Our History
The Liberty Hill Missionary Baptist Church of Christ was organized on May 16, 1903 by Reverends M.F. Drury, F.C. Dick and Y.F. Walker, the Jones County Baptist District Missionary. The first meeting was held in the Liberty Hill school house located on the north side of what is now the Hawley Cemetery. Reverend M.F. Drury was elected moderator and Reverend F.C. Dick was elected clerk, pro tem. Reverend J.A. Scott was called to be the first pastor and Bro S.L. Smith was the first church clerk. There were seven charter members, as follows: Bro A.J. Hilton, Sister M.J. Hilton, Bro C.W. Hilton, Sister A.M. Hilton, Sister Rosa Jenkins, Bro S.L. Smith, and Sister Lucy J. Smith. The Methodist and Baptist congregations shared the Liberty Hill school house for their services. In December, 1906, the Wichita Valley Railway between Anson and Abilene was completed and the township of Hawley was surveyed by Mr. Fletcher Scott. By 1907 the town of Hawley emerged, and the Methodist purchased a school house near Anson and had it moved to their present church site. They continued to share the building with the Baptist who, in turn, helped with the custodial work and incidental expenses. The families who helped to pioneer the new town worshipped God together, received His blessing, and were inspired to grow, rebuild, and enlarge the church.
On December 15, 1907, the Baptists voted to change their church's name of First Missionary Baptist Church of Hawley. They continued to meet in the Methodist church building until 1910 when they build a tabernacle on the present site of the Baptist church. Those who met in that church were Mrs. Emma Carter, Mrs. Daisy Lantrip, Mrs. Marie Hollis, Mr. Stanley Carter, Mrs. Viva Cook, Mrs. Bessie Ruark, Mrs. Grace Clyburn, Mrs. Lula Land, Mr. Tommie Wood, Mr. Lawson Newton and Mr. Harlan Field.
Reverend J. Percy King was the pastor in 1918 when the tabernacle was replaced with a wooden structure with cathedral windows. The dedication service was held the second Sunday in December 1918. Reverend T.Y. Adams preached the dedication service, and music was led by Ira Harrison, a ministerial student at Simmons College. The sanctuary where the Baptist hold services was completed in 1954.
On April 4, 1948, the Delk Baptist Church voted to disband and the Hawley Baptist Church granted letters to those who desired to join. The Delk Baptist Church roll book of church minutes, song books, piano and the building were moved to Hawley Baptist Church. The building was torn down and used to build a parsonage. The first occupants of the parsonage were the pastor, Jesse Swindell, his parents, and his sister, in 1950.
An educational building was built in the early 1940's and an annex was added in the early 1960's. Then, on April 22, 1973 ground breaking for a new educational buiding was held at the close of the Sunday morning worship service. The modern educational building was dedicated on March 24, 1974.