Columbia County church to celebrate 250th anniversary and you can join the festivities
One of Georgia's first Baptist churches, founded two years before the United States, will celebrate its 250th anniversary in Columbia County.
Abilene Baptist Church in Martinez will begin the festivities at 10:30 a.m. April 21 at the Columbia County Performing Arts Center in Evans.
"We are incredibly grateful for the last 250 years of ministry and service in the community," said the church's senior pastor, Dr. Brad Whitt. "This celebration is a time to reflect on God's faithfulness to our church and to look ahead with hope and excitement for what is to come."
The celebration service will include presentations by elected officials and worship led by Abilene's worship choir and orchestra. Preschool and elementary worship experiences also will be offered for children through third grade.
Making history: Kiokee Baptist Church celebrating 250 years because of one man's arresting sermon in court
Baptist leader Daniel Marshall founded Abilene in 1774 as Red’s Creek Baptist Church, with the Rev. Loveless Savage as its first pastor.
Marshall also founded Kiokee Baptist Church in Appling, the state's oldest continuing Baptist congregation, in 1772.
This event is open to the public, but free tickets are required. For more information about Abilene and its celebration, visit www.myabilene.org/250.
Abilene's Martinez Campus is at the intersection of Washington and Columbia roads. Its West Campus is at Harlem Middle School. Abilene's broadcast ministry can be viewed each Sunday on WJBF-TV at 5:30 a.m. and WFXG-TV at 10:30 a.m.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: One of state's oldest churches to mark 250 years in Columbia County
