In 1801, Baptists in the area gathered to plan and promote a new fellowship in the central region of Evesham that could accommodate the sudden unexpected increase in Baptist settlers. The Medford area was chosen due to its proximity to a major highway and its centrality among the villages.
At the time, Thomas Jefferson was the president and there were only 16 states in the Union. Forty-years later, in 1841, the First Baptist Church of Medford was finally built.
One hundred seventy-five years has passed since then, and the church, nestled at the foot of Bank Street, is still a cornerstone in the township of Medford.
The church celebrated its 175th anniversary on March 13 with a special luncheon that more than 200 folks from throughout the county attended.
“It was just a great day, it really, really was,” Chairman of the Deacon’s Board Steve Gardner said.
The celebration played host to four speakers who touched on topics relating to the church.
Charles Muzyczek gave a detailed description of the rich history of the church. The Rev. George Heiland spoke about the Medford branch and how the plan of God fits into the totality of their outlook. Edward Kuhar spoke on how the church fits in with Baptist churches across America, and Mike Bacon spoke about the evolution of history throughout the church’s lifetime.
The group also took a few timeouts between speakers and enjoyed a nice lunch and desserts.
Attendees were then given the opportunity to view the church’s new historical room it recently constructed. The room hosts a number of historical pictures and sculptures, including a scaled-down model of the original church building built in 1841 and a new version from 1891 after the church burnt down.
Along with the rebuilding of the structure after the tragic fire, the history of the church is a detailed one.
The church had 60 play a role in the Civil War. It also had a group of women who sent birthday cards to troops in World War II and were sent thank you notes back that the church revealed to the public during its recent celebration.
It also found a steel marker while cutting down a tree about a decade ago that indicated the land was part of an underground railway for slaves traveling north.
However, despite its great longevity, the church has maintained the same motive over the years, staying true to the “doctrine of soul liberty,” a document that encourages the idea of supporting what he or she wants to believe.
The group also believes in constitutional and congressional rule when it comes to selecting a new pastor.
“We vote on a pastor when he comes in together by deciding if we like him and agree with what he is trying to do,” Gardner said.
Gardner has been the pastor’s right-hand-man for more than 30 years now.
Though he was not born a Baptist, he became one by conviction, as he put it, getting into the religion as he got older.
Gardner is what baseball fans would refer to as a “utility player” for the First Baptist Church of Medford. After being a Sunday school teacher and youth leader for several years, he approached the pastor at Medford Baptist and simply asked him, “how can you use me?”
The Vietnam War veteran has had cancer three times and was told he had about six years left to live more than 21 years ago.
He views his opportunity to work with the church as a blessing, and he spends his time trying to repay God for his grace, whether through helping the church handle its electric bill or keeping the landscape looking nice.
“There are all kinds of logistics here and someone needs to do it!” he said.
The church is always accepting donations, and 25 percent of the general funds that come in each week go to missionaries.
“I’ve seen an awful lot of churches closing down across the country, but this church has been a wonderful blessing of 175 years,” Gardner said.
