Penia Baptist celebrates 175 years

Homepage

Related Photos

Penia church celebrates 175 years

October 19, 2011

Anonymous Cordele Dispatch The Cordele Dispatch Wed Oct 19, 2011, 07:46 PM EDT

Cordele — CORDELE — This year’s homecoming observance will hold a special meaning for Penia Baptist Church as members prepare to celebrate the church’s 175th Anniversary.

A special homecoming service will be held at 11 a.m. and all members current and former are invited to attend. The Georgia Baptist Convention will present the church with a plaque commemorating the milestone anniversary after which Pastor Gary Leutzinger will be bringing the message. Leutzinger serves as the associational missionary for the Houston Baptist Association. A dinner will follow the service in the church social hall.

One of the oldest churches in the area Penia started as mission in 1836. The community was originally known as the “City of Pines,” but was later changed to Penia. Some of the early meetings of the church were held on a hillside toward Seville and also in homes.

In 1893 the church joined the Houston Baptist Association with a membership of 81. Isaac Hobby was pastor at that time and remained as such until 1903. During the early 1900’s Penia was a bustling community with a train depot, and a post office. The rich farmland attracted many families from north Georgia and other areas. Some of the founding members are ancestors of present members in Sanders, Walls, Dorough, Farrow and Cape families as well as others.

In 1913 the building was heavily damaged by a storm and was rebuilt. Men of the church stepped forward and did the work themselves. It was a wooden church with a steeple and a stained glass window with three big oak trees standing near the building. There was also an area school in operation right beside the church.

In 1918, the church membership grew to 216. Training and Women’s Missionary Union (WMU) were established. The Baptist Young People’s Union (BYPU) was also very active at the time. In 1921, S.J. Walls was elected president of the WMU and Eloise Wright started the Sunbeams. Many tent revivals were held during that time and many hearts were stirred. Most people who attended service walked or rode to church on a horse-drawn wagon. For many years the church had preaching on a monthly basis as pastors ministered to several congregations at once.

In 1939 A. B. Hosea became pastor and served for 14 years. In 1950, services were held twice a month in the and then in 1958 the church started having weekly worship services.

Some of the early church clerks were J.A. Wells, M.D. Cape, C.G. Farrow, and J.P. Taylor. Roy Farrow was Training Union Director for many years. Troy Sheffield served Penia as pastor from 1960-1964 and later became Director of Missions for the Houston Baptist Association. The members were active for a number of years in the softball program under the leadership of Pastor Lawton Sammons who served 32 years as pastor at Penia beginning in 1965.

In 1978 The porch was added to the front of the sanctuary andteh stained glass windows were installed. In 1980 the church added a dining hall and renovated the education building. The parking lot was paved in 1984.

Throughout the years the church has made many precious and lasting memories. Some of the most precious of them have been the many Christmas plays performed by both adults and youth in the church. The productions have a heart-warming story to capture the special meaning of the birth of Christ for everyone. Mary Hall and Margaret Sanders sewed each costume tailor made for the pariticipants.

After Sammons’ retirement, Byron Sherman served for one year before Pierce Wilcox followed him as interim pastor. Through the years Penia has continued to be a thriving rural church with thoughts about the future. In 2000, the church purchased four and a half acres of adjoining property for expansion. Pastor Bill Kent came to the church in November that same year.

In October 2003 the church voted to build an addition with new Sunday School rooms, handicapped bathrooms, kitchen, office space, a drive-thru and a new parking lot. During the construction the Georgia Baptist Builders and local church members worked diligently to raise the building which was completed in January 2007.

James Bryan came to the church as interim pastor and remained in that capacity until Ray Burnette was called in 2009. The church has made great progress under Burnettes’s leadership.

Harolene Shingler has served as the church music director for 21 years and Drew Richey is the new youth director. Many of the church youth are involved in the puppet ministry.

Now 175 years later Penia continues a strong missions tradition with Girls i∂n Action (GA’s), Royal Ambassadors (RA’s) and Mission Friends as well as having active WMU and Brotherhood organizations.

Text Only

Homepage

Search Results

Related Photos

Penia Baptist celebrates 175 years

Do you agree with President Obama's support of gay marriage?

Site Map

Contact Us