Our History
The roar of cannons from the Civil War had barely ceased when the settlers in the Bamboo area near Boone sensed God calling them to trust Him to begin a church. Fourteen members of the community under the leadership of Parson Joseph Harrison and his wife, Nancy, established a church where Christ would be proclaimed and glorified. On April 21, 1866 the vision which captured these believers became reality. In the home of Adam and Delphia Cook, Mount Vernon was born 140 years ago. These sixteen members were: Parson Joseph & Nancy Harrison, William & Louisa Cook, Sena Cook, Eliza Cook, Malinda Cook, W.J. Critcher, William VanDyke, Sarah VanDyke, Delphia Cook, Caroline Cook, Evelyn Benson, Mary Cook, Emmanuel VanDyke, and Martha Harrison VanDyke. The church met in the Cook family home for four years.
The church joined the Stony Fork Baptist Association and served the Lord with those churches until 1981 when we joined the Three Forks Baptist Association.
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 In 1870 Joseph Harrison and John Cook, Sr. gave a tract of land on Bamboo Road for a building site. By the time the crisp fall air settled upon the mountains in 1871, the first church building was built. While occupying this log structure the first Sunday School was organized in 1875. In 1896, following twenty-five years of God's love and direction, a one room wooden structure was built on the present sight of our church facilities. The church continued to grow and experience a heightened sense of God's blessings. There was indeed a plan for the small church on the outskirts of Boone.
In 1936, a few short years before the second world war, Mount Vernon outgrew the functional building that had served them so well. Pastor Roby Eggers organized a building and planning committee and began to trust God for the funds to build a new building. The beautiful stone structure which we continue to use today was completed and dedicated in 1943. There were many examples of personal sacrifice as the people build this building following the Great Depression. The evidence that God had His hand of blessing on Mount Vernon Baptist Church was mounting.
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During the ministry of Pastor A.C. Moody the church voted to build an education building to provide room for more Sunday School classes. The building was completed in the fall of 1969. It was paid in full by Homecoming Day, August 6, 1972. On April 6, 1977 the church voted to build a gymnasium. The building was completed in 1979 and was cleared of debt by March 1984.
When Don Foster began his pastorate at Mount Vernon in 1980 the church began to experience phenomenal growth. In fact, the membership tripled. It was during Reverend Foster's tenure that Bud Russell and Keith Critcher were called. On September 17, 1989 the new 650 seat sanctuary was dedicated. Rapid growth continued in the 90's as Pastor Richard Ratliff led the church to reach out to the lost and unchurched. In 1992, Mount Vernon baptized over 100 new believers into the fellowship.
Then in November of 1994 the Lord called Allan Blume as our pastor. He began leading us into the twenty-first century with a plan to reach out to the spiritual needs of our neighbors in the High Country and the unreached people of the whole world. In the last 5 years Chuck Cassada (Minister of Youth & Recreation), Terry Smith (Minister of Music), Cindy Retherford (Director of Childhood Education) and Kanöot Midkiff (Minister of Missions and Senior Adults) have been added to our staff as the church continues to grow. In 1996 the church purchased 24.4 acres surrounding our current facility for parking and future expansion. In 2001 a new 31,800 square foot education building was constructed to meet the growing needs of the church. The construction of additional parking allows us to have adequate, on-campus parking for the first time in 20 years.
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Our Service Times:
Sunday:
9:00 am Worship & Sunday School
10:30 am Worship & Sunday School
5:00 pm Discipleship Training
Choose between two worship services.
Please see our Bible Study Page for details of classes offered.
Wednesday:
6:30 pm House of Prayer Service
6:30 pm Children's Mission Groups
6:30 pm Estudio Bíblico (Spanish)
6:30 pm Celebration Choir Rehearsal
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