Richmond Kentucky First Church of the Nazaene

The Richmond First Church of the Nazarene was started in 1921. The charter members, who formed the Church, built a new building at 136 Aspen Avenue in Richmond, Kentucky in 1925 on the site of an old coal yard.

Pastors

• The first Pastor of the Church was Rev. Glenn E. Miller, who served from 1925-1928.
• The second Pastor, Rev. C.F. Pegram, served for one year, 1929.
• The third Pastor, Rev. Mrs. Edith Rice, served from 1929-1931.
• The fourth Pastor, Rev. O.A. Singleton, served from 1931-1932.
• The fifth Pastor, Rev. M.L. Brown served from 1932-1934.
• The sixth Pastor, Rev. J. Frank Simpson, served from 1934-1937.
• The seventh Pastor, Rev. D.S. Somerville, served from 1937-1943.
• The eighth Pastor, Rev. Kline F. Dickerson, served from 1943-1949.
• The ninth Pastor, Rev. Asa H. Sparks, served from 1949-1954.
• The tenth Pastor, Rev. M.E. Perkins, served from 1954-1957.
• The eleventh Pastor, Rev. G.W, Williams, served from 1957-1960.
• The twelfth Pastor, Rev. Duane Landreth, served from 1960-1963.
• The thirteenth Pastor, Rev. Simon Gorman, served from 1963-1967, during this time there was also an Associate Pastor, Rev. David Dieki.
• The fourteenth Pastor, Rev. Robert Cannon, served from 1967-1974.
• The fifteenth Pastor, Rev. David Prater, served from 1974-1982, from 1975-1977, Rev. Phillip Bowles served as Associate Pastor. Rev. Prater later became the District Superintendent for the Easter Kentucky District.
• The sixteenth Pastor, Rev. Ron Wesley, served from 1982-1983, Rev. Don Brown served as Youth Minister in 1983.
• The seventeenth Pastor, Rev. Wesley Delk, served from 1983-1986 and Bro. Lester Fahringer, served as Associate Pastor.
• The eighteenth Pastor, Rev. Denzil Huff, served from 1986-1992, Rev. George Chassé served as Associate Pastor from 1992-1993 and Bro. Lester Fahringer, served as Visitation Pastor and Minister to Seniors.
• The nineteenth Pastor, Rev. Richard Beckham served from 1993-2000, with Bro. Preston Brown serving as Minister of Music and Associate Pastor from 1993-1996.

Current

In 2000, under the Pastoral leadership of Dr. Art Hobbs, the Church moved from the Aspen Avenue location to a new facility on Lancaster Avenue. The new facility provides more seating capacity and more Sunday school rooms. There are plans to build an all-purpose building sometime in the future.

Sources

• Richmond First Church of the Nazarene Pictoral Directory. United Church Directories: 1993