History of Petsworth Baptist Church

Some interesting facts leading up to the actual history of Petsworth Baptist Church are as follows:

The first Baptist gospel was brought to Gloucester County in 1775 by Elder Iverson Lewis, through the invitation of Mr. Robert Hudgins, pastor of Excel Church in King and Queen who had heard Elder Lewis preach in Mathews. He came from time to time and by 1790 had a well established congregation ready to build a church. They built a 20 by 30 foot frame building with a very sharp roof on the highway, then known as Wolf’s Corner. It’s actually a little below Woods Cross Roads on the present Route 17. Wolf’s Corner is now known as Adner. This was called Meeting House Corner. Later it became known as Church Hill. The church was named Petsworth after the Magisterial District of the County.

By 1826 the Church had outgrown the small building which started with 24 charter members. So a branch church was built and named Ebenezer, which started with 34 charter members. This church grew very rapidly.

By 1850 the original Petsworth had grown weak and in 1852 closed its doors. One hundred eighty-five of its members joined Ebenezer, bringing her membership up to 1,057. The old Petsworth building was moved to Wolf’s Corner and used for a barn. Newington, a branch from Ebenezer, maintained its own building from 1852 until 1873, when it became a separate church. In those days black people were practically all slaves and had no church of their own. So in every church, there were black members, and a place was provided for them, usually in the galleries. Many of them were deeply religious. The Baptist faith is still the leading denomination of Gloucester blacks.

The slaves were freed in 1865 and began holding their own worship services under some form of tents. Then in 1867 they bought four acres of land from Mr. B. C. Newcomb and built the present Bethel Baptist Church.

In 1879 or 1880, Mr. William Guest (Elizabeth Willis’ great grandfather) gave one acre of land for a church to be erected on, located on the top of the hill, above Stubb’s Mill Pond, near Pinetta. A mission from Newington Baptist Church was started there under a bush arbor, built by Elder William E. Wiatt, the pastor of Newington Baptist Church. That summer a revival was held under the arbor with Evangelist J. E. Hudson preaching. Many made professions of faith.

On April 22, 1881, at a regular meeting of Newington, a resolution was made and passed that a house of worship be erected near the York River. The committee selected the one acre that had been given for a church by Mr. Guest. The house of worship was built on it, by the people of the community, under the leadership of Captain John Stevens (Valerie Konte’s grandfather). He also built the pulpit, pews and collection boxes. The cornerstone of the Church was laid August 25, 1881. The original building was brick-veneered in 1980. Church discipline and guidance of members was very strict at the beginning. There was a resolution made and carried at a church meeting that “..if any male member of the church be absent from any regular church meeting unless he send an excuse, shall at the next regular meeting, either in person or in writing, give an excuse for his absence, or be cited to answer for non-attendance.” Some of the old customs were for the women to sit on the right side of the church entrance and the men on the left side, with the Deacons occupying the upper left corner known as the “Amen” corner, facing the rostrum. The choir sat in the right corner also facing the rostrum. Women wore hats and long skirts or long dresses to all services and did not pray or speak in public. The men did all the praying, speaking and voting. Later two and 3/4 acres of land adjoining the original Church property was purchased from Mr. B. C. Newcomb.

In 1910 the men of the church voted for the women to organize W.M.S. Mrs. Betty Russell and Mrs. Locke from Richmond came to help the women organize the W.M.S. Mrs. Russell asked the men to step outside while she talked to the women, because she just could not talk in front of the men. The W.M.S. was organized with six members. Miss Mora Pierce was the President and Miss Orie Oliver was the Secretary. Because the women would not or could not pray or speak in public, the men began meeting with them, and Mr. Tom Pierce became the second President of the W.M.S. A B.Y.P.U. was organized in the early 20's and thrived for a few years. It presented the Church with an individual communion set, Venetian blinds and a new pulpit Bible. A Senior B.T.U. was organized in 1934. The organizations were reorganized several times through the years, but existed only for brief periods. A brotherhood was organized in 1947 with Enos Blake as the first President. Ebenezer, Petsworth and Beulah had become a Church field and bought 3/4 acre of land from Mr. W.H. Trevilian near Ark P.O. and built a parsonage on it.

