"A drought in western Oklahoma in 1917 and 1918 brought John Nunn, D. C. Franklin, Bob Stiles, Jess Franklin, Marvin Tarpley, Earl Tarpley, Virgil Williams, Dee Tackers,  Conley Butler, and their families to Porter from Gold Hill, which was three miles east of Snyder, Oklahoma.  This group met with sister Retta Roberts and sister Felkner and others in different homes until the purchase of this building from the Presbyterians."  (black and white photo)  This building later was bought by the Porter public school system and was used as a band room until the band program ended.  After a period of time as a storage building it was torn down and a new elementary building was built.

Current building 

In 1973 the church built a new building at 120 s. 8th Porter, Oklahoma and is still the meeting place today. 

For a number of years the congregation was served by part time preachers or those who filled in or worked in a secular job and preached as well. These men include Harold Kerr, Buck Bismuke, G. R. Holton, Warren Kelly, O. P Higbee, Joe Scheuburt, Floyd Scheuburt, Paul Phillips, W. B. Luck, Kenneth Luck, J. W. Burnett, Raymond Owens, Don Wilson, Bill Green, and Bro. Beavers.

 

Through the years as these men worked with the congregation the church experienced  a steady and gradual growth until it was necessary to remodel the building at least twice to allow for the increase in congregation size.  

As the congregation continued its growth in 1968 they were able to purchase a parsonage and for the first time hire a full time preacher- Wilson Ramsey- who worked with the church from 1968 to 1972.  Don Branscum was the preacher from 1972 - 1973.  During this time the congregation had the current location built due to the need of a larger building for a growing church and more

classrooms.  

Over time the church sold the original parsonage, built an annex, added on to and remodeled the annex, remodeled the current auditorium along with continual repairs and updating with technology, added a trailer house on the property for a parsonage, then sold and bought another parsonage, then sold after church members John and Pauline Matthews built a new home in the country and sold  the church their property and home that was next to the building grounds (the house was remodeled and became the current parsonage).  Of the two existing buildings on the Matthew's property, one was turned into an apartment building to be used for guest speakers and those the church assisted through preaching school or doing an internship after preaching school. The rest of the building is being used for 5th quarters and VBS.  The second building is utilized for storage.  The church also bought another trailer home that bordered the building grounds, and it was used for a preacher and family doing an internship before preaching school.  The trailer has since been sold and removed from the property.

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During this period of time several well respected men have served as elders of this congregation.  Among those who have served are such men as Bob Stiles, Earl Tarpley, Bertram Bowd, Jay Mashburn, A. B. Brewer, Jim Hogan, R. J. Guthrie, Virgil Dobbins, Jim Easley, Dan Tackett, James Lyle, Roy Essary, Garry Boggs, and current  elders Nathan Boyd, Pat Boyd, Terry Brackett, and Roy Cole.

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To God be the Glory of all the the past and future things the church of Porter is able to have and accomplish. Through the work and giving of the church members (too many to name over the years) the congregation has been debt free since the 2016 time area, allowing the church to provide money to more mission works local and abroad and have a big focus on sponsoring future preachers through preaching schools.

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Full time Preachers:

Wilson Ramsey 1968 - 1972

Don Branscum 1972 -1973

Mike Pace

Jim Herndon

Charles Brackett

Roger Deloach

"Cricket"

Jim Vogelweed

Leslie Parks 1991

Matt Richardson

Steven Schinnerer currently Cave Springs coC

Charles Brackett retired, moved back to Porter, and Mentored preachers/filled in until he passed

Jonathan Crowell currently WBI

Dan Pearce 2012 -2013

Mike Roberts 2013 - 2023 currently Knott Tx. coC

Keden Shrum - Intern before preaching school under Mike and elders 2019-2020 currently Rison Ar. coC

Justin Johnson- Intern post preaching school under Dan and elders 2023-2024 -currently Faulkner univ.

Dan Pearce 2023- present

 

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