Our History
Reference: The dates from 1905 to 1955 are according to a copy of history first done by Maud Hurt and continued by Mrs. Evelyn G. Murphey, Church Historian. Copies were given to church attendees for the 50th anniversary celebration in 1955. Since that was written closer to the time of these events, we hope they are nearest to correct. Mrs. Hurt was living at this time, and we believe that she consulted with Mr. Murphy about the text. (Arline McGuire)
1905 October 31, 3:00 p.m. - Chester Baptist Church was organized in the Chester Presbyterian Church with 19 charter members. It was started with gifts from children and a missionary circle. Dr. A. J. Hurt and his wife Maude, who lived in the hotel on Railroad Street, when they moved to Chester, wanted to start a Baptist Church. They initiated the effort. Charter members besides the Hurts were: Mrs. A. C. Rice, Mrs. Signey Perdue, Mrs. N. A. Bass, Mr. and Mrs. Plummer Clark, Mr. and Mrs. Percy Clark, Miss Susie Clark, Mr. Kenley Clark, Mr. Floyd Clark, Mr. Cleveland Clark, Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Graves, Mrs. Jim Cofer, Mrs. E. M. Shepherd, Mr. and Mrs. C. K. Bowles. Dr. William E. Hatcher presided.
1906 August - Chester Baptist Church was accepted into Middle District Baptist Association. Rev. Arthur A. Davidson called as first pastor and served until 1907.
1907 Rev. T. C. Whitehearst called as pastor and he served until October, 1908.
1908 April 3 - Cornerstone laid for the first church building.
1909 Rev. W. H. Lawson called as pastor. He served until 1911.
1911 Bell purchased and hung.
1912 Rev. John M. Pilcher called as pastor starting in December, and served until November 1915. First Revival held that year.
1913 Completely graded Sunday School and WMU. Loan for original all brick building paid off in five years. Installed electric lights in September.
1914 January - Church celebration of being debt free.
1916 October - The Rev. Ryland T. Dodge called as pastor - served until
1922 when he was called to Norfolk in November.
1917 Parsonage built. Ladies’ Bible Class took over janitorial work and applied janitor’s salary to building the parsonage.
1923 May - The Rev. T. W. Page accepts call as pastor - served until 1928.
1924 Church Choir organized by Mrs. R. A. Justis and Mr. Benny Graves.
1926 Indebtedness on parsonage paid off and construction of Sunday School Building begun.
1927 Spring - Construction of Sunday School building completed.
1929 April - The Rev. William C. Shawen called as pastor. He served until he retired in December, 1946. As pastor, he placed great emphasis on Vacation Bible School. Organized Baptist Young People’s Union.
1930’s According to Judy Sloan Harvey, her parents built the house on the corner of Percival Street and Old One Hundred Road in the 1930’s, 4227 Old Hundred Road. Judy is the adopted daughter of the Sloans. Laura Sloan was the daughter of Dr. A. J. and Maude Hurt.
1933 During Great Depression, pastor not paid for three or more months.
1942 Carlton Critcher and Charles Graves, two young men who had been active members, gave their lives in World War II.
1947 The Rev. Fredrick A. Scott, grandson of CBC charter members, came as pastor. A CBC baseball team brought in a number of young men at that time.
1949 Pastor Fredrick A. Scott tendered his resignation in April. Unified budget adopted.
1950 Dr. John Brown called as pastor - served until 1952. Sunday School addition was begun and completed.
1953 February - The Rev. Herman C. Inge called as pastor - served until
1965. Mrs. Inge directed four choirs, and the music ministry became very strong. Two morning worship services were started.
1954 Member Joseph P. Wray entered Bluefield College to prepare for ministry.
1955 Celebrated CBC’s 50th anniversary with many former pastors in attendance. The Chester community was growing, and new families were welcomed into the church. The blending of the old and new members strengthened the church body. The Men’s Brotherhood grew to be a vital part of the church program.
1956 Mrs. Maud Hurt, known as “Mother of the Church,” died. Her husband, Dr. A. J. Hurt, was a medical doctor and they were initiators of the founding of the church. The church burned the note for indebtedness in construction of Sunday School rooms under the Shawen Chapel old sanctuary. Their daughter, Laura Sloan, became very active in mission, made mission trips overseas and became known as the church’s “missionary.”
1958 Milestone year with emphasis on total stewardship, not stewardship of money alone. However, dollar pledges increased 29%. Every phase of work moved forward. Large numbers of youth were involved in Sunday School, worship and Training Union. Purchased Fore property adjacent to church property and had dwelling torn down. Hired an architect to draw up plans for a new building.
