington, Mississipoi. One result was the merger of the Loqtown Baotist Church, Napoleon Baptist Church, and the Pearlington Baptist Mission which had been sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Bi1oxi, Mississipoi.
On September 29, 1963, one hundred twenty-six members from the two churches and the mission met together for the purpose of organizing a new church. This meeting was under the leadership of the Reverend Mr. 0. 3. Anderson, Superintendent of Missions of the Gulf Coast Baptist Association. The new church was constituted and was named First Southern Baptist Church.
The Reverend Bob Scurlock was the first pastor. Tiie original council members and building committee members were:	C.	W.	-IcCartty,	Earl	Breland,
Alfred Hougens, Larry Landrum, T. P. Ward and Ray Smith. The three deacons,
Ray Smith, T. P. Hard and Ora Holden, had been active deacons in the former churches.
A new building was constructed adjacent to the Pearlington one room mission in Pearlington, Mississippi. The church is using that same building at present. The congregation moved into the new church building in the spring of 1964. A new pastorium had been ourchased in November 1963.
The ministers who have served the church since its beginning are:
Rev. Bob Scurlock, Rev. Thomas Hires, Rev. John Wardle, Rev. Harold Voice, and Rev. Bob May. The Reverend J. L. Rasberry is the present Dastor.
This church has a full tise program with Sunday School, Church Training, a VJ.M.U. Organization, R.A. and G.A. Organizations for the young people, and a bus ministry.
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