Vine Run Baptist Church
1859 - 1959

On the 30th day of April 1859 a meeting was held at the W. H. B. New School House in Grant County, Kentucky, for the purpose of consultation concerning the establishment of a Baptist Church in the neighborhood. By a motion it was agreed that Elder Joseph Ambrose be appointed moderator and James Arnold clerk. A motion concerning the general desire of the neighborhood as to the constitution of a Baptist Church was then made; the vote was unanimous to organize a church. All members of the other Baptist Churches who desired to be enrolled into the new church gave their names as follows: W. H. B. New, Pheby New, Samuel Lawrence, Mary Lawrence, James M. Arnold, Mary Arnold, Jacob Wheatley, Mary J. Wheatley, Elizabeth Wheatley, Samuel McClure, A. T. Bennett, Sarah A. Bennett, Susan Ford, Jane Dehart and Daniel Dehart.

It was agreed that we send messengers to other churches for help in preparing a constitution for the church. On the first Saturday in June 1859, Samuel McClure went to Clarks Creek, James M. Arnold to Mt. Zion and Concord, and A. T. Bennett and J. Wheatley to Ten Mile. The meeting was opened and closed by prayer. Joseph Ambrose, Moderator - J. M. Arnold, Clerk.

A meeting was held at the W. H. B. New School House on the first Saturday in June 1859 for the purpose of constituting a Baptist Church. It was agreed that Joseph Ambrose act as moderator and Joseph T. Elliston as clerk. A motion was made that the names of the messengers from the different churches be called and enrolled as follows: Clarks Creek, John A. Lee, W. M. Kuhn, W. M. Pettit, David Foree, and Samuel Berkley, Mt. Zion, Asa Tomlin, A. Beach, W. M. Sechrist, William Beach and O. W. Orsborne; Concord, Joseph Ambrose, W. C. Olphin, J. A. C. Adams and A. Juday; Ten Mile, Edward Spencer, J. P. Landrum and J. T. Elliston.

On motion by Brother John A. Lee, it was agreed that all visiting members from other churches be invited to sit in the council to aid and advise the council members. On a motion by Brother A. Juday, it was agreed that the moderator appoint a committee of five to arrange the business of the day. The committee was as follows: John A. Lee, Asa Tomlin, J. T. Elliston, J. A. C. Adams and J. P Landrum. The following arrangements for the church constitution were made: Bros. Asa Tomlin and John A. Lee were appointed to examine the condition of the members about to be constituted and report the results to the council. The committee report was favorable, Brother Lee was appointed to offer the constitutional prayer, Brother Ambrose to give the charge to the church members, pronounce them a Church of Christ, and give them the right hand of fellowship. It was agreed that the church be known by the name of Vine Run. The doors of the church were opened for the reception of members: Elizabeth Orsborne and Amanda Baker were received by letter. There being no further business before the council, they adjourned.  Joseph Ambrose, Moderator, J. T. Elliston, Clerk.

We have no record of the date when the first church was built, the record from 1859 to 1880 have been lost. However, a new roof was put on the first church in 1887, therefore, it appears that it was built within a few years after meeting in the W. H. B. New School House in 1859. Most of the family names of the charter members have vanished from the community, however, many of our present membership are descendants of the charter members or those who became members in the early years of the church. The first reference in regard to Sunday School was October 1887.

ARTICLES OF FAITH UPON WHICH VINE RUN BAPTIST CHURCH WAS CONSTITUTED:
1. We believe that the Old and New Testaments are the infallible Word of God, and the doctrines contained therein to be our only rule of faith and practice.
2. We believe there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and these Three are One.
3. We believe that the salvation and justification of the sinner is by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
4. We believe by nature that we are all fallon, depraved creatures.
5. We believe that Baptism by emerson is the only Gospel mode, and that the candidates should previously to their baptism have given a reason for their hope in Christ.
6. We believe that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Himself on that memorable night before His death, and it is to be received by all baptized believers in remembrance of Him until He comes.
7. We believe that the righteous will go to Heaven and the wicked will be driven away from God into eternal punishment where the worm dieth not and the fire of God's wrath is not quenched.
8. We believe that it is right to contribute to the support of the Gospel and that the Bible contains the doctrines.

