Old Greenbrier Baptist ChurchPO Box 456Alderson, WV 24910Pastor: Rev. Dr. Bill Bryan(304) 646-8631Ministers of Music:Dell & Nancy WoodCarolyn Holliday Treasurer:Charlotte MeltonCongregational Visitor:Peggy BollenbachOfficial Board, ChairBob LaRueStreet Address:301 North Monroe St.Church Phone:(304) 445-7854

Old GreenbriER Baptist News

2015

Non-ProfitPostage PermitNo. 32

Volume XVII No. IX

Church website: http://oldgreenbrierbaptistchurch.typepad.com/

Forwarding Service Requested

FROM YOUR

PASTOR’S HEARTThe air has that hint of fall as the days grow shorter and the evenings cooler. It won’t be long until the mountains are robed in the majestic colors of fall. We give glory to God for the progression and beauty of each season. As

we celebrate the coming of fall we also celebrate a new beginning and a life milestone. Our Emma Alderson Christian Academy (EACA) begins full operation this month and next month our West Virginia Baptist Convention (WVBC) will celebrate its 150th birthday. We thank God for both of these organizations and their ministries.EACA Launch – It is an exciting time as we launch our new ministry through the Emma Alderson Christian Academy this month. Jodi Wiseman, our Director, the EACA Committee, and other committed volunteers have been busy with final preparations for launching both our Pre-K Program and our After-school Program. Please read Jodi’s article in this newsletter for more exciting details related to this ministry launch. Jodi will write a regular feature article for our newsletter to keep you informed of all the news and events related to EACA.WVBC at 150 – Our annual meeting of the West Viriginia Baptist Convention will be a special one this year as we celebrate the 150th birthday of our convention. At nearly 235 years, Old Greenbrier Baptist is older than our convention, which formed in the aftermath of the Civil War. We will gather as a convention October 15-16 at Hurricane First Baptist Church. Please read the details about the convention meeting on the facing page. I hope some of you will be able to join me as we meet in Hurricane to celebrate God’s past, present, and future work through our cooperative efforts.

Fill-Up and Fuel-Up Luncheon – September 20

1 2Bible Study ~ 6:30pChoir ~ 7:30p

3Ruth Thurmond Circle ~ 1p

4 5Men’sBreakfastOGBC ~ 8a

6Communion Sunday

S School ~ 9:45aWorship ~ 11a

7LABOR DAY

8 9Bible Study ~ 6:30pChoir ~ 7:30p

10 11 12.

13S School ~ 9:45aWorship ~ 11a

Official Bd. ~ noon

14 15 16Bible Study ~ 6:30pChoir ~ 7:30p

17Pack Food Pantry ~ 9a

18Food Pantry~9a

19

20S School ~ 9:45aWorship ~ 11a

Fill-Up and Fuel-Up Luncheon ~ noon

21 22 23Bible Study ~ 6:30pChoir ~ 7:30p

24

25 26

27S School ~ 9:45aWorship ~ 11a

28 29 30Bible Study ~ 6:30pChoir ~ 7:30p

The October Men’s Community Prayer Breakfast will be Saturday, October 3 at 8am at River of Life Church of God.

After worship on Sunday, September 20 we will have a pot-luck luncheon to raise money to replace our leaky fuel oil tank and fill it with oil for winter. Meat, bread, and drinks will be provided. There will

3 – Carolyn Knapp 5 – Kari Still 6 – Ron Shafer

Carolyn Thompson 8 – Patrick Parker 9 – Jack Hunter 10 – Eric Harrah 13 – Betty Holliday

Kristin McCallisterDana Pack

14 – Lucas McCallister 17 – Cheryl Goins 22 – Addey & Zoey Harris 23 – Donna Simms 26 – Hannah Bryan

also be gift baskets available in a silent auction. So, come fill up on good food and donate what you would have spent on eating out to help us fuel up.

Our Finance Team monitors our church budget and spending. Thank you for your regular tithes and special offerings. Each month, we want to present an overview of where we are financially.