1959 Groundbreaking for new sanctuary and education building
1960 New Sanctuary and education building completed. 475 members
1961 First worship service filled the new sanctuary, including the balcony on June 4. The entire congregation was able to be present at one time.
1962 Mildred Stacy Dodge, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Henry Dodge, crowned as our first G. A. Queen.
1964 Reception for Pastor Emeritus Shawen’s 85th birthday. Mr. Shawen had married over 200 couples during the time he was pastor, and 50 of those couples attended the celebration.
1965 After serving for 12 years, Rev. Herman Inge resigned as pastor and accepted a call to another church. Under his leadership, the church adopted a definite program of Christian stewardship. Under the direction of Mrs. Inge, a graded music program was established, providing all ages opportunities for enrichment and appreciation for Christian music. That year, Sara Jane Burgess, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Burgess, was crowned as our first queen with scepter.
1966 September - The Rev. William C. Russ called as pastor - served until 1976. Prior to coming to CBC, he was a Baptist State Sunday School Director, and CBC Sunday School enrollment increased by 33% under his leadership. Church membership also greatly increased. Parsonage used for Sunday School space. The Media Library was established under the leadership of Nancy Edwards.
1967 October - Mr. Kenny Carter, student at V.C.U. called as Minister of Youth and Music.
1968 December - Purchased Hopkins house and property across the street from the church for a youth building. It was known as the “Green” House. VIPCare (Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care) began a counseling ministry in the Hopkins house with Dr. Ned Stewart as the first counselor.
1969 The Rev. Stacy W. Davis was called as Associate Pastor in charge of music and youth. His wife’s name was Ethel.
1970 October - Church membership was 827, Sunday School enrollment 953.
Parking Lot paved. Under the direction of Rev. Davis and his wife, who was church organist, many CBC young people (the Ambassadors) traveled to many cities and other communities where they made a tremendous impact through their music and personal witnessing. A CBC community bus ministry for Sunday services was started.
1972 Began construction of education building on the site of the old parsonage.
1973 May - Issued $450,000 in revenue bonds bearing 7% per annum for construction of an education building west of the old sanctuary. Paid off debt on sanctuary.
1975 Lloyd Rodgers, III affirmed as a student in full-time Christian service.
1976 After 10 years, Dr. W. C. Russ left to accept the call to another church. Children’s Church began. Church sponsored the Dutch Gap Chapel on Coxendale Road in the old Mormon church building.
1977 Dr. Calvin E. Rains called as pastor - served until 1980. The church experienced tremendous growth in fellowship and attendance.
1978 Church organ purchased in June. Ann Totty was hired as church organist. She served for 20 years until 1998.
1979 Shawen Chapel, the original church sanctuary, closed due to its deteriorating condition, and the church voted to replace it with a new building. Retired debt on Hopkins property. Rob Pittman called as minister of music and youth in April.
1980 Dr. Calvin Rains, who had been pastor since 1977, resigned. Church bus purchased. Dr. Thomas Hill of the Foreign Mission Board was called as interim pastor.
1981 Rev. Gary B. Thompson came as pastor - served until 1985. Church contracted with M. and M. Wrecking Co. To demolish the Shawen Chapel. Some stained glass was saved and used.
1983 CBC was recognized as being 100th out of 1,500 churches in Virginia in total gifts to the Cooperative Program. Church purchased the Green House, original home of Gregory Bass, charter member. Singles Ministry begun.
1984 Rev. Gary Thompson resigned as pastor. Church called John McKay as Minister of Music and James M. Pahris as Minister of Education.
1985 Church began to ordain women to the deacon ministry. Dr. Roy Clifford served as interim pastor. June - Beth Lyerly came as church secretary and served until April, 2013.
1986 Rev. Spencer Price was welcomed as pastor and served for four years. Baby Grand piano purchased for sanctuary. Contracted new roof on sanctuary and education building. Called Mrs. Libbie Geiger as Minister of Education. Dr. Don Denton took over the counseling ministry for VIPCare, replacing Dr. Ned Stewart.
1988 Adult mission teams began making trips to other areas helping construct new church buildings. The Foreign Mission Board commissioned former member, Lloyd Rodgers, III and his wife Connie as SBC career foreign missionaries.
1990 January - Dr. Robert Compton came as interim pastor and served until 1992. Mrs. Craig (Mari) Ellis took over as head of the Media Library.
1991 Debbie Harris employed as Finance Administrator and served until 2012.
1992 February - Dr. Ed Stansfield came as pastor - served until 2007. A new program, Parents’ Morning Out was started in 1991 and that led to the start of a Preschool in 1992.
