Swift Creek Baptist Church Established 1879
A History of Our Church
Swift Creek Baptist Church was organized in the Burns School House on Penny Road. The Rev. W.R. Gwalteny, Pastor of Tabernacle Church in Raleigh, conducted a series of meetings out of which the church was organized on Friday, November 1, 1879.
In 1880 J.P. Massey gave some land and the first frame structure was built. In 1910, two Sunday School rooms were added and in 1919 an east wing was completed. Three additional rooms were added in 1927. which was used until 1964.
From 1880 until 1921 the church was heated by wood stoves. A furnace was installed in 1921 and a new one in 1948. The sanctuary was remodeled in 1952 and four rooms were added. In September of 1964 the frame building was torn down to make room for the construction of the present building.
In 1950, T.L. Jones gave land and a parsonage was built by H.H. Holland.
The first grave in the cemetery was dug in 1888. Today there are over 350 graves.
In 1882, a group withdrew and formed the Oak Grove Primitive Baptist Church. The membership in 1889 was 83. By 1939, under the leadership of Rev. R.E. Atkins, the church grew to 331. In 1963, another group withdrew and formed the Midway Baptist Church, now known as Macedonia Baptist Church.
