OUR HISTORY

The Lynn Haven Baptist Church began as a mission on the third Sunday of November, 1960, when a group of twelve people met for the purpose of organizing a Southern Baptist Church in the Lynn Haven area of Vinton, Virginia. These twelve people enlisted the support of the Vinton Baptist Church and the Roanoke Baptist Missionary and Social Union which paid the rent on the store building in the 1400 block of Washington Avenue on Route 24 where the mission would meet.

Dr. H. W. Connelly was asked to serve as pastor. A survey of the community was made, and the enlistment of interested persons gave the mission rapid growth.

Dr. Connelly led the first business meeting in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Spickard on Halliahurst Avenue December 1, 1960. The first church officers elected were: TRUSTEES-H. M. Scott, J. G. Johnson and W. D. Simmons; DEACONS-Irvin B. Robertson, H. M. Scott, J. T. Kessler, H. M. Wright, D. C. Carr and W. 0. Wheeler; CLERK - Mrs. Guy L. Gearhart; ENROLLING CLERK-Donald Wheeler; FINANCIAL SECRETARY-Frances Payne; TREASURER-Guy L. Gearhart; CHOIR DIRECTOR-Mrs. H. M. Scott; PIANIST-Mrs. Herman L Horn; ASSISTANT PIANIST-Mrs. W. 0. Wheeler; SUNDAY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT-H. M. Scott; TRAINING UNION DIRECTOR-D. C. Carr.

Sunday School and Training Union officers and teachers were elected and began serving as the congregation grew.

A program of organization meeting was held June 4, 1961, with 86 charter members present. The Sunday School enrollment at that time was 92. Two Sunday School classes were meeting in the barber shop across Route 24, and one class of children was meeting in a car. Miss Frances Payne gave the use of a lower apartment of her house and three basement rooms to be used for Sunday School classrooms. The first year in the store building, the Sunday School had reached an enrollment of 130 with an average attendance of 77. The church membership had passed the 100 mark.

After a survey, the Roanoke Baptist Missionary and Social Union was able to locate and purchase a suitable building site (five acres) along Route 24. The property was later given to the Church.

Dr. Connelly continued to serve as pastor until December 10, 1961. At that time the Church extended a call to Rev. Edmund C. Tull of the First Baptist Church of Appalachia, Virginia, to become pastor. Rev. Tull came to Lynn Haven on January 21, 1962.

Plans for a new church building were being formulated at the time Rev. Tull came as pastor. The members of the first Building Committee were: Charlie Overstreet, chairperson, Carl Brown, R. Paul Burton, S. O. Cawley and H. M. Wright. Grading was started on the new building site in the spring of 1962, and on May 20, 1962, the Church accepted the bid of contractor W. W. Emerson to build the new building. The first service was held in the new sanctuary on December 23, 1962, and it was dedicated on January 6, 1963.

A committee composed of Mrs. E. C. Tull, chairperson, Mrs. O. E. Bailey, Mrs. H. R. Bates and Mrs. Paul Burton met on May 22, 1962, to plan and study organizing a Woman’s Missionary Union. With the assistance of the Associational officers of the Roanoke Valley WMU, the first WMU of the Church was organized in June, 1962, with Mrs. H. M. Scott as president. Girls Auxiliary (GA’s) under the leadership of Barbara Johnson, and Royal Ambassadors (RA’S) under the leadership of Irvin B. Robertson, had been active from the time of the Church organization.

And God Found Us Faithful! With God’s grace and His equipping, staff and members went, visited, witnessed and ministered, and Lynn Haven Baptist Church grew. From 1962 to September, 1969, the membership increased to 283; the Sunday School enrollment increased to 329 with an average attendance of 147. Vacation Bible School that year had an enrollment of 137. During those years the first building program (sanctuary) was completed; deacons were ordained and began an active deacon ministry; a fully graded choir program was begun; picnics and fellowships were enjoyed; and committees were put in place as needed. Rev. Tull resigned November 5, 1967, and Mr. Tom Toler served as interim pastor until Rev. Norman Arrington came in March, 1968. He served the Church as pastor until November, 1970.

The preaching, teaching, ministering, and witnessing continued, and a drama ministry was started. An outdoor Easter drama was presented as a Sunrise Service on the hill behind the church where crosses were erected, a tomb was made and a “Roman soldier” rode a live horse over the grounds.

A parsonage was purchased but later sold in order for pastors to be able to build up equity in property themselves. In January, 1967, a Planning & Survey Committee began planning for a new Sunday School wing that was completed in 1968. A Kitchen Committee was added to the roster of committees, and Wednesday night pot luck dinners were enjoyed.

After Rev. Arrington’s resignation, Rev. Frank Eakin served as interim pastor until Rev. Bill Kincaid became pastor March 12, 1972. The Church membership had reached 353 by September 30, 1972, Sunday School enrollment was 362, and Vacation Bible School had an enrollment of 195.

