The following is from the Wayside Pentecostal Church 75th Annivery Booklet presented to Brother Jesse Booth at the celebration held December 3, 1995 for the church's 75th year.  The book was presented by Linda G. Day.    

"The first services in the Wayside community were held by Brother W.T. Hemphill in a Free Methodist Church across the road from the present church site in 1920.  After the church doors were padlocked, prayer meetings were held in the homes of the saints.  Sister Allie Parker received the Holy Ghost in one of these home prayer meetings. Soon after, Brother Hemphill began holding services in a tent, in which 1X12 boards across stumps served as pews.

It was said that some folds would come to cut the ropes so that the tent would collapse during services.  Saints have testified that Sister Ella Day was checking the ropes securing the tent one evening before service.  She was bitten by a poisonous snake, but as usual, she was at the evening meeting worshipping!  The tent never fell at Wayside!

A brush arbor was erected to the right of the church that now faces the road.  Services were conducted here until 1921, when the first tabernacle was built.  The tabernacle had a sawdust floor, shuttered windows, and a wood heater.  There was a platform in the front for the preacher to stand on when preaching.  Later, it was partitioned, and floors added before Brother Hemphill moved into the building.

In February 1922, 33 people were baptized.  Of these, one was an eight (8) year old girl.  She received the Holy Ghost in a prayer meeting at Brother Ed Day's home.  This little girl was Sister Mary Wolleson Townsend.

The first building was built about 1928.  Wooden shutters were used for windows.  Afterward, the ladies sold hens to buy glass window panes for the church. Brother Willis Montgomery had a saw mill and donated lumber for the church.  Brother Hemphill built the seats. 

Later, a parsonage was added to the back of the church.

Times were hard in the Wayside Community during the depression years, just as it was elsewhere.  For several years the congregation declined and only a few faithful members dept the door open.

Sister Ella Day and the others would bring lanterns from home to light the sanctuary.  She would lead the service, the singing, and many times deliver the message.

During the forties, the offering would be only 30 to 40 cents. The parsonage had grown to three rooms.

No cooking was done on the Sabbath so all food was prepared on Friday. Every Saturday evening there was Sabbath Bible School (Sunday School) to enjoy.  Brother Moody began these meetings where he read scripture to both children and adults. Sister Lois Wollerson, who was about nine (9) years old, attended those bible classes.  Brother Holland Wollerson, also nine (9), was baptized during this time by Brother Barker at Rocky Bottom. Brother Moody encouraged the classes to go to Baton Rouge and New Orleans on Sunday School trips.

In 1950, Brother Doyle Aaron pastored the Wayside Church.  Brother Clarence Wiley was holding a revival at the church when Brother Aaron decided to leave.  Reverend Jesse Boothe, graduate of the International Bible College of San Antonio, Texas, attended services one night with Brother C. B. Wiley and was asked to stay on as pastor. Brother Boothe had pastored in Tennessee and Arkansas before God led him to the small church at Wayside. During this time, the Sunday School attendance had fallen to very few. 

Brother Boothe put a canvas top on his fishing vehicle and began to transport children from all over to the church.  Out of this came a revival in the church.  Brother Boothe paid an evangelist's salary by commercial fishing using the same truck.  The church again began to grow.

During the late 1960's, Brother Clyde Grayson, pastor, was responsible for the addition of the Sunday School rooms, restrooms in the rear of the church and the kitchen wing.  The ladies of the church quilted and sold donuts and peanut brittle to pay for the additions.  Sister Merle Wollerson, Sister Mary Walker, Sister Bertha Browning, Sister Dean, Sister Sarah Kemp, Sister Ollie Reeves, Sister Hodge, Sister Katie Parker, Sister Justine Newman, Sister Ruby Day and many, many other cooked and worked for this addition. In order to separate the rostrum from the pews the sisters also raised the money for drapes. They not only made the money for the material, they also made the curtains and hung them.

The 1970's brought about the return of Brother Jesse Boothe.  A four bedroom brick parsonage was built at this time, as well as a new roofline for the church.  A large fellowship hall was built behind the church in 1983.  Most of this work was done by the men of the church who labored many hours every evening after work.

In 1992, the people decided it was time to give a "face lift" to the 40 year old building.  A beautiful foyer, two restrooms, a sound room, and nursery were added to the front of the building.  The sanctuary was papered and re-paneled during this time, and a baptistry added with a mural painted by John Walters. It is for the dedication of this new addition and the celebration of the 75 continuous year of praise and worship at the Wayside Pentecostal Church this booklet has been prepared." 

Under the pastorate of Brother Pete, the church remodeled the Family Life Center.

In 2007, under the pastorate of Brother Tommy Cotten, the church again remodeled to increase the size of the sanctuary.  The current foyer was added at this time.

God has truly blessed Wayside in that we had a "note burning" service in November of 2008. The construction to the church was completely paid off. 

Wayside Pentecostal Church, now renamed The Pentecostals of  Wayside, has continued to grow since the note burning service in 2008. We now have a new church building under construction to the left of the current building where the parsonage once sat. Brother and Sister Cotten allowed their home (the parsonage) located beside the church to be demolished so that Wayside would be able to build a new larger building that will be able to seat more souls, our current building is at maximum capacity. We look forward to what God is continuing to do at Wayside and are anxious to praise him in the new sanctuary. If you would like to see the progress of the new building please click the "history" tab and then locate the button named "Building Progress" and click it for information and pictures.