North Ten Mile Baptist celebrates 250th anniversary
This stained-glass window is one of the many features of North Ten Mile Baptist Church in Amity.
Photos:
Paul Paterra/ Observer-Reporter
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
A sample of mugs that will be available as part of North Ten Mile Baptist Church’s 250th anniversary celebration
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
An article in the 1905 edition of The Washington Observer tells the story of the formal opening of the current building for North Ten Baptist Church.
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
North Ten Mile Baptist Church in Amity is marking its 250th anniversary with a celebration Sunday.
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
North Ten Mile Baptist Church in Amity is turning 250 years old.
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
A granite statue listing the Ten Commandments stands on the grounds of North Ten Mile Baptist Church.
It’s been a year of celebration at North Ten Mile Baptist Church in Amity.
The church at 322 Ridge Church Road is turning 250 years old on Dec. 1, but the celebration of the anniversary is set for Sunday.
Former pastor, the Rev. Jeffrey Johnson, will speak at the weekly 11 a.m. service.
A box lunch will then be served, followed by a group photograph.
“We’ve had a picture taken at every anniversary,” said Rhonda Gatten, a member of the church for 50 years.
The celebration service is scheduled for 3 p.m. with music and guest speakers, a brief presentation of the history of North Ten Mile Baptist and either a video or written message from another former pastor, the Rev. Gary Schneider.
A book depicting the church’s history updated with events from the last 50 years will be available for purchase.
The celebration has been ongoing throughout the year.
“The first Sunday of the month we’ve been doing a five- to- 10-minute presentation on a period of 25 years,” Gatten said. “We also tried to pick hymns that were written in that time frame. We’ve been doing that since January. It’s been met with a good response. They even want us to continue the hymns afterwards, because you don’t get that anywhere unless you look it up yourself.”
“It was quite interesting,” added longtime parishioner Mary Dobich. “Some of these hymns, the people struggled and had a lot of things going on in their lives, but were wonderful people.”
Dobich has a long history with the church, as her ancestors were members in its early days.
“I’ve had relatives in every generation since,” said Dobich, herself a member for 67 years.
According to the “History of Washington County,” edited by Boyd Crumrine, the first meeting house for North Ten Mile Church was constructed of logs in 1773, east of its present location. T{span}radition has it that it was made of hewn logs with a balcony on three sides, entered by steps on the outside.{/span} A second building, which served from 1794 to 1836, was constructed on the ridge road for easier access.
Later referred to in church records as the Ridge Church, a third building was built in 1836. The dedication services for the fourth house of worship were held May 18, 1873.
The present brick building was built in 1904. In 1993, an addition to the building provided additional classroom, kitchen and fellowship space.
North Ten Baptist has had numerous pastors since its beginning, but currently does not have one. The previous pastor, the Rev. Mark Bauer, was hired full time in January 2022 and left in December.
Guest speakers and pastors have been filling in while the church seeks a new pastor.
“They’re searching for one,” Gatten said. “They’re supposed to have some prospects to be interviewed. Our deacons have stepped up and really taken charge of our worship service and outreach. Everybody has kind of stepped up a little bit. The last pastor not lasting long kind of spurred us to do everything and not make the pastor do it.”
“We have wonderful Christian people,” Dobich added.
Gatten said about 40 people typically attend the weekly service. People come from around the area and from as far as Greene County, plus a couple from Indiana, Pa., attend every so often.
North Ten Mile Baptist Church is known for its charitable efforts to a wide variety of Christian organizations and missions, with almost 5% of its total income given strictly to missions.
A new mission is designated each month for an offering, including Camp Carmel in Dunbar, the Washington City Mission, the James Edgar Memorial Scholarship, Prudencio Canda (a missionary in the Philippines), Beth-El Messianic Ministries and the Gideons International.
Other activities include the annual ham and turkey dinner, a church picnic and for the first time this year, an ice cream social.
For Gatten, the church is an extension of her family.
“My parents moved here when I was 6 months old,” she said. “I grew up here. My parents are buried in the cemetery. I met my husband here. We raised our boys here.”
Plus, it’s a place that has had a certain something to keep it afloat for 250 years.
“Faith in God has to be there,” Gatten said. “It has to be God-inspired for it to survive.”