General Fund for the Month Ended July 31, 2015:Beginning Balance $ (567.12) + Total Income $ 7,535.76 − Total Expenses $ 10,708.30Ending Balance $ (3,739.66) *

* Holding checks totaling $3,900.72

Budget Needs Actual Need Difference

Giving thru July: $67,880 $79,770 - $11,890August 2, 9, 16, 23: $ 9,576 $10,636 - $ 1,060 Total 2015 Giving: $77,456 $90,406 - $12,950

2015 Missions Giving Report – Below is a giving report from ABC, USA summarizing our missions giving in 2015 compared to 2014.

Mission Giving

Year To Date

thru 6/30/15

Year To Date

thru 6/30/14

Year To DateIncrease / (Decrease)

United Missions $1,000.00 1,175.00 (14.89%)America for Christ $1,039.55 $1,125.2

8(7.61%)

World Missions $498.00 $600.00 (17.00%)RMMO $50.00 $9.60 420.83%One Great Hour $0.00 $0.00 0%Love Gift $136.00 $178.50 (23.80%)Other Categories $250.00 $250.00 0%

Total ABMS $2,973.55 $3,338.38 (10.92%)

his shoulder.”134 He set about ministering to settlers on the frontier who faced opposition from both wilderness and unfriendly Native Americans. Those living on the frontier were in need of spiritual care, and he was called by God to deliver it. In regard to his ministry, Robert Semple observes, “Neither cold, nor heat, nor storms, nor peril from savages, nor perils from his own countrymen, nor perils from destructive beasts, nor inward temptations, nor outward afflictions, retarded his labors.” 145

Ralph McDanel adds, “If the Indians did not molest the settlers he preached wherever there was a convenient place. Because of the menace of Indians, forts had been established from place to place and Alderson preached to the garrisons in the forts. Usually he was received but sometimes, met with opposition.”156

Elder John’s ministry in Greenbrier County led to a gathering of twelve, including himself and his wife, who agreed to form a church as an arm of the Smith and Linville’s Creek Church. After petitioning the Ketocton Association for help, they received word that they had the power to constitute a church.167 So, on November 24, 1781 Greenbrier Baptist Church was formed by this intrepid band of twelve believers living on the leading edge of the American frontier. The first twelve members were: John Alderson, Mary Alderson, Thomas Alderson, who was the younger brother of Elder John, John Kippers, John Sheppherd, John Scaggs, Katherine Scaggs, Joseph Scaggs, Lucy Scaggs, Bailey Wood, Ann Wood, and James Wood.178 Elder John served as pastor of the church for the remainder of his life. During these years he also travelled to other churches to preach and hold meetings. His wide influence led to the founding of at least seven other Baptist churches during his lifetime. He performed 408 marriage ceremonies on the frontier.189 His frontier ministry drew to a close with his death in 1821.

413. J. W. Morgan, ed., 1781-1906 Souvenir of the 125th Anniversary of the Greenbrier Baptist Church (Huntington, WV: Swan Printing & Stationery, Co., 1906), 11.514. Semple, 258.615. McDanel, 308.716. Semple, 259.817. The Minutes of the [Baptist] Church[,] wherein is contained the proceedings of the Church from its constitution to this present [1781 - June 1835]. This document contains the original church minutes of Greenbrier Baptist Church from November 24,

1781 to June 1835 and resides in the archives of Old Greenbrier Baptist Church, Alderson, WV. Hereinafter this resource will be referenced simply as Minutes 1781-1835.918. John Alderson, “A Book Containing the Marriages by Me, John Alderson” in William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine 8, no. 2 [1928]: 194-202.

. . . By 1819 he was unable to travel or preach. . . . He presided at the meeting of the Association at Lewisburg in 1818 and attended the Association meeting at Greenbrier in 1820. It was his last Association meeting and was held there in order that Brother Alderson could be present. At this meeting a Methodist brother preached a powerful sermon and so moved Brother Alderson that he broke out in an extemporaneous address while sitting in his chair. While attending a meeting in January 1821, he became ill while standing and would have fallen had not some of his family caught him. He was carried home and put to bed where he remained until his death on March 5th, 1821.1910

Elder John Alderson is buried beside his beloved wife Mary Carroll Alderson in the cemetery behind the church which he founded. Unfortunately there are no known portraits or photographs of this prestigious pioneer Baptist minister.

