His story: our history

HISTORY OF VALLEY CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH

   At Valley Creek, we understand that "HISTORY" really means "HIS-STORY". The following information is presented as a tribute to the great things that God has done!

   The Valley Creek Church was nondenominational from 1870-1876.  Members organized and become known as Valley Creek Missionary Baptist Church of Christ. In 1919 the Church re-organized and became Valley Creek Missionary Baptist Church.

    Services were held in the school building that was later moved near Valley Creek Cemetery.  In 1920, the Valley Creek School District deeded a half acre of land to the church. In 1923 the members bought more land from the school district and began to raise money to build their own church building.

    The building was completed, and in 1951, Sunday School rooms were added to the back. On December 29, 1952 this building burned, proving to be a real test of faith for the membership. But with God's guidance and grace, another building was miraculously built and dedicated on September 6, 1953.

    Since that time the church has continued to grow and build as needs would arise.  In 1977 the church added more rooms including a nursery. Later, an apartment was built where the pastor could live on weekends which provided the church's first indoor bathroom; no more trips to the outhouse on the north side of the property.  Pastors during that time were seminary students from Southern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth. This apartment provided a place for them to rest until they headed back to Fort Worth after the Sunday evening service. Part of their curriculum was two years of preaching.

    In 1988, the church began to move in a new direction.   A new fellowship hall was added.

ln March of 1990, the church conducted  two morning worship services in order to accommodate the growth. Also, the church voted to purchase additional property to build a new sanctuary. An education building was added during this year. ln August of 1990, the church expanded to include Youth Ministries.

    On July 15,2007, the Long Range Planning Committee presented a plan to start saving funds for what is now the current Sanctuary and classrooms. When the goal of $150,000 was reached, the old building was torn down and services were held in the Fellowship Hall until the new sanctuary was built. The old church was torn down on May 10, 2008. One member said he had to pause and offer up a prayer before he could engage the machine to demolish that "old white church".

    The slab was poured for the current sanctuary in June 2008. Construction began July 21, 2008.  God sent men from Highland Terrace Baptist Church in Greenville, Texas along with men and women from Hebron Baptist Church in Gunter, Texas to assist our men with the construction.

    The first service in the new sanctuary was on Easter Sunday April 13, 2009, even though the church wasn't fully completed. Carpeting, pews, and sound equipment would be installed at a later time. On April 19, 2009, Valley Creek adopted a

constitution and by-laws. On September 12 and 13, 2009, the new sanctuary was dedicated.

    ln August-September, 2009 Valley Creek Baptist started a missionary outreach program and the First Baptist Hispanic Church, Leonard (located in the old historic Leonard Presbyterian Church) came into existence.  It was dedicated December 11, 2011 with Brother Rigo Hernandez as the pastor.

   The blessings and building continued for Valley Creek with the addition of a new Fellowship Hall, dedicated April 8th, 2018. This provides a large kitchen, serving line and dining space that serves as a place to enjoy fellowship meals and special occasions as well as recreation space with a half-court basketball court.

   Thanks to the Lord's help and guidance and the many prayers from church members and volunteers, as well as donations of money and materials, Valley Creek Baptist Church is blessed with loving people and beautiful, debt-free facilities to be used for His glory, to continue to write His Story.