Rocky River Baptist Church: 250th Schedule

Rocky River Baptist Church Vacation Bible School for the summer of 1966. Thanks to Sylvia Johnson Churchwell, who assisted with Bible school that year, for providing the date. Mrs. Churchwell and her daughter, Beth, are in the photo. Click on photo for an enlarged version.

STILL AVAILABLE
Church History Book Reprint ROCKY RIVER BAPTIST CHURCH TEN YEARS OF GROWTH AND MINISTRY

	The last decade of church history is presented in an update of the larger church history book. Written by Janette Teague and produced by the Rocky River Baptist Church History Committee, this free 20-page booklet is available in black-and-white printed form from the church and in color electronic form (as an 840K PDF) by clicking here.

STILL AVAILABLE
ROCKY RIVER BAPTIST CHURCH 1756-1995

The church history published in 1995 has been reprinted. Rocky River Baptist Church, 1756-1995, tells the story of Rocky River from its founding, under the guidance of Elder Shubal Stearns, into the mid 1990s. Produced by Janette Teague, Brenda Perry and P.D. Short, the history includes many names, dates and events associated with the church. The hardback volume is available from the church for $25 each. If you purchase a copy of the reprinted history, don't forget to request a free copy of the church history update, described above, which recounts the last decade of ministry and brings the church history up to date.

STILL AVAILABLE
THE ROCKY RIVER BAPTIST CHURCH 250th ANNIVERSARY COOKBOOK

	Featuring favorite family recipes, many provided in memory or honor of church members throughout the ages, the 250th Anniversary Cookbook is now available from the Fresh Vision's Women's Missionary Union. Cookbooks are $12 each, if picked up in person. There is an additional packaging and shipping fee of $3 for any book to be delivered by U.S. Mail. Available while supplies last. To place an order, click here to download an order form. Or, click here for more information.

Past Events Sponsored by the
250th Anniversary Committee

Anniversary Celebration Held August 13

Several Rocky River Baptist Church pastors, past and present, attended the 250th Anniversary Celebration, each addressing nearly 300 members of the congregation and guests in August.

TWO AND A HALF CENTURIES
OF FAITHFULNESS
Rocky River Baptist Church's
250th Anniversary Celebration

Our anniversary celebration culminated at Homecoming 2006 with a special, two-hour worship service beginning at 10 a.m. and continuing with “dinner on the grounds.” Overflow seating was available by live video feed in the church fellowship hall. The service featured:

Brief remembrances by former Rocky River Pastors Gene Booker, James Hester, Alden Hicks, Charles Rutt and Francis Smith.
A special guest appearance by Shubal Stearns, as portrayed by Pastor Greg Burriss.
Worship music presented by the adult and children’s choirs.
And a few other special moments along the way.

For a copy of the 250th Anniversary Celebration and Homecoming
worship bulletin (164K PDF) click here.

Video and Audio Recordings
Recordings of the 250th Anniversary Celebration worship service are available directly from Ward Productions. Video recordings, in DVD and VHS formats, are $20 each. Audio CDs are $10 each. All prices include shipping and handling.

For an order form (72K PDF), click here.

Coming Soon. HISTORIC WALKWAY. A brick walkway will be constructed as part of the new fellowship building to honor those who have helped build Rocky River Baptist Church since its founding in 1756. The walkway will combine regular bricks with specially-engraved bricks purchased over recent months to remember or honor individual family or church members, church ministries or important events in our history.

April 30, 2006. OLD-TIME WORSHIP DAY. Members had an opportunity to "participate" in the history of Rocky River Baptist Church at Old-Time Worship Day, when everyone was encouraged to dress in attire from any period of church history — which covers a long time — and learn about the kind of worship past members might have enjoyed. After the morning service, an informal afternoon of fellowship concluded with lunch on the grounds. To view photos of Old-Time Worship Day, click here.