. . . to be continued

“BAPTIST BEGINNINGS AND EXPANSION IN SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA”What follows is the second excerpt of an article written by Pastor Bill for the American Baptist Quarterly in honor of the 150th anniversary of the West Virginia Baptist Convention. The entire article is available in American Baptist Quarterly XXXIII, no. 1 (Spring 2014): 25-44. It will be published serially over the next several months as a feature article in the Old Greenbrier Baptist News.

Elder John Alderson, Jr. - continuedIt was in Rockingham County that John [Alderson], Jr. grew from a farm boy of seventeen

years into Elder John, the man who succeeded his father as pastor of Linville’s Creek Church in 1775. In 1759 Elder John married Mary Elizabeth Carroll (1739-1805) of the wealthy and prominent Carroll family. She remained his lifelong companion and bore him four sons and one daughter. After the tragic death of his beloved daughter and a serious personal illness, Elder John had a profound conversion experience and felt the call to preach. He gave an account of this period of his life in Rockingham County as follows.

My father being much from home, and I being the oldest son, much dependence was placed on me to take care of the farm, so that I had very little opportunity to learn. The chief of the books that I read were the Bible and the Baptist catechism, which last I got by heart, and not only said it over at school but also in the public congregations on Sundays after sermon. By these means I was kept from all gross immoralities. By an expression dropped from my father, after I had recovered from a very severe spell of sickness, my mind was very solemnly impressed, which I have never lost to this day. After passing through a painful and tedious law work, in which I would set resolutions and then break them, I became at last deeply concerned. I sought the Lord with my whole heart, and at last obtained comfort, great comfort, by the application of these words, “Ye are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,

Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.” After many trials and doubts as to my conversion, I began at last to be exercised about preaching. I, at first, thought it impossible that so weak a creature as I could be called to preach; but being persuaded at last by many divine tokens that it was the will of God, I entered upon the solemn work.1011

Shortly after becoming pastor of Linville’s Creek Church, Elder John made his first foray into Greenbrier County in southwestern Virginia apparently through connections he had with some members of his church who had migrated to that area. On his second visit to Greenbrier County, he baptized one person, and on his third visit he baptized two more.1112 One of those baptized was John Griffith from the area known as Griffith’s Creek which lies near present-day Alderson, West Virginia.1213 On his third trip, he stayed for a short time at Jackson’s River, due to Indian troubles on the Greenbrier. After an additional brief sojourn at Jarrett’s Fort on Wolf Creek, Elder John settled permanently on the banks of the Greenbrier River in 1777 at the place where the Town of Alderson stands to this day. There “. . . he opened a farm and often followed the plow with a gun swung from

It’s finally here! The opening of our Pre-K and After-school programs is upon us. It has taken a lot of hard work, sweat, and tears but our vision is now a reality. God has made all things possible. We are so thankful!

We have currently enrolled three Pre-K students and twelve After-school students. This is a great start but we have room to grow. Enrollment is on-going so send your friends our way. Interested families may call us at 304-445-7575 or e-mail us at:

emmaaldersonchristianacademy@gmail.com.

The EACA Committee is working with the Official Board to interview and hire staff for both our Pre-K and After-school programs. All of our candidates have excellent qualifications and hearts filled with love for children.

Our Lord and Great Teacher has placed wonderful and encouraging people in our path. We have been blessed by generous donations from our church family, businesses, strangers, and friends. Now we have received an anonymous donation of $7,000 to be used as we need. How

1019. McDanel, 317-18.1110. Robert Baylor Semple, A History of the Rise and Progress of the Baptists in Virginia, rev. by G. W. Beale, The Baptist History Collection State Histories (1894; repr., Paris, AK: The Baptist Standard Bearer, Inc., 2005), 257-58.1211. Ibid., 258.1312. Griffith Creek Baptist Church was constituted on November 22, 1885 in large part through the work of Elder Matthew Ellison, who had served as the twelfth (1859-65) and eighteenth (1881-83) pastor of Greenbrier Baptist Church. Many of the original

members of this church, in an amicable separation for growth, transferred their memberships from Greenbrier Baptist Church in order to form the new church. For an interesting and concise history of the Griffith Creek Church, see Glenna Lacy Harris, Griffith Creek Baptist Church: A Brief History 1886 – 1977 (n.p.: n.p., 1977).

Emma Alderson Christian Academy

wonderful it would be for that donation to be matched. No donation is too small. So please spread the word and help us achieve this goal. Thank you so much to everyone that has donated to our Academy and prayed for us.

