Billy Turner, Pastor

WHO WE ARE

"For we are God’s masterpiece.
He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do
the good things he planned for us long ago."  Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

HOW GOD SEES US: Can you be a new church plant if your church has been in existence since 1894? That's how we see ourselves at First Eunice, and that's what we're doing. We think there are three important aspects to a church, how God sees us, how we see ourselves, and as you see us. We believe God sees us as a purpose-driven church. Our purpose is to do the good things God planned us to do.

HOW WE SEE OURSELVES: We see ourselves as a congregation designed for a new day with intentional outreach to (but not limited to) younger emerging generations. We also see ourselves as a believer-oriented, seeker-sensitive church. Our goal is to help those who are lost and least, and we're not just talking about them, we're taking concrete steps to reach them.

HOW DO YOU SEE US? We suspect you will see us as a small but growing church, but the growth we're most interested in is spiritual growth so numbers have little bearing. Our Small Groups are designed to help us all learn to Gather, Grow and Go. Our belief is that growing closer to God is a systematic process, one of learning, one of caring, then one of leaving to help others. We believe how you see us is important, so please let us know how the website, the church, our ministry is going.
119 Years of Ministry    
1894 - 2012
Reverend W.W. Fraser, a circuit rider, served as the
church's first pastor in 1894. The congregation worshiped
in private homes. On August 6, 1896, C.C. Duson, founder
of Eunice, deeded the land on which now stands First
United Methodist Church. All early Protestant marriages
in Eunice were recorded in the Methodist church. Until
1905, when the Baptists built their own building, Baptists
and Methodists held Sunday School on alternate Sundays
in the one-room frame Methodist Church.  In 1918, a new, larger frame building was built. The present brick sanctuary was completed in the early 1940s.










































  ABOUT THE UM CROSS &  FLAME

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Pastors

  • 1894-1896 Rev. Fraser (Circuit Rider)
  • 1896-1900 W.J. Porter
  • 1900-1902 J.J. Kelly
  • 1902-1906 J.D. Nesom
  • 1906-1906 A.H. Parker
  • 1906-1907 J.F. Patterson
  • 1907-1910 S.D. Howard
  • 1910-1012 J.I. Hoffpauir
  • 1912-1913 W.H. Long
  • 1913-1917 A.A. Bernard
  • 1917-1918 J.D. Nesom
  • 1918-1920 P.H. Fontaine (Eunice-Gueydan)
  • 1920-1925 J.I. Hoffpauir
  • 1925-1926 J.L. Cady
  • 1926-1928 I.T. Reames
  • 1928-1929 G.D. Purcell
  • 1929-1930 R.T. Pickett
  • 1930-1934 J.A. Knight
  • 1934-1935 T.J. Holladay
  • 1935-1938 M.W. Beadle
  • 1938-1939 G.H. Corry
  • 1939-1942 O.W. Spinks
  • 1942-1944 A.A. Collins   PHOTO>
  • 1944-1946 H.B. Teer
  • 1946-1951 James L. Stovall   PHOTO>
  • 1951-1957 Ned Stout
  • 1957-1957 E.W. Day
  • 1957-1960 Wilson W. Watson   PHOTO>
  • 1960-1964 Robert W. Bengtson (Eunice-Basile) (Eunice-Ville Platte)   PHOTO>
  • 1964-1964 Robert W. Bengtson (Eunice-Ville Platte)   PHOTO>
  • 1964-1969 Robert C. Carter (Eunice-Ville Platte)   PHOTO>
  • 1970-1973 Carey A. Martin (Eunice-Ville Platte)   PHOTO>
  • 1973-1977 William I. Eubanks (Eunice-Ville Platte)   PHOTO>
  • 1977-1978 William V. Sirman (Eunice-Ville Platte)  
  • 1978-1979 George A. McVay, Jr. (Eunice-Ville Platte)   PHOTO>
  • 1979-1982 George A. McVay, Jr. (Eunice-Iota)   PHOTO>
  • 1982-1986 William A. Rowell, Jr. (Eunice-Iota)   PHOTO> 
  • 1986-1989 Lillard Bevill (Eunice-Iota)
  • 1989-1992 John W. Guyre (Eunice-Iota)   PHOTO>
  • 1992-1993 John W. Guyre (Eunice-Ville Platte)   PHOTO>
  • 1993-2000 Gary Van Horn (Eunice-Ville Platte)
  • 2000-2001 Jenny Brouillette (Eunice-Ville Platte)
  • 2001-2004 Frank Davis (Eunice-Pine Prairie)   PHOTO>
  • 2004-2006 Carolyn Volentine (Eunice-Iota)
  • 2006-2008 Truman Stagg (Eunice-Iota)   PHOTO>
  • 2008-2010 Truman Stagg (Eunice-Iota-Kinder)   PHOTO>
  • 2010-2011 Douglas Milliron (Eunice-Iota-Kinder)   PHOTO>
  • 2011-2012 (Interim) Willis Dear (Eunice-Iota-Kinder)   PHOTO> 
  • 2012-2013 William "Billy" Turner (Eunice-Iota-Kinder)   PHOTO>
  • 2012-present William "Billy" Turner (Eunice-Iota-Church Point)   PHOTO>