RULES OF DECORUM BY WHICH THE CHURCH MEMBERS WERE GOVERNED:
1. The church is to meet the first Saturday and Sabbath in each month at the hour of 10 a.m.
2. The church meeting is to be opened and closed by prayer.
3. There shall be a moderator chosen by the church who shall keep order during the meeting and invite members of other churches to share in the meeting with us.
4. The church shall have a clerk whose duty it shall be to keep a record of all the business transacted by the church and read the minutes of the day at the conclusion of the meeting.
5. All business in the church is to be transacted by a majority vote, except receiving and dismissing members which shall require a unanimous vote.
6. No member shall speak more than twice upon one subject unless he or she has the permission of the church and members speaking shall rise to their feet and address the moderator with brotherly kindness.
7. Members who shall be guilty of public transgressions shall make a public acknowledgement before the church.
8. We adopt the 18th Chapter of Matthew in dealing with all disorderly members in private cases before it is brought into the church.
9. We deem it necessary that any member who shall move out of the bounds of this community take his letter.
10. The church is to partake of the Lord's Supper twice each year, June and October.
11. The church is to be supported by taxing each male member the sum of one dollar to each land holder and fifty cents to the renter.
12. Any member miss three meetings in succession shall give a reasonable excuse of their non-attendance.
13. Letters of dismissal granted to members are only good for six months.

The second church building was erected in 1904 and dedicated in October 1904. The names of those serving on that building committee were: J. W. Sasher, G. W. Stevenson, C. W. Sipple, W. A. Sipple, C. S. Pettit, R. A. Carlton, Henry Jump, T. B. Arnold, and J. S. Johnson. Services were conducted the third Saturday and Sunday of each month. Under the leadership of Reverend J. N. Powers in 1920, the church made a forward step by increasing services to twice each month. In 1944 Reverend Claude Butler was instrumental in leading the church to make a decision to have full time preaching. At a roll call August 13, 1944, eighty-five members were present; a vote was taken to see if full time preaching was desired; there were four dissenting votes. Under the leadership of Reverend Claude Butler, the church recognized the need for Sunday School rooms. A committee was appointed to solicit money; pledges of $1,187 were reported. Plans were submitted, but no decision was made. The committee continued to solicit pledges and by 1946, $1,752 had been pledged.

Under the leadership of Reverend Richard Bates, the church considered a new building. The building committee appointed as follows: Floyd Martin, Hub Ashcraft, Loyd Sipple, Finley Hubbard, I. N. Hutton, and Roscoe Jump. At the time the church voted to build a new building, there was $3,393.25 in the Building Fund Treasury. An all day service and ground-breaking ceremony was held June 13, 1948. On June 14, 1948 the work of dismantling the old church was started.

The first service held in the present building was the second Sunday in February 1949; the dedication was made August 28, 1949. The building was erected with many hours of free local labor. The church vestibule was completed in 1952. The amount, $2,500, which had been borrowed during the building of the church had been paid. On May 18, 1952 the church celebrated victory day and a note-burning ceremony was held indicating the church was free from debt.

Early in 1953 a committee was appointed to buy or build a parsonage; no recommendation was made by the committee until 1958. In that year under the leadership of Reverend G. B. Freeman, the church voted to build a parsonage on a plot of land donated by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Poland; the plot lying a short distance east of the church. At that time, there was a balance of $96 in the Building Fund Treasury. The Finance Committee visited the members and a total of $3,500 was pledged. In April 1958 the ground-breaking ceremony was conducted by Reverend G. B. Freeman. The parsonage is completed.

Since the records from 1859 to 1880 have been lost, we do not know the names of the preachers serving the church during that period. The following are the names of the twenty-nine preachers and the years in which they served this church from 1880 to the present time.

Records indicate that only one man was ordained as a preacher, W. S. Cook, March 2, 1887. We have no way of measuring the influence or results of this church, but we are hopeful that the decision of 1859 has resulted in the witnessing for our Savior in many parts of the world.

Researched by the 100th Anniversary
Church Committee of Vine Run Baptist Church.

History and Photo of church submitted by
Mrs. Barbara Wilson.  Thanks Barb!

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