History of The First Missionary Baptist Church of Culloden, WV
The First Missionary Baptist Church of Culloden, was organized on December 2, 1896. A committee met at the Seashoale School which was located behind Chancey’s Greenhouse, to organize a Baptist church.
C.E. Harbour was a moderator, M.F. Mitchell was a clerk, and approximately 12 members made up the body. Matilda R. Roberts, H.C. Thompson, Polina F Hollandsworth, Lurilla H. Kirtley, B.F. Jimmison, Laura Woodard, Virginia Parkins, Louisa Ferrell, Josephine Dudding, HesekiahWoodard, Dan Davidson, Adaline Chapman and J.G. Chapman.
The church held their services at the old Seashoale School for 12 years. The first church building was built in 1910 at the cost of nearly $1,000, with all the labor done by members and community help. The building was dedicated in 1910, with a ceremony and sermon by B.F. Candill.
In 1946 the church built eight Sunday School rooms on the old church at a cost of almost $12,000. Then in the spring of 1958, ground was broken for the present church building and was completed in 1960 or ’61. The mortgage was burnt in 1968.
The church has had a number of pastors through its history. Some served twice at different times. C.E. Harbour, W. Jeff Roberts, C.G. Hutchinson, C.A. Foster, A.J. Clair, Homer Curry, Walter Bias, Arvel Johnson, Leno Morrison, R.R. Matthews, James B. Legg, Omar Rucker, Chester Joseph, Ralph Dearien, Bob O. Addis, Steven Black, Dave Click, Walter Wade, Darrell Beller, Millard Morrison, Robert Adkins, Charles Gibson, Russell Warden, and presently Claude Spurlock. (Any pastor not mentioned is by accident).
In 1993, the church approved to extend the back of the church building to accommodate a baptistry and office space. Much of the work was done by the men and women of the church, with some projects contracted out. In ’94 we baptized our first convert in the baptistry, with only the baptistry functioning, the rest of the building was still under construction. Also, in ’93 the church bought a used van from the Trace Fork Baptist Church, as a vehicle to be used to pick up passengers for church meetings. Later, in 1997 the church bought a 1996 15 passenger Ford Van to bring children and others to church.
In 1994 we started a youth club called DANHO (Doers And Not Hearers Only) taken from the bible in the book of (James 1:22). The club was designed to help children from the ages of 4-12 to learn the Bible in a fun exciting way.
In 2007 the church remodeled the Fellowship Hall. The building was extended approximately 25 feet, bathrooms were installed, and a beautiful kitchen area was built to accommodate the church dinners and youth meetings.
Over the years that church has supported numerous missionaries and missionary projects. As of 2018, the church supports (34) missionaries who serve the Lord around the world. Is the church’s primary mission to serve Jesus Christ, and to declare His gospel to the whole world obeying the great commission (Mt 28:19-20 / Mk 16:15 / Acts 1:8)
