Valley Grove Baptist Church

Our History

On September 23, 1873, the first two services of Valley Grove were held. Services were suspended until a house was built on an acre of land given by John Aycock. The first pastor was Rev. Sam M. Steenson, Colbert county Tax Assessor, and his first text was Philippians 3:8. He preached the third Saturday and Sunday of each month for a monthly salary of 85 cents, three gallons of milk (30 cents) and a pound of butter (25 cents). After two services, church was suspended until a house could be built. At that time, school was held in the church. The first teachers were Alex Berry, Dr. Tom Cullander, and Mr. McCluskey.

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The first of three sanctuaries was a small one-room building dedicated March 22, 1874. This building was later torn down, and the lumber sold for $18.00.

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The second sanctuary was a one-room frame building, 38×54 feet, built in early 1930’s. Tom Stanford donated trees which members cut and hauled to the mill for lumber. Two groups of men began putting down the floor from opposite sides and upon meeting, left a large crack in the middle.

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The church was voted into the Colbert-Lauderdale Association on September 15, 1938. Our Church Training department, organized in 1942-43 but discontinued for a time, was reorganized in 1952. The WMU was reorganized in 1948 with 14 members and is now active. The Brotherhood and RA’s are now reorganized. In 1956, the church paid $1,500.00 to Mr. Louis Johnson for two acres of land adjoining the west side of the church property. Later two additional adjoining acres were purchased for the same price. John W. Johnson gave two-tenths of an acre to the church. M. H. Kidd gave an acre to the church, bringing the total to six acres. In 1965, the present sanctuary was built for approximately $130,000. The sanctuary seated 510 people plus choir members. The steeple is 37 feet high.

The first pastorium was built in 1953. The members did much of the work. The current pastorium was built in 1986.​