Bakers Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Aynor, celebrated its 100th anniversary Oct. 2.
On hand for Bakers Chapel Missionary Baptist Church’s centennial were (from left) former pastor A.D. Grainger, current pastor Jeremy Todd, and former pastor Lamar Squires.The church traces its founding to Enoch Silvis Baker (1835-1910), who provided money in his will to build a church beside the Baker Family cemetery, which dates prior to 1870. He requested that the church be named Bakers Chapel in memory of his wife, Prudence Allen Baker.
Construction was started in 1910. All timber used was virgin pine and cypress from the lands of Enoch S. Baker and his brother, John G. Baker. The lumber was milled locally at nearby Allen Town Lumber Company.
The first service was held in the fall of 1911 with 13 members. Twenty-eight pastors have served the church since services began. Over the years there have been additional property acquisitions, structural changes to the original building, additional construction, and the cemetery has been enlarged.
Awards and commendation were granted from Waccamaw Association, the South Carolina Baptist Convention’s history committee, and the Horry County Council.