• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The Leader

The Leader

Tipton County's Newspaper since 1886

  • Home
  • News
    • All
    • Business
    • Churches
    • Courts
    • Education
    • Election 2024
    • Events
    • Local Government
    • Local Politics
    • Military
    • Public Records
    • Public Safety
  • Sports
    • All
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Cross Country
    • Fishing
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Soccer
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Wrestling
  • E-Editions
  • Public Notices
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Contact Us
    • Submit News
    • Advertise With Us
  • Where to Buy

Helping the Community: St. Luke constructs community resource center

By Echo Day on May 27, 2007

[metaslider id=”8475″]

Back in 1880, founding members of St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church had a vision. They wanted to purchase land for the sole purpose of constructing a church and/or school and to be a vital part of the community.

One hundred and twenty-seven years later their dreams have finally come true.

The current members of the church have built a $1 million center for its church members and other citizens of the community to use.

“This has been in the works for awhile,” said Thomas Taylor, historian of the church.

As the church began to grow, signs that a community center were needed began to show.

Back in 2000, the newly-formed committee went to the Mayo family who owned the land on the north side of the church to discuss purchasing around two acres of land for the center to be built on. After a few meetings the family decided to donate the land.

“This was just a blessing,” said Taylor.

Once the land was theirs, the next hurdle was to find a financial institution who would lend the church the funds needed to construct the center. BancorpSouth was that company.

Plans for the center were borrowed by Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Flint, Mich. Self Tucker Architects out of Memphis was the firm chosen to do the work.

Over time, Bill Simpson was elected as foreman of the project and was in charge of hiring the contractors to construct the 23,000 square foot building.

“Mr. Simpson did a great job,” said Taylor. “Through his hard work thousands of dollars were saved.”

The center had to meet certain standards and fire codes along the way. The building has a steel frame, fire-retardant sheetrock and water sprinklers.

The center offers many activities for the community. Inside the Community Resource Center is a full-sized gym, walking track, an exercise room, which already has some exercise equipment available, a game room, meeting rooms, a full-sized kitchen and pantry. Other rooms consist of a book store, concession stand and plenty of restrooms.

Future plans are to offer after school tutoring/daycare services, computer lab, teen pregnancy prevention classes and other programs, such as drug and alcohol prevention, minor healthcare screening and a place for senior citizen outreach.

“We want to encourage members of the community to use this facility,” said Taylor.

For more information about the Community Resource Center, call the church at 901-476-9746. The church is located at 831 Hwy. 14, Covington.

Related Articles:

5d47dda4cf550.imageHealth Care Solutions for Rural Americans The Sea of Blue procession for tonight has been cancelled, but here’s more about Trooper Jenks 88a1f9fc Cb86 11e5 9a3f 23ceb1c14e77Pets 88a1f9fc Cb86 11e5 9a3f 23ceb1c14e77Green Living

Posted Under: Black History, Churches, News Tags: community resource center, st luke missionary baptist church

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search

Featured News

Tipton County to host two Independence Day celebrations

June 28, 2025 By Echo Day

Independence Day … [Continue Reading...] about Tipton County to host two Independence Day celebrations

Brighton alderman/constable charged with child abuse

June 20, 2025 By Echo Day

A Brighton alderman … [Continue Reading...] about Brighton alderman/constable charged with child abuse

What’s happening this weekend: June 20-22, 2025

June 20, 2025 By Echo Day

Summer has … [Continue Reading...] about What’s happening this weekend: June 20-22, 2025

Party with the Pollinators Friday night for some good family fun

June 20, 2025 By Echo Day

COVINGTON — Tipton … [Continue Reading...] about Party with the Pollinators Friday night for some good family fun

Tags

auvic white black history braxton sharp brighton baseball brighton basketball brighton football brighton high school city of covington City of Munford coronavirus covid-19 covington Covington Baseball covington basketball Covington football covington high school covington police covington police station Election 2020 events homicide J.R. Kirby Jalen Fayne Jamarion Dowell jeff huffman john edwards Jordan Bell JR Kirby munford baseball Munford basketball munford football munford high school murder ronnie gorton sex crimes shooting Slade Calhoun tcso Tipton-Rosemark Academy Tipton County Museum tipton county schools tipton county sheriff's office town of atoka town of mason TRA basketball

Footer

The Leader is a weekly newspaper, published on Thursdays, serving Tipton County, Tenn. since 1886.

Contact us: news@covingtonleader.com

Editor’s Choice

Here’s how Home Depot and a team of volunteers helped make over CIAA

December 5, 2019 By Echo Day

Black History Month: Mason’s John W. Boyd went from slavery to the statehouse

February 7, 2020 By The Leader

Search

Copyright © 2025 · The Leader | Legacy Media · Log in