In 1946 two restrooms, two classrooms, and a porch were added to the Church, and a large oil stove (very noisy) designed for a basement was installed in the Church, which later exploded. In 1955 a small basement and a central heating system were installed.

In 1959 Ebenezer decided to go full time, and sold her share in the parsonage to Petsworth and Beulah. In 1969, the parsonage was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Earl Howlett, and the two churches rented a home for a parsonage until 1971, when we purchased the home of Robert Wilkins, near Gloucester Village. In 1972, Petsworth purchased 3 acres of land from Dan Nelson, across the road in front of the church, sold our share in the parsonage to Beulah and built the present parsonage and established a playground.

Our new Sanctuary cornerstone was laid October 21, 1962. One June 29, 1969, there was a note burning service , all debts paid in full.

To date Petsworth has had 19 pastors. Elder W.E.Wiatt being the first, preaching twice a month in the afternoons for 28 years, coming from Newington in a two-wheel sulky, pulled by a horse. Under the leadership of our 10th pastor, Rev. O.G. Burnett, we adopted the Unified Budget and began to participate in the Cooperative Program. Charles Anderson was the youngest pastor we ever had.

In 1984 a one-acre lot across Hickory Fork Road from the church was purchased. The church newsletter, The VISION, was first printed and began being mailed to members only in 1985. Also in 1985 the Petsworth Preschool was started.

In 1986 Patricia Eastwood was hired, part-time, as the church’s first secretary.

In 1987 the church purchased 4.46 acres of land from Howard p. Oliver for $20,000. The Prayer Chain was formed.

In 1988 a church office was established and the secretary’s hours were expanded.

In 1990 the Wiatt Memorial Building, a 3-story educational facility, was dedicated to the glory of God. For over 13 years this building provided most of our classroom space and a fellowship hall with kitchen. A note-burning service was held in 1999, retiring the original $373, 250 note. Also in 1990 Annie Mae Oliver, sister of deacon Lewis Rilee, retired after serving 42 years as custodian.

In 1991 a baptistery was added. Also a computer was purchased and a new copier was donated.

In 1993 the Children’s Church ministry was formed.

In 1995 the AWANA program began.

In 1996 our current pastor, Rev. Dennis Hollandsworth, was called. Also, Petsworth became a charter member of the new state convention, the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia. In October two worship services were begun, average attendance soon increased from 190 to 230.

In 1997 the Women’s Ministry became known as WOW (Women of the Word).

In 2000 planning began for a new, larger sanctuary to be located between the Wiatt Building and the original sanctuary. However, in 2002 the church voted to instead build a “Worship and Activity Center” attached to the rear of the Wiatt Building. Construction began in December 2002 and the Dedication Service was held on October 26, 2003. A note-burning service was held June 3, 2007. Glory to God! Total cost, including all furnishings, was $1,065,529. Also, in 2000 a church Web Site was created.

In 2003 Petsworth was nominated for the Charles Haddon Spurgeon Outstanding Award given by the Billy Graham School of Mission Evangelism and Church Growth.

In 2004 Brian White was hired as Pastor of Student Ministries and Rudy Waters was hired as the church’s first part-time Church Administrator. Also, Eric Beecher became Petsworth’s first IMB missionary and traveled to Peru as a Journeyman to minister in South America.

In 2005 Petsworth reached a total membership of 1000 members.

In 2006 Pastor Dennis Hollandsworth was recognized for his 10-years of ministry and was given a cruise vacation for himself and his wife Dorine to the Bahamas. Also, Pat Eastwood was recognized for her 20-years of service as church secretary and given a trip to Branson, MO for herself and her husband Arthur Gene.

In 2007 Pastor Dennis Hollandsworth was recognized for receiving his Doctor of Ministry degree.

In 2008 David Edgell was hired as Sr. Associate Pastor. The average weekly attendance has grown to 400+.

In 2009 a new 4000 sq-ft addition was added. Construction began on April 6th to add the 2nd and 3rd floor extension to the Wiatt building including a new elevator. The Dedication/Ribbon-Cutting Service was held on October 18th. Total cost, including furnishings and a new telephone system, was approx $560,000.

We are grateful unto God for His many blessings, for our progress, for fine pastors and their wives, and for the cooperation of our members and friends.