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Current Events
Haynes Grove Baptist Centennial
& Homecoming Celebration
by Don Bailey
Rev. David Vernon Sunday, August 19, 2007 was a very special day in the life of Haynes Grove Baptist Church. But the morning worship service was, no doubt, not unlike thousands of others previously held there. The air conditioning was pumping out cool air, but when the audience began singing “Heaven Belongs to Me” with Jeremy Vernon accompanying on the drums and Reverend David Vernon on the piano, the temperature began to rise. For more than an hour there was testimony from church members, prayers, and songs of praise—many songs of praise. Not even the hardest heart nor the most cynical mind could have avoided being moved. Then came the message from Rev. Vernon and, at 2:00 pm, lunch in the fellowship hall.
But the day was just beginning; for this was the 100th anniversary of Haynes Grove Baptist Church. When giving the name of the church it is important to stress the “Baptist” portion. For the building which houses the church is 104 years old! Indeed it is the oldest church building in Cliffside and it has been in continuous use for all of its 104 years. This seeming contradiction arises from the fact that from 1903 to 1907 the church building housed a Methodist church.
The lunch line at the celebration's noon break But back to the celebration, which continued into the afternoon. For the afternoon service a choir from Mount Olive Baptist Church in Kings Mountain was present, along with Rev. Charles Webber, the pastor at Mt. Olive. Another special guest was Dr. E. D. Brantley, pastor of Lowndes Hill Baptist Church in Greenville, SC. By 3:00 p.m. the air conditioning was doing its best, but the ushers were busy handing out the traditional “funeral home fans.” Those lucky enough to get a fan put it to good use. The church was packed. Deacon Ervan Macopson commented that he had not seen the church so full recently, save for funerals. It is not impossible, nor even unlikely, that an observer standing outside could have seen the sides of the building oscillating as all present joined in singing.
Highlights of the afternoon service included the reading of a history of the church written by Ms. Mary Webster. Also, Ms. Rosalind Tate spoke about the long tenure of her father, the Rev. E. W. Bonner, as pastor of Haynes Grove. And for the continued support of the church Ms. Tate, her brother Dr. Ernest Bonner, Jr., and her daughters Brandy Tate and Valerie Arroyo gave $1,500 in memory of her father and in honor of her mother Mrs. Eula Bonner. It was indeed a day to remember.
Copyright © 2010 The Cliffside Historical Society
