Survivor of the Civil War Years, Tennessee's Woodland Baptist Church Marks 200 Years
The Haywood County congregation has recorded 468 baptisms and given more than $1 million to Southern Baptist missions. Its pastor asked the anniversary crowd what comes next: "what if we stop?"
Learn more ›BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. —
Woodland Baptist Church in Brownsville, Tenn., celebrated 200 years as an organized Southern Baptist congregation Oct. 17-18, the Baptist and Reflector reported. The Tennessee Baptist paper described the Haywood County church as one of the oldest in the state.
Pastor Randy Kellough preached on God's faithfulness from Lamentations 3:22-23. “Having a history of 200 years is great — but what if we stop? God's Word is still faithful,” he told the congregation.
See where this is ›Minister of music Jerry Elson opened the service with the choir singing “The Old Country Church.” The congregation also sang “Victory in Jesus” and “The Old Rugged Cross,” with Michell Sills at the piano and Valerie Sceals at the organ.
Two Tennessee Baptist Mission Board leaders sent video messages. Danny Sinquefield, the board's Harvest Field 1 leader, said the church has given more than $1 million to the Cooperative Program, the Southern Baptist missions fund, and has recorded 468 baptisms. Randy C. Davis, the board's president and executive director, praised Kellough and his wife, Paula.
The church traces its roots to the early 1800s, when settlers including the Bond family came to West Tennessee from Jamestown, Va. Others arrived from North Carolina by way of East Tennessee and the Cumberland Gap. They farmed cotton on the flat land of Haywood and neighboring Madison counties and organized Brown's Creek Baptist Church.
The congregation came through the Civil War, with battles and skirmishes nearby, the paper reported. Its members later served in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and other conflicts, and some died in service. The present sanctuary, built on the Akron plan, dates to 1920, and the National Register of Historic Places lists the building at 885 Woodland Church Road.
What we don't know yet: The Baptist and Reflector report does not give a founding year. Union University's archives guide to the church's records says the congregation was founded in Haywood County in 1835 as Browns Creek and took the name Woodland in September 1870. Watchman News could not determine how the church dates its 200 years.