Methodist History

In 1729 England, a small group of Oxford University students were ridiculed as "Bible Bigots," the "Holy Club" and "Methodists" because they spent so much time in methodical prayer and Bible reading.  Led by John and Charles Wesley, the students held their ground against the jeering students and went out to preach and pray with those considered to be the underbelly of English society.

The United Methodist Church is the result of a 1939 merger of three Methodist bodies (Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal South and Methodist Protestant churches), and a 1968 union of the Evangelical United Brethren and The Methodist churches.
    More History>
     John Wesley         Charles Wesley          Thomas Coke           Francis Asbury       Philip Otterbein

Well-Known Methodists, just to name a few...

  • Charles Wesley - hymn composer, John's brother (1701-1788)
  • John Wesley - Founder of Methodism, a life-long Anglican (1703-1791)
  • George Whitfield - prominent early Methodist preacher (1714-1770)
  • Francis Asbury - first Bishop of American Methodism (1745-1816)
  • Thomas Coke - "Father of Methodist Missions" (1747-1814)
  • Richard Allen - founder of African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) (1760-1831)
  • James Knox Polk - 11th US President (1795-1849)
  • Sojourner Truth - abolitionist (1797-1883)
  • Daniel Payne - first black college president (1811-1893)
  • Harriet Tubman - abolitionist (1820-1913)
  • Fanny Crosby - one of the most prolific hymn writers in history (1820-1915)
  • Ulysses S. Grant - 18th US President (1822-1885)
  • Rutherford B. Hayes - 19th US President (1822-1893)
  • Thomas Welch - founder of grape juice company (1825-1903)
  • Geronimo - last Indian to surrender (1829-1909)
  • William Booth - Methodist minister, founder of The Salvation Army (1829-1912)
  • Bustavus Swift - founder of Swift and Company, meat producers (1839-1903)
  • William McKinley - 25th US President (1843-1901)
  • Dr. Walter Reed - Navy MD (1851-1902)
  • Charles Tindley - gospel music composer (1851-1933)
  • Arthur Henderson - Nobel Prize recipient (1863-1935)
  • Alben W. Barkley - US Vice President under Truman (1877-1956)
  • John R. Mott - missionary, statesman (1865-1955)
  • Stephen Crane - author of "The Red Badge of Courage" (1871-1900)
  • W.C. Handy - Father of the Blues (St. Louis Blues, Memphis Blues) (1873-1958)
  • D.W. Griffith - silent film director (1875-1948)
  • Will Rogers - actor, American Cowboy, Entertainer, Humorist (1879-1935)
  • Wesley Branch Rickey - baseball executive, signed Jackie Robinson (1881-1965)
  • Bob Jones - founder of Bob Jones University (1883-1968)
  • E.J. Pratt - poet, Newfoundland Verse (1883-1964)
  • Chiang Kai-Shek - President of Nationalist China (1887-1975)
  • Fred Vinson - US Supreme Court Chief Justice (1890-1953)
  • William Foxwell Albright - authenticated the Dead Sea Scrolls (1891-1971)
  • Lester B. Pearson - former Prime Minister of Canada (1897-1972)
  • Madame Chiang Kai-Shek - 1st Lady of Nat'list China, The Dragon Lady (1898-2003)
  • Madge Blake - actress (1899-1969)
  • Tallulah Bankhead - actress & radio personality (1902-1968)
  • Una Merkel - actress (1903-1986)
