"Mill village church" celebrates 100 years

From its humble beginning in a white frame wooden church building to the sprawling campus of Florence Baptist Church in Forest City today - the mission of the church has not changed in the past 100 years. Members are challenged to bring all the people together for worship, study, fellowship, training and then go out and share the message.

Today from its youngest church goer - Evelyn Jewel (Evie J.), the daughter of Philip and Amber Styles born Feb 24, 2022 to the eldest, Dot Culbertson, who turns 100 on Dec. 12, 2022, the church opens its arms to all who enter its doors.

Two-month-old Evie J. is expected to attend the 100th anniversary service on April 10 with her parents. Depending on her health, 99-year-old Dot Harris Culbertson may not be able to attend. The generations that separate these two families is a testimony the doors are open to all ages and there are programs for everyone.

Amber and Philip began attending Florence while in college and after graduating found Florence to be the church they needed for this time in their lives.

Evie's mother Amber said her family knows the support system they have at Florence and want to be a part of its continued support and growth.

Culbertson, who came to Florence as a child with her parents Gaither and Lilly Harris and their other children, has been confined to her home since the pandemic, due to various health issues. Up until the pandemic she was a faithful church goer, always sitting on the right side of the auditorium.

Her brother, Cecil Harris, who is 94, said he would love to be able to attend the celebration, but being a Georgia resident, it's doubtful he can make the trip.

Harris remembers his family always attending services.

On one winter Sunday morning when the snow covered the grounds and Mr. Harris couldn't get the family car out of the driveway, Mr. Cecil said his Dad made a way to get to the service. Mr. Cecil was set to get his five-year Sunday School attendance pin that day and they could not miss the service.

"He put tow (feed) sacks on his feet and legs and made a path for me to follow him. We walked all the way across town to church. Just us," Mr. Cecil recalled. But when they got to church, services had been canceled.

"I can still see Daddy walking ahead of me clearing a path," he said.

Understandably disappointed. Mr. Cecil was afraid he wouldn't get his pin. Of course, he did.

After graduating college at UNC-Chapel Hill, Mr. Cecil left Forest City for his work, but his sister, Dot and her husband the late Reid Cutbertson remained.

When Florence began

A century ago on April 9,1922 a congregation of people gathered at the Florence Welfare Building in Forest City to organize a Baptist Church.

The group had earlier heard the passionate words of Rev. C. C. Matheny, then pastor of the Alexander Baptist Church, as he addressed the crowd from the platform of the old train depot across the Florence Mill. Matheny expressed the need for a church for those living in the Florence Mill Village.

Members of Florence Church might tell friends today they were told Rev. Matheny saw the large number of homes and families connected to Florence Mill and he envisioned a church for the mill village folks.

Members might also tell you history shows Matheny's dream began reality when on Sunday, April 9,1922, when a large number of people gathered at the welfare building on the north end of Harmon Street in Forest City for the purpose of organizing a Baptist Church.

Charter members were Mrs. Evie Baynard, Lydia Baynard, Nellie Baynard, Nannie Beam, Mr. and Mrs, George Earley, Mr. and Mrs. Goode Flack, A.H. Hames, Mr. and Mrs Carl Henderson, Marshall Henderson, Maud Hill, Mrs. G.F. Hill, William, Hill, Mr and Mrs Charlie Jackson, Effie Jackson, Nannie Jackson, Mr. and Mrs. Graham Lynch, Russell Nanney, Mr. And Mrs. J.T. Ross, Mr. and Mrs. George Shytles, Myrtle Street, Mr. and Mrs. Winfred Webb, A.C. White, Lula White and Mary Belle Wilson.

On that day 100 years ago the Christians presented themselves for membership in the new congregation. In a few weeks others would join.

On Sunday, April 10, 2022 the church congregation will gather at 10:30 a.m. for a celebratory worship service - observing the 100th anniversary of the church that started from the vision of Matheny.

Several of the members at that time were attending First Baptist in Forest City.

"We are celebrating a milestone at Florence Baptist Church," said Rev. Tonya Garrison, children's minister and minister of education at Florence said.

"Her history is rich and her foundation still strong. It is impressive to think about the impact Florence has had over the past 100 years in the community and exciting to think about her future. Our founding charter members had a clear vision for Florence and I believe we have kept that focus alive: keep Christ in the center of everything we do and always love one another," Garrison said.

Down through the decades families and friends kept coming together and built its first church building on property donated by the mill.

With the charter members and others who would join the congregation, the first wood frame building was completed at just over $7,600 and the first service in the modest white frame church house was held on Christmas Day, 1923 at 7 p.m.

The church facility was built to serve the community of mill workers and when Florence Mill closed in May 2001 due to the demise of the textile industry, it was a sad day for the church community and county, h history also records. The beginning began at Florence Mill and when it closed, so many were saddened not only because of the loss of jobs but the loss of the church's involvement in the mill.

One hundred years later the church facilities stretch far beyond the first wood frame building. A new sanctuary, an educational building, later another sanctuary, the Life Enrichment Center (LEC) and Christian Growth Center (CGC) were constructed for God's glory. The church membership decided in 2000 the church would tithe 10 percent of every building fund receipt toward building and assisting other churches across Rutherford County, North Carolina, the United States and countries around the world.

Dr. Bobby Gantt who served as pastor at Florence for 36 years helped lead the church through three major building programs - the new sanctuary, the Life Enrichment Center and CGF.

At the time of building the second new brick sanctuary, there was no money in the bank, but members committed to give beyond their tithes and offerings and the facility was built on faith.

As with churches around the country, COVID-19 changed the way people worship collectively. At Florence, technology was already in place before the virus shut down in-person gatherings and live streaming was available for anyone who was shut in and wanted to worship at home.

In March 2021 in-person worship services shut down for 14 consecutive weeks and worship services were on the internet.

Today live streaming is still available for those who can't get out of their homes.

With two worship services at 8:45 a.m. and 11 a.m., all children and youth activities and other programs have returned.

Dr. Tracy Jessup began his interim as pastor in March 2021 as the church search committee seeks God's wisdom for the next pastor to lead Florence Baptist Church.

Rev. Garrison and Rev. Scott Haynes have duties of pastoral care, Christian education, children's ministry and music. Rev Andy Greene serves as the interim youth minister.

Gantt, who retired after 36 years as pastor on Jan. 31, 2021, will bring the message at 10:30 a.m. on April 10. Special music will be presented by the Florence Baptist Church Choir.

Everyone is encouraged to attend the service and praise God for all He has done for a century and what He will do in the years to come.