Community Bible Church celebrates 150th year
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-Chronicle photo
Pastor Dewayne Ramsey addressed those gathered for the 150th Anniversary Celebration of the Community Bible Church, in the church's back yard, where a stage, tables, chairs and an open area for games greeted parishioners, while a whole hog slowly cooked in a barbecue.
By Loyal Baker
DAYTON–Members and guests of the Community Bible Church celebrated its 150th Anniversary last weekend with a day of fun, fellowship and food, then with a celebratory church service Sunday, July 17.
The church was organized as the First Baptist Church in July, 1872, with three members, perservered through a period where factions of the congregation worshipped at different locations in Dayton, and passed "through peculiar difficulties but never losing its identity," an article in the Chronicle noted in a 1947 article.
"From the minutes of the Mount Pleasant Association of the 1872 meeting with the Baptist Church of Friendship of Walla Walla county: Dayton–We organized ourselves into a church on the fourth Sunday in July with the assistance of our beloved brother, W. W. Pruett, who has preached for us most of the time." Rev. Pruett was the first pastor from 1871 to 1873.
Initially, services were held in a small school house near what is now Dayton Avenue. Efforts to build a church began in 1878, and the congregation met in the "old Presbyterian meeting house" while the building was under construction.
-Chronicle photo
Among the fun at the 150th Celebration were games and activities reflective of the period in which the church was founded, including the challenging egg race, where contestants balanced an egg on a wooden spoon.
It was completed and dedicated in September, 1879, during the pastorate of Rev. A. M. Russell (1878-1881).
In 1895 through 1900, the congregation became divided, holding separate services, one in the church's building and the other in a new building at the corner of 2nd and Tremont streets. A new pastor, Rev. S. W. Gage brought the church back together.
Pastor Ramsey's Sunday Sermon noted that previous generations of church membership had, in its written records, always included a line or thoughts to the effect that "we are looking up, depending on God's Provision," Ramsey said.
He said "We are still looking up" and tied the historical momentum of previous generations of church membership to today's congregation, in God's care and provision and faithfulness. This congregation still needs to follow those and still needs to pass the baton to future generations so the church can reach 175 years, Ramsey said.