  • Alfred P. Murrah - OK City Federal Building namesake (1904-1975)
  • Myrna Loy - actress (1905-1993)
  • Gene Autry - cowboy singer/actor (1907-1998)
  • Harry Blackmun - US Supreme Court Justice (1908-1999)
  • Buster Crabbe - actor & professional swimmer (1908-1983)
  • George Beverly Shea - Billy Graham ministries, worship leader (1909-2013)
  • Hugh Beaumont - actor, Ward Cleaver in Leave It To Beaver (1909-1982)
  • Virginia Bruce - MGM Actress in the 1930s (1910-1982)
  • Gloria Stuart - Actress (1910-2010)
  • Chiang Ching-Kuo - former President of Nationalist China (1910-1988)
  • Maidie Norman - actress (1912-1998)
  • Patricia Nixon - First Lady of the US, wife of President Richard Nixon (1912-1993)
  • Louis Marshall "Grandpa" Jones - actor, appeared on the hit TV show HeeHaw (1913-1998)
  • Rosa Parks - Civil Rights activist, wouldn't sit in back of bus (1913-2005)
  • Cal Turner - founder of Dollar General Corporation (1915-2000)
  • Martha Raye - actress (1916-1994)
  • John Connally - former Governor of Texas (1917-1993)
  • Don Marion - silent film child actor (1917-2012)
  • Ella Fitzgerald - singer (1917-1996)
  • Robert Mitchum - actor (1917-1997)
  • Marsha Hunt - actress, honorary mayor of Palm Springs, CA (1917- )
  • Phyllis Diller - comedian (1917-2012)
  • Russell Long, US Senator, son of Gov. Huey Long (1918-2003)
  • William Holden - actor (1918-1981)
  • Jackie Robinson - baseball player (1919-1972)
  • Tennessee Ernie Ford - singer (1919-1991)
  • Howard Keel - actor, Clayton Farlow on Dallas (1919-2004)
  • Caren Marsh Doll - actress (1919- )
  • Frank G. Clement - former Governor of Tennessee (1920-1969)
  • Esther Rolle - actress, famous for role as Florida Evans (mother in Good Times) (1920-1998)
  • Donna Reed - actress (1921-1986)
  • Cyd Charrise - actress/dancer (1922-2008)
  • Dorothy Morris - actress (1922-2011)
  • George McGovern - politician, presidential candidate (1922-2012)
  • Cecil Underwood - former Governor of West Virginia (1922-2008)
  • Gloria Grahame - actress (1923-1981)
  • Daniel Inouye - US Senator from Hawaii (1924-2012)
  • Geraldine Page - actress (1924-1987)
  • Tom Landry - pro football coach (1924-2000)
  • Warren Christopher - US Secretary of State under Clinton (1925-2011)
  • Abel Muzorewa - former President of Zimbabwe (1925-2010)
  • Dorothy Malone - actress (1925 - )
  • Fred Gwynne - actor, Herman on "The Munsters" (1926-1993)
  • Jean Peters - actress (1926-2000)
  • Patricia Neal - actress (1926-2010)
  • Kay Christopher - actress/model (1926-2012)
  • Patti Page - singer/actress (1927-2013)
  • James Garner - actor (1928 - )
  • Frank O'Bannon, former Governor of Indiana (1930-2003)
  • Lee H. Hamilton - politician, 9-11 Commission vice chairman (1931- )
  • Richard Lugar - US Senator from Indiana (1932- )
  • Zell Miller - former US Senator from Georgia (1932- )
  • William Christopher - actor, Father Mulcahy on M*A*S*H (1932- )
  • Nina Simone - jazz singer (1933-2003)
  • Dr. Joycelyn Elders - first African American to serve as US Surgeon General (1933- )
  • Jayne Mansfield - actress (1933-1967)
  • Willie Nelson - musician (1933- )
  • George Ryan - former Governor of Illinois (1934- )
  • Bart Starr - football player (1934- )
