Our Story

How it all started...

A handful of Baptists from the area met on June 4, 1950 at the Union Church in Mummasburg. They decided, with the help of the Pennsylvania Baptist Convention, to start a Baptist Church in or near Gettysburg. In November, 25 charter members were enrolled and in December a decision was made to purchase the South Stratton Street property of the Church of the Brethren for $20,000. Reverend Herbert Brownlee was called to be the joint pastor of the Gettysburg and Chambersburg churches on May 16, 1951. The first several baptisms were performed in M.V. Coleman's pool.

Many repairs and improvements were made to the Stratton Street Church. In 1968, the Sunday school house was torn down to make room for more parking. Pulpit furniture was donated, and an organ and choir robes were purchased. The church was used by the Community Action Agency beginning in 1970 for its day care center and had an average of 16 preschoolers enrolled.

The mortgage was retired in September 1971 and a building fund was started. On January 24, 1973, action was taken to purchase the Shears property on Route 30
West on which to build a new church.

Expanding the vision...

The 25th Anniversary of the church was celebrated on November 8-9, 1975. At that time there were 111 members. In December of that year it was voted to sell the building on Stratton St. to the Church of Christ for $30,000. While negotiations were in progress, services were temporarily held in the Seventh Day Adventists Church on Hanover Street. On June 20, 1976, groundbreaking ceremonies were conducted at the building site on Rt. 30 and our first official service was held on communion Sunday, October 2, 1977.

Groundbreaking for the present sanctuary was held on March 27, 1988. On December 4, 1988 the first services were held in the new sanctuary. In the spring of 1989, an open house and dedication service was held with Rev. Malcolm Shotwell, area minister as keynote speaker.

Where we are today...

In June of 2000, Pastor Dunn retired, and the church was without a standing pastor for a short time before Pastor Carl Harris accepted the candidacy in 2002.
Pastor Jeff Parsons came on the ministry team as the Youth Pastor in August of 2005 and moved to be the Associate Pastor when Pastor Matt Rice took over the Youth Pastor position in 2014. Pastor Parsons was called to lead another church in 2018. Pastor Sean Fitzgerald to join the ministry team as Associate Pastor in 2019.