Abner Creek Baptist Church celebrates 175th anniversary

In 1832, Abner Creek Baptist Church was organized and began meeting in the log cabin home of William and Sarah Hendrix. On Sept. 30, 2007, the church celebrated the 175th anniversary of that event with a challenge from guest speaker Cleatus Blackmon to “do the work of God in your generation, trusting God deeply to provide for you” in the future.

Abner Creek was organized in this cabin in 1832.

The anniversary service capped nearly seven months of celebration by Abner Creek under the banner, “Stepping into the Past with a Vision of the Future.” Blackmon, director of missions for Greer Baptist Association, encouraged the church to “imitate a good past” by continuing to “take leaps of faith under God’s leadership,” to continue to “see God work in a mighty way and be part of it.”

Abner Creek was officially constituted as a church in 1834 with 21 charter members. Its membership now is approximately 500. It was a founding member of Greer Baptist Association in 1959.

Emphasizing that “Christianity is not a spectator sport and the church is not a retreat center,” Blackmon encouraged Abner Creek to always give priority to its “missional” role that goes beyond only advocating and giving to missions to the realization that “you are Christ’s missionary.”

Frank Keels, Abner Creek’s pastor since 1998, introduced former pastors Wallace Hughes, who served from 1968-76, and Donel Kelley, who had the longest tenure, from 1977-97, to offer reflections on their ministries. The pastorates of Hughes, Kelley and Keels account for nearly 40 of Abner Creek’s 175 years.

As part of the celebration, associate pastor Vernon Thornhill recognized Cliff Hendrix for having attended Abner Creek the longest, and Myrtle Smith and Geneva Wade as the oldest members.

Don Kirkland, editor and president of The Baptist Courier, brought anniversary greetings from the South Carolina Baptist Convention and made a presentation to Abner Creek for its having surpassed $1 million in Cooperative Program contributions.

Abner Creek Baptist Church moved into its first new sanctuary in 1858 and called its first full-time pastor, Walter Chapman, in 1949. The current sanctuary was built and dedicated in 1963.

The 175-year history of Abner Creek Baptist Church has been compiled and published and is now available in hardback book form. The book is being offered for $12, which is below cost. The contact person is F. E. Hendrix, 2223 Abner Creek Road, Duncan, S.C. 29334, (864) 877-5200.

Program personalities at the anniversary service, from left: former pastor Donel Kelley, current pastor Frank Keels, former pastor Wallace Hughes, and Cleatus Blackmon, director of missions for Greer Baptist Association.