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a supper meeting at Hotel Reed the group was warned by Mr. E C. Williams, State Sunday School Worker, to refrain from entering into the building program without a vision of future needs. The old recommendation of a seating capacity of 192 was changed to 300, and an educational plant that would accommodate a similar number was added.
On June 3, 1945, Reverend John T. Dearing came into the pulpit of the church as the first full-time pastor in the church's history. Representatives from the Episcopal and Methodist Churches were present. The city government was also represented. The salary of the pastor was raised to $175 per month plus rent on a house for him.
During 1945 the church adopted the boxed tithing envelopes at a cost of eleven cents a box. The Sunday School Superintendent reported an enrollment of 54 with an average attendance of 43. By March 1946, enrollment had climbed to 74 enrolled with an average attendance of 33. In November the enrollment was reported as 94 with an average attendance as 50. In 1948, enrollment reached 114. During 1948, the Building Fund Committee discussed a plan for incorporating the church, and issued non-interest-bearing or low-interest-rate bonds for financing the balance of the church cost. This plan was accepted.
The year 1947 was another important year in our history. In February, the U. S. Government offered twelve army chapels at Camp Van Dorn in Centreville, Mississippi, for sale at $1,250 each. A committee, consisting of the Pastor, A.
H.	Gregory, and H. B. Duckworth were appointed to confer and submit a bid on the chapels. A chapel was obtained, and in May a contract was accepted with R. P. Farnsworth & Company, Inc., General Contractors, of New Orleans, Louisiana, to dismande the chapel and rebuild it on the church lot on Main Street. With the help of church volunteer?s the chapel was rebuilt. Reconstruction and bricking of the entire structure took about 6 months. The material in the existing building was used for a Sunday School wing.
In May 1947, eleven charter members attended Brotherhood. There were several visitors. Reverend James Street gave an inspiring message on the need for Brotherhood in churches. Dr. A. P. Smith was replaced by H. A. Gregory as