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The saying "No one in here but us chickens" has special meaning to us at Oak Hill. Our church was organized as a mission of Greenacres Baptist Church on Sunday, March 14, 1954. Oak Hill was first housed in two commercial chicken houses located in the George Goodwin and F.P. Robinson subdivision just off the Collinston Road. Reverend L.L. Morris pastor of Greenacres Baptist presided as moderator at the meeting. Reverend Leslie O. Farrar, a licensed minister from Second Baptist church (now White Avenue Baptist) united with the mission and served as the pastor.
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On September 26, 1954, the members of Oak Hill Mission (having received letters of dismissal from Greenacres) were organized into a Southern Baptist Cooperating church named as Oak Hill Baptist Church. Rev. Leslie Farrar continued to serve as pastor. J.W. Smith, Cleo Delamar and E.T. Rogers were elected as ordained active deacons.
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On January 2, 1955, the church voted to purchase the property from Goodwin and Robinson, including the two buildings and 1.87 acres of land, our present location. The site was surrounded by oak trees and was not developed at the time. As the years passed, the area grew, with new houses and later an elementary school, Oak Hill Elementary, appearing in the neighborhood around the church.
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As the church grew, so did the facility. In January 1956, an allocation of $750 was received from the Georgia Barnette State Mission Offering, to enclose and enlarge the porch on the rear building and to partition off more Sunday School rooms.
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On September 5, 1957, the church voted to buy the adjacent property fronting the Collinston Road, including approximately two acres of land and a four-room frame house. The house was used for the pastorium.
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The pastorium was moved in January 1959 to face Parvin Drive (behind the current church site), making way for a new church building. The dedication service for the new building was held on Sunday September 24, 1961.
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On March 10, 1965, the church voted to sell the remaining chicken house, making way for the second unit of the church plant.
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A child-care program, kindergarten and nursery school were opened in September 1965. These were housed in the newly completed church unit and were in operation until 1981. The Lucy Hudson School was housed in what his now the office area for a short time before moving to a larger building. (Lucy Hudson is now known as Associatin for Retarded Citizens and is located at 10650 Lucy Hudson Drive, Bastrop, LA.
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Dedication services were held for the new pastorium on Sunday June 9, 1968.
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In July 1978, the church bought five more lots. The church now owns approximately seven acres of land with modern brick facilities.
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Many other improvements have been made through the years and continue to be made as our church family, ministry and outreach continue to grow.
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During its history, Oak Hill's budget offerings have been over $2.5 million. The church has been strong in supporting foreign, home and state mission offerings as well, giving 15% to the cooperative program.
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Over 500 people have been baptized into the fellowship of the church. Two worship services are held each Sunday, along with Bible study classes on Sunday mornings and Discipleship Training groups on Sunday evenings.
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Wednesday evening services include a period of prayer and devotional time. Business meetings are held the first Wednesday after the first Sunday of each month.
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The church has remained debt free for years now and has made its goal to try to budget upcoming projects, seeking God's guidance in all that we do.
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