Philippi Baptist Church Celebrates 175th Anniversary

By Marija Ilic

Last weekend, Philippi Baptist Church, located on Church Street, celebrated its 175th anniversary, making it one of the oldest continuous congregations in the county. Still located at the original site (with new building erected in 1959), the Church has been a focal point of downtown since Philippi’s inception in 1848.

There are no records preserved from the first decade of the existence, and the oldest record dates back to 1855, when it was noted that there were 22 total members of the church. Throughout close to two centuries now, it has grown to several hundred members, and has contributed to the life in Philippi in Barbour County throughout that time.

Through the decades, Philippi Baptist Church had several active community groups, including Mary Martha and Covered Bridge Quilters. They have also been a place of gathering for Boy Scouts, Mental Health Association, Celebrate Recovery, Young Mothers’ Group, Adult Day Care, etc. They have also been helping with numerous mission groups, were a central church for the Alderson Broaddus students, have contributed to Heart and Hand and Mountain Hospice.

The records kept by the church hold a lot of information about the history of Philippi itself, including 1985 flood, although the records from before the Civil War are largely incomplete and missing. One notable thing is that is on the record is that the Philippi Baptist Church was organized under the leadership of Rev. Solomon Jarvis and his wife, on the lot given by the Jarvises for the purpose of the laying of the foundation of the church. Reverend Jarvis was a father to Anne Jarvis and grandfather to Anna Jarvis, the founder of the Mother’s Day.