  • Rue McClanahan - actress (1934-2010)
  • Kirk Fordice - former Governor of Mississippi (1934-2004)
  • Charles Turnbull - Governor of the Virgin Islands (1935- )
  • Vernon Jordan - advisor to President Clinton (1935- )
  • Elizabeth Dole - US Senator from North Carolina (1936- )
  • John Poindexter - US Military, Iran Contra figure (1936- )
  • Superman (fictional character) (1938)
  • Ellen Johnson Sirleaf - President of Liberia (1938- )
  • Roberta Flack - singer/composer (1939- )
  • Jeff Smith - chef, The Frugal Gormet (1939-2004)
  • Dionne Warwicke - singer (1940- )
  • Fran Tarkenton - football player (1940- )
  • Richard "Dick" Cheney - US Vice President under George W. Bush (1941- )
  • Ted Strickland - former Governor of Ohio (1941- )
  • Dennis Hastert - Speaker of the US House of Representatives (1942- )
  • Ken Lay - former CEO of Enron (1942-2006)
  • Bob Taft - Governor of Ohio (1942- )
  • Charles "Buddy" Roemer - former Governor of Louisiana (1943- )
  • Dan Reeves - former NFL player and coach (1944- )
  • George Walker Bush - 43rd US President (1946- )
  • Laura Bush - First Lady of the United States (1946- )
  • Jeff Sessions - US Senator from Alabama (1946- )
  • Fox McKeithen - Louisiana Secretary of State (1946-2005)
  • Mack McLarty - President Clinton's Chief of Staff (1946- )
  • Tim Curry - actor (1946- )
  • Richard Carpenter - musician, The Carpenters (1946- )
  • Hillary Rodham-Clinton - US Senator from New York, former First Lady of the United States (1947- )
  • Richard Baker - US Congressman from Louisiana (1948- )
  • Kathy Bates - actress (1948 - )
  • Roy Barnes - former Governor of Georgia (1948- )
  • Dave Heineman - Governor of Nebraska (1948- )
  • Bill Graves - former Governor of Kansas (1949- )
  • Jim Gilmore - former Governor of Virginia (1949- )
  • Jim McCrery - US Congressman from Louisiana (1949- )
  • Rick Perry - Governor of Texas (1950- )
  • Karen Carpenter - musician, The Carpenters (1950-1983)
  • Rush Limbaugh - radio talk show personality (1951- )
  • Dirk Kempthorne - former Governor of Idaho (1951- )
  • Patricia Richardson - actress (1951- )
  • Debra Jo Rupp - actress (1951 - )
  • John Edwards - former US Senator from North Carolina, presidential candidate (1953- )
  • Mike D. McCurry - former White House Press Secretary to Pres Bill Clinton (1954- )
  • Kathleen Turner - actress (1954- )
  • Matt Groening - cartoonist, creator of The Simpsons (1954- )
  • Charles Crist, Jr. - Governor of Florida (1956- )
  • Jim Hodges - former Governor of South Carolina (1956- )
  • Jay Nixon - Governor of Missouri (1956- )
  • Scott Pelley - journalist, 60 Minutes (1957- )
  • Mark Parkinson - Governor of Kansas (1957- )
  • Janet Napolitano - Fmr Governor of Arizona, US Secretary of Homeland Security (1957- )
  • Boris Trajkovski - former President of Macedonia (1956-2004)
  • Robert Ehrlick Jr. - former Governor of Maryland (1957- )
  • Leeza Gibbons - talk show host (1957- )
  • Ralph Reed - former head of the Christian Coalition (1961- )
  • Tori Amos - performer (1963- )
  • Toni Braxton - singer (1967- )
  • Ben Affleck - actor (1972- )
  • Beyoncé Giselle Knowles - singer/songwriter (1981- )
  • Ben Roethlisberger - athlete (1982-)