The second oldest church in Escambia County (Ala.), Catawba Springs Baptist Church, located at 5101 Old Highway 31, will host its bicentennial celebration beginning at 3 p.m., this Saturday, Oct. 6, beginning with the Isaah Taylor Memorial Fishfry. The public is invited Saturday and Sunday to help the church celebrate 200 years since it was started in 1818.
On Sunday, Oct. 7, there will be a Bicentennial Celebration Service at 10 a.m. A provided lunch will be served following the service.
Several representatives from the Alabama Baptist Historical Commission and the Escambia County Historical Society will be at the event. State Rep. Alan Baker will read a resolution and the Executive Director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions Rick Lane will be present for the celebration.
“This is very exciting for us, it's a rich history for this church,” said Pastor Jeff Edwards, head pastor for 12 years at Catawba Springs. “Putting all this togetherm going back and looking at all that history, and then all the people who have come through, served and ministered, it really is exciting. I'm proud and the people are proud of their history. Hopefully, it won't stop here, there will be two hundred more years of great legacy to leave behind.”
The church was started when the James Coleman and Levi Jackson families came from the Catawba District of South Carolina to the property, still owned by the Creek Indians. The Catawba Springs Baptist Church was officially started in 1818, located on Joseph J. Jackson's lands.
The first church building in 1838, was a one-room log building, floored with split lumber and the benches were split logs. There were 62 members and the first pastor was Rev. John McWilliams.
In 1840, the church became part of the Bethlehem Baptist Association with Noah Parker acting as pastor.
A better church was built in 1856 and the members were segregated. During the Civil War, this building was used by the Army of the South as a hospital for a Regiment of Georgia camping in the area from Catawba Cemetery to Pollard. While the army occupied the area, people worshipped at the Norris Masonic Lodge in Pollard until 1878 when they built a new lumber church building. This building stood on the spot of the present pastorium until 1896 when another new lumber building was built on the present property of the church.
Around 1900, the building was moved back to widen the road and eventually moved again to make room for Highway 31. The building and renovation was completed from 1938 to 1952, while Rev. R.D. Wright served as pastor. Several new parts were added in 1973 and more afterwards, in several phases.
From 1980 until 2018, many new additions and renovations have taken place and programs started to support various local, state, national and international mission causes, including Sav-a-Life, Pilots for Christ, Alabama Baptist Children's Home, Escambia Baptist Association and others.
Everyone is invited to share this Bicentennial Celebration with Catawba Springs Baptist Church this Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 6 and 7.
