The Concord Church came into existence as an extension of the Hebron church of Monroe County. It was at a meeting held in the Doughertie School house in Greene County.
On October 19, 1853, there was a deed issued from James and Amanda Quakenbush to the Concord Church trustees for the sum of $5.00.
By the description of the property it was evidently the land where the church sits today. The trustees at that time were, James Oliphant, Allen Kelly, and John Owen. It was stipulated that if the trustees did not build on said lot that it would fall back to James Quakenbush and his heirs.
Some of the events in the establishment of the church are as follows:
The Regular Baptist Church of Christ called Hebron met the third Saturday in June, 1844, that being the day of their church meeting. A request laid into the church by Brother John Snyder for the names of the members of this church that live in the neighborhood of the Doughertie school house in Greene County, Indiana for the purpose of going into a constitution. The request granted and the Brethren and Sisters named annexed as follows to wit:
Ammica Hodges, Loniza Beasley, William Jewell, Mariah Jewel, Susannah Cowen, Margaret Long, Nancy Owen, Thomas Owen, John Snyder, Mary Snyder, Celia Buskirk, Elizabeth Laffoon, Johnathon Duest.
The above named Brethren and Sisters, members in good standing and full fellowship with us until constituted into a church of the same faith and order of us. This done by order of the Church and signed by Joel Sexson, Clerk.
No records can be found from the establishing of the church in June, 1844, until they started keeping the minutes of the meetings in January, 1861. The business meetings were always held on the 1st Saturday of the month. In the March, 1861 meeting, Brother Alfred Hunter was admitted into the church, and in 1875 as a trustee signed a document authorizing the collection of money to build a church building. The name of Concord was not mentioned, but it was built that year.
They had some very firm beliefs and rules, and they adhered to them. There were several people excluded from the church for breaking these rules. Several were excluded because they missed two or more meetings. Some were excluded because of ungentlemanlike and unchristianlike language to a woman. Some women were excluded because of frolicking at dances.
No record of the church is found from the 2nd Saturday of November, 1897 until October 5, 1924 except a deed from Samuel R. Livingston, Henry Buckner and Isarel Wilkie, Trustees of the Regular Baptist (Concord) Church to J.B. Record, Jonathon Brewer, and Robert L. Calvert Jr., trustees of the General Baptist (Concord) church and their successors in office forever, dated January 20, 1917. The description of the land on this deed is the exact same wording as the one recorded in October of 1853.
This is evidently when the church became a General Baptist church instead of the Regular Baptist Church.
Although no written records can be found from 1897 until 1924, the old church was sold to Williams Crites and he moved it northeast of here for a residence. A new church was built on the existing foundation in 1918.
In October of 1924 they started keeping record of prayer meeting which was held almost every week and I think in each meeting except 2 or 3 the meeting was changed to a testimony meeting. A leader was chosen each week for the next week and this record was kept until July 11, 1926.
For some reason there was no more records kept until November 1, 1930 when they started keeping monthly business meetings.
In the March 5, 1931 meeting they voted to try to raise the money to pay the previous pastor's back salary, which was $31.30. A committee of 5 were appointed to try to raise this money.
In the March 29, 1931 business meeting the treasure gave the report on the salary paid the pastor. $120.00 for the year. Motion was made and passed to hire another pastor (Brother John Cooper) and not to pay more than $15.00 per month.
Some individual was appointed for each month to pick up the pastor and take him back to the train station.
In June, 1933 it was voted to have an ice cream social to pay the former pastor his back salary of $14.65.
The old church was heated by a coal furnace and members took turns at being janitor for a month at a time. There was one big register in the front of the Pulpit.
The church first started talking about wiring the building in November, 1937 and was evidently wired in early June, 1938.
They installed a new furnace in October, 1941 and then had a called business meeting on January 19, 1942 to talk about building a new church. It was decided to build the church just like the one that burned and it was built on the same foundation. The only thing that was left following the fire was the foundation and the chimney. They voted to use timber donated and were to buy the flooring, windows and weather-boarding.
The present church was dedicated on Sunday, May 16, 1943. Rev. Otis Johnson preached the dedication sermon and Rev. John E. Cooper was the pastor at the time.
In February, 1957 a two week revival was held with an average attendance of 115 with 8 saved and 3 rededications.
On February 16, 1961 the Concord Missionary Society was organized and have been active since then.
The church instituted a radio program called, "General Baptist Church of the Air" over WBTO, Linton, Indiana on December 5, 1973 and it was discontinued in August of 1980.
On July 4, 1964 the corner blocks for the parsonage was laid. The parsonage was built by volunteer labor.
In 1980 the church undertook a major remodeling program. We put on a new roof, paneled the downstairs classrooms, lowered the ceiling in the sanctuary and vestibule, rewired the church, installed the cedar arch behind the pulpit, painted the sanctuary, installed new carpet, installed indirect lighting, insulated the walls of the sanctuary, built a new stairway in the back of the church going to the basement, and purchased a cross that now hangs on the baptistry wall.
In 1987 the pews were padded, a new baptistry was put in and the first baptism inside the church walls was held. A discipleship program was instituted, the church sponsored a newspaper which reached approximately 3,000 homes in the area. A friend day campaign with a total attendance of over 200 people was held. A new parking lot was built and the old lot restoned.
Prepared June 13, 1987 by John A. Wilkie
