In The Beginning

Beginning on September 21 and continuing through Sunday evening, October 4, 1885, there was conducted a series o f gospel services in Morehead by the Rev •. James M. Wells, pastor of the Mt. Sterling Baptist Church, Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. The Rev. Wells was assisted by the Rev. F. W. Carney, Farmers, who conducted the music, and by the Rev. J. K. Nunnelley who did pastor-like work among the Baptists of Morehead during said meeting.

In the closing service of the revival, Sunday, October 4, 1885, and acting upon the suggestion of Mr. Robert T. Bean, a deacon of the Mt. Sterling Baptist Church, the Baptists of Morehead joined in the constitution of "The Baptist Church of Jesus Christ of Morehead." Having adopted the Articles of Faith and the Church Covenant, approximately 40 Morehead Baptists attached their names to the Church Covenant. Among this group are found such family names as Rice, Johnson, Garten, Carter, Rose, Oxley and Layne.

On Saturday night, October 17, 1885, the Morehead Baptist Church conducted her first regular business meeting, at which time leaders were named--a church clerk, in the person of "Sister Aurilla Layne'', and the Rev. R. W. Carney, called to be the first pastor of the church. He served the church until May 9, 1886, when he resigned to go to Missouri for work.

Planting our roots on 123 E Main Street

It was not until 1891 that the church took definite steps toward the construction of a church house. On April 19, 1891, the Rev. William Jayne, then pastor of the church, and Dr. L. P. V. Williams were named the Building Committee for the church and were instructed to lead the church in construction of a house of worship.

In November, 1891, the church entered contract with Mr. J. Z. Haven for construction of said house. The largest single contribution made toward the building program was $25. Three members of the church--Rev. Jayne, Dr. Williams, and Rev. J. N. Prestridge--each gave that amount. Contributions were made by other Baptist churches of the Bracken Association of Baptists in Kentucky. The church of Winchester made the largest donation. The Maysville Baptist Church gave the windows for the new building and the Brooksville Baptist Church gave the furniture.

The edifice was completed at a cost of $1,400, plus the cost of the windows and the furnishings.

On July 17, 1892, the church building was dedicated with the Rev. J. N. Prestridge, pastor of the Winchester Baptist Church, delivering the dedicatory sermon from Genesis 28:17.

On July 31, the church organized Sunday School work with Dr. Williams as the first Sunday School Superintendent. It was August 9, 1893, when the Bracken Association was holding its annual meeting, with the Mt. Sterling Church serving as host, that the Morehead Baptists applied for admission to the fellowship of Bracken Association and were, as a church, unanimously received into the fellowship, thus becoming a part of the General Association of Baptists in Kentucky and of the Southern Baptist Convention. Rev. Jayne served the church as pastor until December 14, 1895, at which time he resigned, and the church called Rev. F. J . Riggs, who served the church until January, 1897. On January 19, 1897, Dr. L. P. V. Williams was licensed to preach the gospel and was asked to serve the church as supply pastor. He became pastor of the church on January 18, 1898, and served until April 1, 1903.

At a special business session of the church conducted on March 21, 1902, the church granted letters of dismissal to two black members--Brethren Anderson and Lank France--and Sara Oxley, white, for the purpose of organizing a Baptist church in Morehead for "persons of color."

The church entered her second building program in 1915, when, with the aid of the Baptist State Mission Board and under the leadership of Pastor H. M. Estes, the church constructed an educational building for the purpose of housing the Sunday School and other teaching and training agencies of the church. This unit was attached to the original building. In March, 1924, the church purchased from Mrs. Elizabeth Young Duesler, for the sum of $2,250, the house and lot adjoining the church property on the east. This building was used as the home of the pastor until August, 1951, when a modern home was purchased at 308 Llest Sun Street. The course of the Morehead Baptist Church has not been an easy one. However, the church has enjoyed continuous growth. As late as 1931, the church budget was less than $1,800; and as late as January 1, 1933, her total membership was 114. Capable pastors, in addition to those already mentioned, include R. L. Baker, C. L. Craige, J. Ll. Black, J. S. Thompson, Ll. C. Hale and M. E. Staley. Their pastorates were relatively brief. In June, 1930, Rev. Buell H. Kazee became pastor of the church and spent 21 years in faithful service with the church. Following his resignation in August, 1952, J. C. Raikes came to be pastor, assuming his duties officially on November 1, 1952. More recent pastors have included Dr. R. Don Mantooth, Curt Lowndes, Alex Lockridge, and our present pastor, Rev. Aaron Coyle-Carr.

For a number of years, the church operated mission centers in various parts of Rowan County: Pine Grove, Hays Crossing, Slaty Point, and Elliottville, the last two of which have become self-supporting churches. At one time, with the help of the Baptist State Mission Board, a full-time county missionary, Rev. E. C. Brewer, served in the rural areas. Under the same cooperative plan, the church sponsored the Baptist Student Union on the Morehead State University campus. Full-time directors have included Sybil Bell, Marsha Hall, Emery Smith, Don Blaylock, Mike Slone, David Book, Lloyd Cornell, and Rev. Gene Parr. Upon First Baptist Church’s decision to leave the Southern Baptist Convention and Kentucky Baptist Convention, we no longer have an affiliation with the original campus ministry. In July, 1956, Morehead Baptists assumed church responsibilities for the Pine Crest Children's Home located on the Flemingsburg Road in Morehead. This work concluded in 1971, when the State Mission Board reduced the number of children's homes in the state to two--Spring Meadows and Glen Dale.

In 1958, the church dedicated a new educational building to serve as a chapel and church ministries unit until a new sanctuary could be built. The cost was approximately $150,000. In 1968, a new sanctuary was completed, designed to seat 650 worshippers. These buildings, the Educational Building and the Sanctuary, are located on the original site of the Morehead Baptist Church and the first pastor's home.