North Bend UPC

The first known “Jesus’ Name” message in the North Bend area was preached by Bro. Lawrence Kirkland at a Copeland family reunion. When the Apostolic movement began to spread, most services were held in local homes and brush arbors. One of the prominent preachers in establishing the Apostolic message and church in North Bend was Bro. J. E. Anderson. Other North Bend laborers in the Word included Bro. John McShea, Bro. Zach Spears, Bro. Jack Crenshaw, Bro. Wesley Phillips, Bro. Elgie Hall, and Bro. and Sis. Crawford.

In the late 1940s, North Bend still had no permanent church building; however, God was helping many people who would become invaluable to the work of God throughout Neshoba County and beyond. It was in these brush arbor and home services that Bro. Brown Barrier received the Holy Ghost. He would later pastor both North Bend UPC and New Zion UPC. Many descendants of these early Pentecostal North Bend pioneers would eventually be called into the ministry. Truly, the early establishment of the Apostolic message in North Bend has had a lasting impact on the work of God in Neshoba County and the Mississippi District UPCI.

In 1948, a simple tabernacle was built by the North Bend church, followed by several other temporary buildings that were either built or purchased for worship. Then, in 1955, a new brick sanctuary was constructed, followed by Sunday school rooms two years later. Several men pastored the North Bend church from 1948 until 1955, including Bro. Crawford, Bro. Walter Ford, Bro. Jack Crenshaw, Bro. Paul Bryan, and Bro. Walter Reed.

In 1955, Bro. Brown Barrier felt the Lord calling him to pastor the North Bend church, and he was elected with 100 percent of the vote. Bro. Barrier pastored North Bend for the next seventeen years, until 1972. During this time, the church built a new sanctuary and a fellowship hall, and experienced growth and great revival under his ministry.

Following Bro. Barrier, Bro. Hulon Sanford was elected and served until 1974. From 1974 to 1975, Bro. Daniel Calk served as pastor, and the church continued to grow. Bro. Johnny Peden Jr. then assumed the pastorate until 1976. Bro. Louie Davis was elected in 1976 and served until 1980. Upon Bro. Davis’s resignation, Bro. Ronnie Hall was elected pastor and served until 1983, followed by Bro. Buford Sims, who pastored until 1987. After Bro. Sims’s resignation, Bro. M. D. Sterling was elected. Bro. Ronald Ratley succeeded Bro. Sterling in 1991, and in 1998, Bro. Johnny Peden Jr. returned to the North Bend pastorate.

Under the leadership of Bro. Johnny Peden Jr., North Bend built a beautiful new sanctuary on Highway 21 in 2009. In 2011, after serving the church for two years in the early 1970s and eleven years from 1998 to 2009, Bro. Peden retired from the pastorate. He continues to evangelize and preach special services throughout the state and beyond. Upon Bro. Peden’s retirement, Bro. Nathan Moore was elected pastor of North Bend UPC. Bro. Moore currently serves as pastor, and the Lord continues to bless this great church.