We have planned exciting and high-quality educational programs. The West Virginia DHHR is very impressed with what we have done, and we

intend to far exceed their expectations.

In His Service,

Jodi Wiseman Director, Emma Alderson Christian Academy

Prayer Needs as of August 26

Freda Meadows familySaeed AbdeniGlenna Adams (sis-in-law of Mary Godby)Hope Aliff (friend of Anne Parker)June Ames (friend of J. Lehmann)Malia Ashmead (P. Bollenbach’s grand-daughter)Pat AyersKaren Baker (sister of L. Carter)Jim Belcher (friend of Anne Parker)Nathan BradleyGary BryantMargaret CantleyDreama CarterDarius Christian (Charlotte Grimmett brother)Nathan Clay (friend of Anne Parker)Cody (Alice Clark’s grandson)Jean Dodson (friend of Anne Parker)John Dynak (friend of Curtis Pauley)Donna EskinsNick EstepLinda Fitzwater (Friend of Anne Parker)Crystal & Emma HalsteadKent Hanserd (C. Knapp’s nephew)Clara HardestyJerry HarrisBetty HighlanderAnita Hill (friend of Mary Godby)Jean Himes (friend of Diana Taylor)Dickie & Ora HonakerShawna Hopkins (C. Smith’s granddaughter)Lorene HouseMadeline Howard (C. Knapp’s sister)Jesse Hylton (friend of Dolphis Wood)Matthew Jarvis (friend of Mary Godby)Michelle KnappBob LaRueJoyce LehmannLevi LevisayCharlie Lobban

Lori Loggins (A. Parker)John Mace (friend of Lawrence Lewis)Pearl McCurdyVirginia Miller (sister of Charlotte Grimmett)Charles Mitchell (friend of Mary Godby)Melody Moss (A. Parker)Sharon Mullins (C. Holliday’s sister)Sandra Neely (friend of C. Knapp)Eva Nichols (friend of Anne Parker)Andrea ParkerLee PattersonLevi Pugliani (Bob & Gayle LaRue’s grandson)Marsha RayRebecca Rexroad (Jewell Smith’s grand-daughter)Jim Reynolds (friend of Pastor Bill & Deborah)Heather RichmondChris RogersLibby, Stephanie, G.W. Richmond (C. Smith)Brittany ShaferMargie SimmonsTammy SkaggsChristine SmithLucy May SmithSammy Walker (friend of C. McCallister)Claudine Hinkle WaltonJeff WillisJeanie Zopp (friend of Theresa Massey)

ALL TROOPS In Our Armed ForcesRandy Fleshman (home)Joseph Garcia (New Jersey)Katie Hunter (home)Jess Phillips (home)Brent Taylor (home)Ernie Tincher (Afghanistan)

Church Family Shut-inMary Lou Bowden Ernestine LightFrances Canterbury Juanita RookstoolHarriett Dancy Dorothy Taylor Louise Utterback

Government Officials Heads of State

Students: Jonathan Bradley, Bethany Burdette, Hannah Griffin, Rhys Rogers, Kari Still, Kelsey Still, Stephanie Willis, Keith Wiseman, Brennan Wood

EMMA ALDERSON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

Note: Please notify church office 304 445-7854 to delete or add to prayer list.

West Virginia Baptist Convention

150th Annual MeetingLegacy: Celebrating 150 Years of West Virginia

Baptists

Thursday, October 15 – Friday, October 16, 2015

Hurricane First Baptist Church2635 Main St.Hurricane, WV

25526

Keynote Speaker: John Upton, Executive Director, Baptist General Associaiton of Virginia and the Virginia Baptist Mission Board in the United States, and President, Baptist World Alliance – Thursday, October 15 at 6:30pmAnnual Sermon: Maxwell Hill, Jr. – Thursday, October 15 at 2:45pm

Executive Minister Address: David Carrico – Friday, October 16 at 8:30amLuncheon Opportunities at Noon on Friday, October 16West Virginia Baptist Historical Society at Milton Baptist - $10Ministers’ Spouses’ at The Greenhouse - $10Palmer Theological Seminary at Hurricane First Baptist - $10

Contact Pastor Bill if you are interested in being a delegate from our church or if you would like to attend the convention. Transportation can be arranged as needed.