HISTORY

It was on September 16, 1992 that 12 people met in the basement of Paul and Lou Hutchens' Yadkinville home for a prayer meeting, a group that also included Phillip Graham, Jim and Una Graham, Joyce Hamby, Lynn Winters, John and Ima Paulson, Martha Graham, Vera Poindexter and Ruth Crater. Nothing was quite official at the moment, nothing was cast in stone. All that was certain was that the group had a desire to honor their Lord.

On November 29, 1992, the first "official" worship service of what today is Maplewood Baptist Church was held at Ace's Restaurant. Rev. Larry Daniels, a Friends minister, spoke. The offering taken that day came to $527.10.

"This was a major step for us," wrote Ima Paulson in her notes on the history of the church. "We all felt uplifted. It was a great day for us all. Someone from the youth supplied us with a keyboard for our music."

A week later, services were moved to the Yadkin Baptist Association building and would remain there for more than two years, while the church's new building was under construction. Shortly after moving to the association's building, Fred Reece, who'd retired from Green Street Baptist Church in High Point, came on board as a supply minister.

A decision to constitute the new church was made on February 10, 1993. On April 4, the constituting service was held at the Yadkin Baptist Association building, with representatives from the North Carolina Baptist and Yadkin Baptist Associations people initially joined as charter members. Charter membership was kept open until June 6, 1993, when a total of 55 people had signed up.

The people were there, but the meeting place was only temporary. Members of the church voted on July 18, 1993 to purchase a tract of nearly 17 acres on Shacktown Road. A Challenge to Build fundraising program began with another vote on January 26, 1994. Two months later, church members voted again to accept a master site plan. The plan called for a tree-lined driveway, outdoor worship area and also provided for expansion.

To learn more about our beginnings, view the Maplewood Baptist Church 15th Anniversary Booklet.

Did you know?

• Before the church was even named, it had a budget. Weekly offering came to $700, with an estimated yearly budget of $36,400.
• The first business meeting of the new church was held December 8, 1992 at the home of Paul and Lou Hutchens. During that meeting, it was agreed that the congregation would temporarily go by the name of Yadkin Baptist Fellowship, following a motion by Phillip Graham. It was also decided that Joyce Hamby would be hired as a part-time secretary, a position she still holds. The meeting was closed by Lou reading Psalms 64.
• Fred Pepper was the first person to be baptized as a member of the church. It took place on April 18, 1993 at Bear Creek Church.
• The top 10 names for the church were voted on during an August 15, 1993 meeting. Maplewood Baptist Church was announced as the winner three days later. Other names considered were Calvary Knoll, Rolling Hills and United Believers.