First Cedar Creek Baptist Church celebrates its 235th birthday
Veterans honored at the recent Memorial Day Service at The First Cedar Creek Baptist Church. From left, Anetta Young, Ray Young, Louis “June” Brothers, Michael Morris, Leroy Keeling, Ray Rountree, Tony Leslie, Sam O’Bryan, and Jonathan Anthony
Community News
Wednesday, July 29, 2016 — The First Cedar Creek Baptist Church will celebrate her 235th birthday during the 11 a.m. service this Sunday, July 3, 2016. The theme for the day, and for each celebration the last 35 years, is “To God Be the Glory!”
The celebration service will begin with The Lord’s Supper which is prepared by the Deacons’ wives and served by the Deacons. Deacons of The First Cedar Creek Baptist Church are Ray Young, Tommy Watson, Craig Watson, Tim Rountree, Ray Rountree, Wayne Ritchie (Chairman), Leroy Keeling, Possum Hopper, and Eric Hafield.
Bro. Mickey Winter, the guest speaker for the day, will serve in the pastor’s role for The Lord’s Supper (Bro. Tim Lucas, the church’s pastor for the past 6-1/2 years, was recently called as pastor of Irvington Baptist Church).
The Adult Choir, led by Margareth Miguel, will sing a medley of patriotic hymns arranged by Russell Mauldin.
Margareth, a native of San Paulo, Brazil, has lived in Kentucky for eight years. She is a graduate of Campbellsville University. She was recently informed she could start the procedure to become an American citizen. She will speak briefly about what it means to her to become an American citizen.
Bro. Mickey Winter of Somerset is a pastor with a love for history – especially Baptist history. He is a member of the J.H. Spencer Historical Society who spent two years traveling across Kentucky gathering materials to write “The First Fifty Baptist Churches in Kentucky”.
Some of these churches still exist as Baptist congregations while others, in the ensuing 200 plus years, either disbanded or became Disciples of Christ congregations through the influence of Alexander Campbell.
Prior to Kentucky becoming a state in 1792, there were 50 Baptist churches in Kentucky. Two of those are Severns Valley Baptist Church in Elizabethtown and The First Cedar Creek Baptist Church in Bardstown. These two churches have the distinction of being the first and second oldest churches of any denomination west of the Allegheny Mountains. They shared many of the same circuit riding preachers. History of The First Cedar Creek Baptist Church shows she is probably the oldest but, being a patriotic church, she waited to be constituted July 4, 1781 and Severns Valley constituted in late June, 1781.
“The First Fifty Baptist Churches in Kentucky’, a hardback book, has 223 pages, and is $8.00. Bro. Winter will have copies available in the church Educational Building following the noon meal.
Another history book available for purchase is a cookbook recently put together by the ladies Median Class Bible study group of The First Cedar Creek Baptist Church. Professionally finished pages are in a three ring binder. The book has recipes and already published history of The First Cedar Creek Baptist Church. The cookbooks are $20.00 each with all proceeds going to the church Fellowship Hall Expansion Building Fund.
The fellowship meal following the morning service will have meat, bread, and birthday cake provided by the church. There will be a birthday cake bounce house for children attending.
All are invited to attend the 235th birthday celebration service and other activities of the church which include Bible study at 9:45 a.m. each Sunday for all age groups.
For more information contact the church historian, Lucille Keeling at 502-348-3196.
The First Cedar Creek Baptist Church is located 5 miles west of Bardstown off Boston Road (Hwy 62) on Bellwood Road (Hwy 733).
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