Rich Creek Baptist Church
The Rich Creek Baptist Church was founded on February 8,1869, out of a desire expressed by members of the Princeton Baptist Church to have new church in the Spanishburg area. Under the leadership of a council formed by the Princeton Baptist, Peterstown Church, and Mountain View Church, a meeting was held at the Bethel Meeting House in Mercer County, West Virginia. Twenty members interested in attending the newly formed church were also present at the meeting. The council resolved and circumstances fully justified the formation of the contemplated church.
The Covenant and Declaration of faith were adopted and recorded in the records of the church. "The Hand of Fellowship was presented and the church recognized as authorized to do work in full of a church of Our Lord Jesus Christ."
The first meeting of the members of Rich Creek Baptist Church was held on February 9, 1869. At this meeting Isaac McKinney was appointed church clerk and a motion was made that they meet again at the Bethel Meeting. Brother James Swenney preached and the meeting was dismissed.
The church body met again March 28, 1869. At this time the church extended a call to Elder W.K. Williams to the pastorate of the church. The church petitioned to the Board of the General Association of West Virginia for a donation to aid in the support of the Pastor.
The Rich Creek Baptist Church met in Bethel Meeting House until September 1893 when they began meeting at the Spanishburg School House. On April 28, 1898 the church held it's first service in their own church house located on Route 19 North in Spanishburg, West Virginia. The current location is on Route 19 North in Spanishburg, one mile south of the original location. The building was built and moved into in November 1972. This building has been expanded many times but is still at the same location. A new auditorium was added to this church in 1998.
The Church has had twenty-three pastors since it's conception in 1869. Of those that have held pastorate of the church, three men were with this church longer than ten years. Reverend G.C. Anderson was pastor of the church several different times for a total of thirteen years. Reverend B.H. Stephens held the pastorate of the church twice for a total of twenty-six years. In July 1974, the church called Reverend Ralph D. Calfee to the pastorate. Pastor Calfee celebrated 40 years of service in July 2014.
Of the original twenty members of the church were the great-grandfather of Pastor Calfee, Andrew Jackson Calfee. The church membership has increased to a roll of over 500 members, over three hundred of these members are active.
The Covenant and Declaration of faith were adopted and recorded in the records of the church. "The Hand of Fellowship was presented and the church recognized as authorized to do work in full of a church of Our Lord Jesus Christ."
The first meeting of the members of Rich Creek Baptist Church was held on February 9, 1869. At this meeting Isaac McKinney was appointed church clerk and a motion was made that they meet again at the Bethel Meeting. Brother James Swenney preached and the meeting was dismissed.
The church body met again March 28, 1869. At this time the church extended a call to Elder W.K. Williams to the pastorate of the church. The church petitioned to the Board of the General Association of West Virginia for a donation to aid in the support of the Pastor.
The Rich Creek Baptist Church met in Bethel Meeting House until September 1893 when they began meeting at the Spanishburg School House. On April 28, 1898 the church held it's first service in their own church house located on Route 19 North in Spanishburg, West Virginia. The current location is on Route 19 North in Spanishburg, one mile south of the original location. The building was built and moved into in November 1972. This building has been expanded many times but is still at the same location. A new auditorium was added to this church in 1998.
The Church has had twenty-three pastors since it's conception in 1869. Of those that have held pastorate of the church, three men were with this church longer than ten years. Reverend G.C. Anderson was pastor of the church several different times for a total of thirteen years. Reverend B.H. Stephens held the pastorate of the church twice for a total of twenty-six years. In July 1974, the church called Reverend Ralph D. Calfee to the pastorate. Pastor Calfee celebrated 40 years of service in July 2014.
Of the original twenty members of the church were the great-grandfather of Pastor Calfee, Andrew Jackson Calfee. The church membership has increased to a roll of over 500 members, over three hundred of these members are active.