Letter from Pastor Bob Gallups on commemorating Highland’s first 20 years

September 1968-September 1988  

Dear Members and Friends,
God has given us the ability to look back and count our many blessings from day to day. As such, let us take a retrospect of our brief history. It was in August, 1968, that the Calvary Baptist Church of Orlando voted to sponsor a mission work here in Gainesville and in that same conference they called your pastor as the Mission-Pastor.

On the second Sunday of September, 1968, there were 24 of us who started services in the Metcalfe School. In March of 1969 the Calvary Church issued a $50,000.00 bond program to build our sanctuary. Work was begun on the sanctuary in April of that year and it was completed in February, 1970.
During our short history we have seen many souls saved, interest in missions, and Christian education. We have had many, many members to come and move to other areas of our state and nation. Of the former members many are very active in other churches in their area, and some have gone to be with the Lord.
I consider it a great honor to have served as your pastor for these 20 years. May I commend the many former members and present members who have labored long, hard hours in serving the Lord.

Like a newborn child, Highlands started out small and dependent. On September 8, 1968, the first services for the “Gainesville Missionary Baptist Mission” was held at the cafeteria of the Metcalf Elementary School in Northeast Gainesville. Sponsored by Calvary Baptist Church of Orlando, Florida. The “infant” mission boasted an attendance of 26 people for the morning worship services. “It was certainly a blessing to get the mission started last Sunday…” wrote Brother J.R. “Bob” Gallups in the premier edition of the mission’s newsletter.

 And so, from humble beginnings Highland began to grow, inspired by the word of God and through monumental efforts of a small but dedicated group of individuals. Attendance was fairly low during the first few months, often averaging les than 20 for most services. Mid-week services were held on Tuesday nights in the pastorium so that the pastor and his family could visit sister churches in Wednesday nights, telling them of our mission endeavor and preaching for them. Prayer services on Tuesday nights usually averaged 14 to 16 in attendance,

 By the beginning of the new year (1969), the Gainesville Baptist Mission had a total of 24 members on its roster and reached a goal of 35 for its Sunday morning services. Among the first families to join were the Sapps, the Langleys, the Deens, Sister Johnson, the Howells, the Hugheys, the Locklears and Guyrene Southerland. While its members began to steadily grow in numbers, plans were underway to build a church on property already purchased and set aside for that purpose.

At the time, the needs of the mission were estimated at about $800.00 per month. That figure included the pastor’s salary, utilities, house payment, property payment, and rent on the school cafeteria. Unfortunately, disbursements for th misions’s first month of operation exceeded its receipts. Fortunately, it was offset with a general fund balance on hand from Gleenwood Baptist Church. The financial condition of the new mission was little rocky at first, but persevered. In October, monies were received for the land fund and building fund. The next line of work then was to get the land into condition to build on it. Soon, arrangements were made to have the land cleared and leveled. In the meantime Brother Gallups and the Rev. Nowell form Calvary Baptist Church began looking at building plans and other church buildings to carefully consider the type of church best suited for the site and the future needs of what was to become Highland Missionary Baptist Church.

 By the end of November 1969, bulldozers had cleared the land and in mid-December Brother Gallups had a set of approved blue prints in hand. The next step was to contact area builders to submit bids and cost estimates of the building. “It is your pastor’s faith that within one year after we go into our own sanctuary that we will be a self-supporting church…As we have faith, we must all work together in witnessing, attending services, praying, giving, and being faithful.” Bro. Gallups wrote in his weekly newsletter.

 After a year and a half after the mission’s first services were held, the church building was almost complete by January 1970. January 30^th of 1970 was an important date in the history of the young mission. On that date Gainesville Missionary Baptist became Highland Missionary Baptist Church.  The goal of becoming self-supporting had still not yet been reached, but we had faith that the goal was in sight.

 The sanctuary was officially dedicated on the next to the last day in January. There were almost 150 people present to witness the dedication and a number of our sister churches were represented. Rev. Nowell, who continued his strong support, delivered the dedication message.  Two days after the dedication, on February 1^st, the fund balance at Highland’s was a total of $13.20. Attendance during this time averaged 40 in Sunday School and 50 during worship services. Also in February 1970, Highland held its first baptismal service. Eventually Highland become self-supported and started to support other missions and missionaries, both foreign and domestic.

 While one of the primary missions of a church is to lead the lost to Christ, the church also serves as the home-The Sanctuary-for the saved. Highland Missionary Baptist is HOME and its members are brother and sisters in Christ.