1994 Dr. Stansfield started new programs, such as TV ads, two morning worship services, and Tables of Eight, to encourage church growth. (Church participants were divided up into groups of eight, and they met once each month for four months for a meal at one of the group’s home.) The School Street parking lot was enlarged, and a church van was purchased.
1995 October - the church celebrated its 90th anniversary with a month-long series of events culminating in a WMU service in the chapel of the Chester Presbyterian Church (original building) where our church was birthed.
1996 Plans approved for large addition to church. Stewardship Building Fund program begun.
1997 Groundbreaking for building to replace original sanctuary and connect all building across the front in September. Jeff Hill employed as Youth Minister April 1st and over 200 teenagers for the 1970's return for reunion.
1998 New Steeple, holding our original church bell, placed atop new addition. Mary Ellers and Bernie Morris were ordained to the ministry. Ellen Sapko began employment as Church Pianist on September 1. Keith Wilmouth was hired as church organist.
1999 Completion of construction and dedication of new facilities. 3-year Stewardship Building Fund exceeds goal as it ends midyear. Betty Lou Johnsen started Companion Suppers each Thursday evening for the Chester community at no charge, but donations were accepted.
2000 September 1 - Randy McConnell began employment as Children’s Music Director and in 2007 he became the church’s Minister of Music on. Jeff Hill resigned as of December 24th.
2001 Thursday night Companion Suppers became an immediate success. Russ Johnson was called to be the Youth Director beginning on March 18 as Interim and on June 24 as Youth Director. July 15 - Bill Damon began part-time employment as Associate Pastor with responsibilities that included Leadership Development. The church had its first email established using Earthlink with dial-up connection. Later, a new contract was signed with Verizon that set up DSL as the internet connection at an even lower cost to the monthly phone bill. Bill also set up the church’s first web site, and started subscription to the church’s database (ACS Technologies) online “OnDemand” feature that allowed access from any computer. Prior to 2001, ACS was individually on each computer and updates had to be manually done on each computer.
2004 WMU celebrated its 100th anniversary. Around this time, the Hopkins Green House was demolished and the VIPCare office was moved to the educational building.
2005 At the business meeting on February 23, the church voted to demolish the Green House. It was demolished sometime before the April business meeting.
2006 Church celebrated the dedication of three new churches in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan and Cambodia, built by funds given by CBC. Nancy Jean Roberts, Music Coordinator, and Russell Johnson, Youth Director, resigned. Lonnie Brawley called to be Minister to Youth in September.
2007 Dr. Stansfield retired. The total building fund debt of the church was reduced to under $500,000.00. Dr. Gwynn Davis called as Intentional Interim and he began in mid-September. Dr. Davis served for two years and led the church through a thorough process of self-examination.
2008 Lonnie Brawley resigned as Minister to Youth in November.
2009 September 15 - Dr. Lloyd Braswell became pastor of CBC.
Susan Meredith began employment as Secretarial Assistant on March 16. She later became Financial Assistant.
2010 Tommy Harris was called to be the Minister to Youth. He served until the end of July, 2012. The 8:30 am service ended on the last Sunday in June.
2011 Contemporary Services began in the Great Hall as the result of a survey and thorough study. Kevin Hood called as first Contemporary Worship Leader and began on March 6. He resigned in 2013. Both the traditional service and the contemporary service were held at the same time - 11:00 a.m. A worship service at 8:30 a.m. started back up on April 11 and ended on November 13.
2012 Alice Cates began employment as Minister to Youth on October 28. The paid position of church organist was eliminated and Randy McConnell took on the added responsibility of church organist.
2013 April - Beth Lyerly retired and Edye Parrish began employment as church secretary on April 29. Joel Ingram began employment as Contemporary Worship Leader on May 6.
2014 July - Joel Ingram's duties were increased to include missions and a ministry to young adults. That year the church switched fuel sources from oil to natural gas. A new organ was purchased and installed, made possible by special donations. In September, the playground was completely rebuilt.
2015 Our mission team went to Haiti.
2016 The Youth mission team went to Canada.
2017 The Youth mission team went to the Bahamas. Rev. Joel Ingram resigned as Contemporary Worship Leader. Rev. Rusty Peaks was hired as Contemporary Worship Leader.
2018 The Youth mission team went to Memphis, TN. Dr. Bill Damon retired as Associate Pastor after 17 years of service.
2019 Rev. Alice C. Clarke resigned as Minister to Youth. Houston Blake served as Youth Intern.