March 19, 2006. BAPTISTS: THEN & NOW. The Rev. Dr. Bill J. Leonard, Dean of the Divinity School and Professor of Church History at Wake Forest University, helped Rocky River celebrate its anniversary with a special day focusing on church history. Morning events kicked off in the fellowship hall with breakfast prepared by the deacons and continued with a joint Sunday School featuring Leonard's 45-minute presentation. The professor then delivered a sermon, titled "Passing the Scroll," during morning worship.

November 13, 2005. SINGING HIS PRAISE: MUSIC AT ROCKY RIVER. Morning worship featured songs, special guests and a look at the music ministry of Rocky River Baptist Church over the years. Musicians included pianist Nancy Oldham, the Rocky River Youth Quartet (David Allen, Beverly Powell, Paula Reeves and Charlie Teague), Candy Fields and Judy Hinshaw, Alice Sue Teague and Beverly Teague Powell ,and the Rev. Gerald Bridges with the Rocky River Adult Choir. A special historically-oriented devotional message was provided by Daniel Hicks, who years ago published a church history based on his extensive research.

September 18, 2005. 250 FOR THE 250th: SUNDAY SCHOOL AT ROCKY RIVER. To kick off Revival during this anniversary year, a special churchwide Sunday School lesson, "Here's the Church. Here's the Steeple." was featured. The lesson considered these questions: What really is the church? And, what is God doing with the church ... with you ... not in history, but today? A copy of the lesson is available by clicking here.

August 14, 2005. 249th ANNIVERSARY HOMECOMING: "The Children of Rocky River." The Rev. Greg Burriss and the Rocky River Baptist Church Choir lead worship, welcomed friends and remembered the past. This service began our yearlong celebration of God's faithfulness over 250 years of ministry, and was followed by a potluck dinner on the grounds, a special peformance by the Children's Choir and a short dramatic presentation by the youth.

Summer 2005. ROCKY RIVER BAPTIST CHURCH 250th ANNIVERSARY CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT. A gold-colored, metal Christmas ornament was offered as a way to remember the church's 250th anniversary for years to come. Orders were accepted through Aug. 28 for the ornament, which features the sanctuary exterior with the notations, "Rocky River Baptist Church, 1756-2006, 250th Anniversary." Ornaments will be delivered in early November. If did not place an order, but would like an ornament, please contact the church office; a limited number of extra ornaments have been ordered and may still be available.

April 17, 2005. SONG SERVICE & DEDICATION OF THE J. WARD BUCKNER HERITAGE ROOM. Harry Lindley and Family led a song service of thanksgiving and worship, as Rocky River Baptist Church dedicated the J. Ward Buckner Heritage Room.

April 17, 2005. CHURCH FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH. After morning worship, a photograph of the entire congregation was made outside on the front steps of the sanctuary. A few copies of the photograph may still be available; please contact the church office for availability.

October 2, 2004. ROCKY RIVER FELLOWSHIP DAY. Beginning with outdoor games in the late afternoon, Fellowship Day included activities for the entire family followed by a cookout on the church grounds.

August 8, 2004. 248th ANNIVERSARY HOMECOMING: "Celebrating Rocky River Baptist Church." Morning worship featured a special message by Byron Sellers and the first publication of This Week in Church History. Following a potluck dinner on the church grounds, a choral reading on church history was performed in the sanctuary. Written by Janette Teague, Celebrating Rocky River Baptist Church included music by our bluegrass friends, A Company of Nunn.

August 10, 2003. 247th ANNIVERSARY HOMECOMING: "Voices from the Pulpit." As a kickoff historical event, revival featured “historical” voices from the pulpit. The program began with the Rev. Manuel Cunnup, who portrayed 18th-century Pastor Shubal Stearns, who established churches in the region that created Rocky River Baptist Church. Other speakers included former pastors of this church: Gene Booker, Gerald Bridges, James Hester and Francis Smith.