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Francis Asbury United Methodist Church (Baton Rouge, La.) records

 Collection
Identifier: LACUMC-2024-029

Scope and Contents

This collection documents the activities of Francis Asbury United Methodist Church (Baton Rouge, La.). The collection includes membership records, administrative council records, trustee records, and committee records.

Dates

  • 1966 - 2023

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Physical rights are retained by the Centenary College of Louisiana Archives and Special Collections. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Biographical / Historical

Francis Asbury United Methodist Church was located at 15447 Old Hammond Highway, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

In early 1966, Rev. Frank Robinson was sent to organize a new Methodist Church in the eastern part of East Baton Rouge Parish. He spent his first few months visiting with families in the area. When the Louisiana Conference and District leaders purchased 10.6 acres of land at 15447 Old Hammond Hwy, 3 acres were deeded to the new church. In May, the first service was held in a tent (with a sawdust floor) on the property. They decided to name the church after the great Methodist, Francis Asbury.

The initial congregation of 60 people soon started on their first building -- now being used as the education building -- in the summer of 1967. The Anna Gray Noe Memorial Organ was donated to the church in 1971. In 1972, the Corbin United Methodist Church was added to Asbury. In 1973, the Joel Hedrick family donated their equity in a home to be used as a parsonage. A new parking lot was constructed.

As the church grew in membership, a larger church was needed. The present sanctuary was completed in May 1977. Since then, the education building, sanctuary, and kitchen have undergone renovations. A reconditioned building was constructed in 1976-1977 to increase space. A plan, called "Realizing the Vision", was undertaken in 1996 to renovate the sanctuary. Construction was scheduled to begin in the summer of 1997.

Francis Asbury 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 BR-25.

Extent

0.5 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Arranged by subject, then chronologically.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Unknown person dropped off collection at Louisiana Conference Office of the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church, then transferred by Rhonda Whitley (Ministry Coordinator, Congregational Development and Transformation) in 2023. Originally found within North Cross United Methodist Church (Madisonville, La.) records (accession number 2023-060).

Title
Finding Aid to Francis Asbury United Methodist Church (Baton Rouge, La.) records
Author
Beth Vogler and Chris Brown
Date
2024
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Centenary College of Louisiana Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
2911 Centenary Blvd.
Shreveport LA 71104 US
(318) 869-5462