Our History
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At the Memphis Annual Conference in 1873, Rev. Thomas Taylor and Rev. Amos B. Jones were appointed to start a mission church in West Jackson. By early 1874, they gathered a neighborhood congregation which by the end of the year numbered thirty. They started a brick church building on the corner of Campbell and Talbot on a lot donated by Mrs. E. M. A. Goodwin and James A. Collins. When the church officially joined the Memphis Conference in 1875, they had a 250-seat church valued at $3200.
The church was first called City Mission, then West Jackson Mission. In 1897, it became the Campbell Street Church and finally in 1924, with the opening of Lambuth College only a few blocks away, it became the Lambuth Memorial Church. The original building was modified several times but was not increased substantially in interior size until 1934 when under the leadership of Rev. J. W. Carnell, the church school plant was enlarged. In 1941 a complete remodeling was undertaken by Rev. C. H. Rayl whose broad knowledge of church architecture and experience with building resulted in the Gothic cruciform plan for the interior and the Spanish Gothic exterior. The skills of church members W. E. Crosby who created the wood paneling and the beautifully carved altar and John E. Cooper who designed and made the Gothic lanterns from carved wood which light the interior, added greatly to the beauty of the sanctuary. On Easter, April 25, 1943, the church celebrated its first service in the new sanctuary. Memorial gifts furnished a baby grand piano, stained glass windows, the organ chimes and many other accessories.
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| In 1946, the north side of the building was extended to form the first educational plant during the pastorate of Rev. Carl Robbins and with the leadership of J. Haywood Smith, architect and Lambuth Memorial member. |
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On December 11, 1951 a tragic fire practically destroyed the building. During the reconstruction, the congregation worshipped and met at West Jackson School, Temple B'nai Israel, the Seventh Day Adventist church and several Baptist churches. The choir performed its Christmas cantata at Hays Avenue Church. In September, 1952, the reconstruction was completed and the church restored to its former beauty. The church continued to grow and by 1957 a new building was needed. In 1961, the second educational plant was completed under the leadership of Rev. Harrell Townsend and J. Haywood Smith. This new education building was connected to the other by a wide hallway on the second floor level. On the exterior a Gothic archway joins the two sections. The Martindale Family Life Center was added in 1986 with the help of the Martindale family who were long time Lambuth Memorial members. David Martindale served as contractor for the building.
Lambuth Memorial has always been important in the lives of the neighborhood. Until the city began to move north, most of its congregation lived close by. It also served the students of Lambuth College until the 1960’s when Lambuth added a chaplain and worship services on the campus. At the time when other churches were moving north, Lambuth Memorial made an intentional decision to remain in west Jackson. The mission statement - “Shining like a beacon on the corner of Campbell and Talbot, we will provide an active nurturing environment in which all people may pursue a relationship with Jesus Christ”- was adopted.
Over the years, there have been many memorable pastors. Amos Blanch Jones was a colorful Civil War captain and the son of Amos W. Jones, president of the Memphis Conference Female Institute forerunner of Lambuth College. He had returned to Jackson to teach at the Institute and so was available to help start a mission church. George K. Brooks was both the second and fifth minister. One of his sons, Rev. Cleanth Brooks, father of the famous literary critic and writer by the same name, also served Lambuth Memorial.
Lambuth Memorial has a Food Pantry which provides emergency food supplies to anyone who knocks at our door. People are also assisted with other problems and steered to the proper social agencies. Each month we collect supplies needed by different agencies at a Giving Tree which has the names of items needed clipped to the leaves.
One of our most essential services is the Pre-School Center which is available for child care to the entire city. The Center was begun in 1967 as a Mother’s Day Out program. It grew and developed into a full week’s program in 1982 serving children 6 weeks to 5 years old. Because of the vision of its founders, it was decided to pursue national accreditation for the program. Accreditation was won from the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs in 1988. The Center is run by a Board of Directors made up of church members and parents. The teaching staff features teachers with 15-30 years of experience in pre-school education; several teachers with associate and bachelors’ degrees and all teachers are certified in CPR, first-aid and personal safety. The greatest assets of the Center are the especially low child-adult ratio and a music program for all classes.
Lambuth Memorial has a strong interest in children’s programming and has a Children’s Director on staff. The children put on several musical shows for the congregation each year including a Dinner Theater. Our Vacation Bible School is widely publicized in the neighborhood and attracts many neighbor children. Some of these children have continued to attend the children’s activities on Sunday and sing in the Children’s Choir. The Martindale Center is open for Community Time two afternoons a week for older youth and is manned by church member volunteers.
