church_history

Following years of working, planning and praying members of Paramount Baptist Church, Hagerstown, recently saw their dream fulfilled as workmen nestle the steeple in place on the new church building at 2323 Marsh Pike.

Groundbreaking for the colonial design structure was held May 27, 1979 and the congregation met in the fellowship hall for the first worship service, November 18, 1979. The sanctuary, decorated in Williamsburg colonial, was initiated with services and the Lord's Supper, December 2, 1979. The sanctuary has a seating capacity of 225 and the educational building can accommodate 250. The11,500 square-foot structure is situated on a five and one half acre lot.

A formal service of dedication is being planned for March, 1980. Cecil C. Anderson is pastor of the congregation.

May 28, 1961
Groundbreaking - First Baptist Chapel founded by First Baptist Church, Hagerstown, with 29 persons from the Parent Church present.

Rev. G. Barlow Harris was Pastor of First Baptist with W. V. Hopkins and A. H. Sherman primary movers for the North End Mission.

The building was two stories erected at 2294 High Street.

December 10, 1961
First service of First Baptist Chapel with Rev. Melton Wright of Winchester as Interim Pastor.

April 15, 1962
Service of Dedication - First Baptist Chapel.

July 22, 1962
Service of Ordination of Charles Parker Bullard - called by First Baptist Church as Assistant Pastor and Chapel Minister.

1967
First Baptist Church approved Act of Constitution of Paramount Baptist Church.

January 1, 1968
Paramount Chapel became Paramount Baptist Church with Rev. Charles P. Bullard as its first pastor.

April 28, 1968
Service of Constitution - Paramount Baptist Church.

September, 1969
One story fellowship hall with kitchen was erected.

October 23, 1969
Mrs. Lorene Keener became first woman to be elected to the Board of Deacons.

December 11-13,1970
WMU, Baptist Women (now Women on Mission) was organized by Mary Strauss and chartered with guests Miss Everly Hays, Missionary to Indonesia and Miss Josephine Norwood, WMU Secretary for Maryland.

August, 1971
Rev. Charles P. Bullard resigned.

April 30, 1972
Service of Installation of Rev. Don R. Stevenson, called as our pastor.

1974
Mrs. Betty Reid became first woman to be elected to the Board of Trustees. Paramount Baptist Church began ministry with Western Maryland Center services by P.B.C.

September 1, 1975
Rev. Don R. Stevenson resigned.

November 23, 1975
Rev. Cecil C. Anderson delivered first sermon as pastor of Paramount Baptist Church.

December 1976
Baptist Women under the chairmanship of Arbutus Blackwell organized the Prayer Chain.

1978
Study Committee recommended plans to relocate and build on Marsh Pike.

December 10, 1978
The 10th anniversary of Paramount Baptist Church.

May 5, 1979
First Mother/Daughter Banquet at Paramount Baptist Church.

May 27, 1979
Dedication and Groundbreaking Service of new Paramount Baptist Church at 2323 Marsh Pike. The new church building will accommodate 225 worshippers and 240 in Bible study. Launched our "Together We Build" Sale of building and four acres of land, 2294 High Street, to Hebron Mennonite congregation.

June 15, 1979
First Father/Son Banquet at Paramount Baptist Church.

September 30, 1979
Cornerstone Laying Service for new church.

November 18, 1979
First service in new church (in Anderson Hall).

December 2, 1979
First service in the sanctuary.

March 16-23, 1980
Dedication services of new church with snow on the ground; ministers present: Dr. Roy Gresham, Dr. Don Brown, Rev. Larry Fisher, Rev. Daniel Taylor, and Pastor Jim Brinkley. Mr. Gerald Davis presented to the Pastor and the congregation of P.B.C. a 450 foot roll of film showing the former building and site, groundbreaking, new site, stages of construction and final building covering the period of May 1979 to January 1980.

September 15, 1983
Rev. Cecil C. Anderson's retirement.

March 25, 1984
Installation of Rev. Marcus Rackley as Pastor and delivery of his first sermon.

September 30, 1985
Marcus Rackley submitted his resignation, effective September 30.

January 1986
Rev. Cecil C. Anderson came as interim pastor.

November 16, 1986
Service of Installation and Ordination Service of Rev. D. Wayne Powers.

July 2, 1989
Rev. D. Wayne Powers resigned. Gregory Allen Day was ordained as a minister at Paramount Baptist Church.

September 1989
Dr. Larry Rickard, Special Guest.

September 16, 1989
Dr. Larry Rickard, Interim Pastor.

October 27, 1991
Dr. Larry Rickard became P.B.C.'s bi-vocational pastor.

April 25-28, 1993
During World Missions Conference five missionaries were guests of P.B.C.: Karen Hopper, Scott Nelson, Linda Rice, Lloyd Mann and Billy Barton.

May 2, 1993
The 25th anniversary celebration of P.B.C.

June 19, 1994
Rev. Cecil Anderson honored with a surprise recognition service where he was named Pastor Emeritus.

November 12, 1995
Note-burning ceremony of the mortgage on P.B.C.

August 29, 1999
Dr. Larry Rickard became P.B.C.'s full time pastor.

September 25, 1999
Evelyn Ruth was honored at an appreciation dinner. She served for many years as our choir director and organist.

November 1, 1999
Michael T. Myers became P.B.C.'s first Youth Director. The youth program was called Teen Scene.

November 30, 2003
Michael T. Myers' last day as Youth Director.

October 26, 2003
Voted 86 in favor and 1 not in favor to expand our church facilities. We have contacted Rockwell Construction to set plans in motion. We also have set up a meeting with John Faris from the State office to help us start on our fund raising efforts.

May 16, 2004
Pastor Rickard, Steve Hose, and Tom Ingram signed the building contract for our new sanctuary during the 11:00 a.m. worship service.

August 2004
Our youth program's name was changed from Teen Scene to Youth Group.

August 2005
Financing through Susquehanna Bank. Our projected building costs are currently estimated at $1.9 million.

Paramount Baptist Church History