The New Prospect Cumberland Church

1865-2000

Celebrating 135 years of Service to the Lord

Beckville, Panola Co. TX

The New Prospect Presbyterian Cumberland Church was organized on the second Sunday of August , 1865, by Revered Mitchell Smith and a congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Carthage. (The Carthage church later disbanded.) It was founded on the Old Grand Bluff Road. (Also called Shreveport Douglas)

R.A. Craig donated about four acres of land to be divided equally between the church and cemetery. The first elders were C. S. Hayes, R.A. Craig, and William E. Roscoe.

The congregation made plans in 1867 to build a new church and is still on the original site. According to the late Mr. Otto House, one original beam remains under the existing building. In 1851, it was remodeled and in 1958 an e3ducaytional building was added.

James Good was employed as superintendent on July 30 1905. To conduct the first Sunday School of the Church. A majority of the members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church joined the Presbyterian Church USA. By 1958, the PCUSA and the United States of America, New Prospect participated in the change.

On August 8 1965, the church celebrated its centennial observance. At the time, James P Higginbotham was the pastor.

In 1987, the church body agreed to break with the UPCUSA to form a non-denominational church to be known as New Prospect Church.

In 1996, a pavilion was erected on the premises by the jo9int effort of the church and cemetery association. The Beckville Future Farmers donated the labor for the concrete floor.

A fellowship hall was erected in 1999. It is a 30' x 50' metal building. By the end of the year, the inside of the Sunday School rooms had been renovated.

In 2000, an extension on the pavilion was added.

The church is still enjoying the fellowship of God= love in services and activities. This workshop has continued from August, 1865 to the year 2001