Biography

Lakeview United Methodist Church was located at 301 Lakeshore Drive, Minden, Louisiana.

The idea for a new church in the area started with the men’s group at First Church Minden, pastored by Rev. Ira W. Flowers at that time. The first service was held at Westside (later Stewart) Middle School on September 9, 1951. The unnamed church was pastored by Rev. Harvey Williamson. The following month was designated charter membership month. The church was organized on October 7, 1951, with seventy-two charter members.

The original choice for a site on Hwy. 80 was abandoned in favor of a site on Turner’s Pond (now Lake). Services were moved to Eastside School, closer to the new site and the church was named Lakeview. After Bobby Turner donated land to the church, a parsonage was built in 1952. A building committee took their design after a church on Mockingbird Lane, though reduced in size. Construction was underway when the first tent revival was held in August 1953. A church bazaar held that December became an annual event.

On February 21, 1954, the new $106,000 church was opened. Revs. Pomeroy, Flowers, and Williamson presided over the service. Shortly thereafter an education building was constructed, with the members donating much of the labor and materials. It was named Faircloth Hall in memory of a member of the original planning committee, Richard Faircloth. The hall was doubled in size while Rev. James M. Poole was pastor (1959-62). The parsonage was enlarged and remodeled in 1969.

Lakeview United Methodist Church disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church in May 2023.

Source: Timothy Hebert, “The Historical Register of the Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church,” (Louisiana: Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, 2004), page SH-42.

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