Much emphasis was placed on Sunday School, Sunday School leadership training, discipleship training, witnessing and visitation. The Church hired its first full-time Minister of Education and Music; paid off its indebtedness on the Sunday School wing; planned, built and dedicated the present sanctuary; renovated the first floor of the Sunday School wing for church offices and renovated the former sanctuary, renaming it the Educational Building.

During the early 70’s a Library Committee was formed, and a library was started. We now have 3630 books and 212 videos. Preschool and children’s Sunday School classes use the library regularly to supplement their studies.

Rev. Kincaid resigned April 8, 1979, and Rev. Bob Porter served as interim pastor.

Dr. Robert L. Wayne was called as pastor October 21, 1979, and served the Church until January, 1993.

The present sanctuary was remodeled and a new sound system installed in 1985.

A Planning Committee for a Christian Activities Building was formed in 1984; groundbreaking was September 25, 1988; the building was first used June 4, 1989, and dedicated January 14, 1990.

In 1985 a sister relationship with mission work in Stowe, VT, was begun; a mission team of nine people went in 1985; ten people went to Burlington, VT, in 1987 and another group in 1989. In 1985 Rev. Steve Manuel, Associate Pastor/Minister of Education/Youth, with his wife, Barbara, were called as missionaries to Mexico. Their membership remained at Lynn Haven and their “ministry letters” were distributed through the monthly newsletter, The Informer. Graded mission groups continued; Baptist Young Women (now Manuel Baptist Women) was formed in October, 1983, and Akins Baptist Women was formed in 1989. A Men’s Brotherhood was re-organized in March, 1990.

A 25th Anniversary celebration was held June 1, 1986, with all former pastors attending except Dr. Connelly who is deceased. During that year the Adult Choir and the Vinton Baptist Church Adult Choir, working together, presented a musical in both churches.

The Lynn Haven Preschool was established in 1987 and continues to serve as a ministry of the Church to children and their parents.

During the 1980’s and early 1990’s, the Church staff and members continued To Be Faithful to fulfill the vision of those 12 people who in 1960 met to “establish a Church “- a Church to reach people with the message of salvation through Jesus Christ, to teach and disciple them. Membership as of September 30, 1990, had reached 845; Sunday School enrollment was 612 with an average attendance of 315; an Associate Pastor/Minister of Education/Youth and a Minister of Music and Senior Adults were called; satellite classes in the community were established; four temporary classrooms were set up at the back of the church grounds; a Homebound Sunday School ministry was started; the active deacon body (committee) was increased; and a 15-passenger van and a 25-passenger bus were purchased for use in Church activities.

Rev. Robert Hamner served as interim pastor after Dr. Wayne’s resignation. Dr. Jay Owens was called as pastor on August 22, 1993, and served until June 23, 1996.
The Singing Christmas Tree was first performed in December, 1994, and was presented in our gymnasium for several years. The “Tree” was enjoyed each year by performers from Lynn Haven and neighboring churches, and has now developed into a larger program under the guidance of Stan Kingma that is held in our newly renovated sanctuary.  With live musicians, vocalists, and drama, this production has become our largest outreach to our community and is attended by over a thousand guests each year.

A Prayer Committee and a Missions Committee were established, and a youth mission group, Express Missions, was formed in 1994. Twenty-three people went to Mexico on a mission trip in 1994; in 1995 six people went to Mexico and 19 youth and adults participated in a World Changers mission trip to Montana. Youth have continued yearly mission trips.

Dr. Ray Allen became interim pastor after Dr. Owens’ pastorate and served the Church until Rev. Edward Creel was called as pastor February 8, 1998.  Stan Kingma, perhaps best known in the area for his earlier work in developing the "New Virginians" answered the call to serve as our Music Director in 2002.  Under his guidance, our music ministry has undergone a "rebirth" and continues to grow.

During the latter years of the 1990’s and the beginning of the new millennium, the Church has been involved in determining how best to fulfill that vision those original 12 people had when they met to “establish a Church.”. The Easter Sunrise services have resumed with a breakfast following, and special programs have been instituted and tried with the goal of reaching those who need to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Summer Carnivals, Fall Kick-offs for children’s music and mission programs, summertime Wednesday activities for children, “back porch” Bible studies, and discipleship classes are all part of these special activities.

A “Meals on Wheels” program is conducted weekly in conjunction with the Wednesday night family dinners. The graded choir programs are fully staffed and active, and hand bell choirs have been organized with two octaves of hand bells having been purchased. An Associate Pastor and Minister of Youth, Greg Soult, has recently been called to lead the youth programs of the Church. Mission groups not only meet regularly but are actively involved with mission work both locally and around the world. Sunday School classes have continuing programs of missions and ministry. Worship services are held Sunday morning and evening, and we meet on Wednesday nights for Bible study and prayer. Fellowship is sweet, and we grow in love for our Lord and for each other and in our commitment to meet the needs of those in need of our ministry.

Lynn Haven Baptist Church in 2004 is seeking to fulfill Christ’s command to “go, make disciples, baptize and teach.”  We trust God will “Find Us Faithful.”