History
Out of a vision of Rev. Tommy Karn, Director of Missions, Rev. Harold Greene, and a small group of believers, Shell Point Baptist Church was born on August 14, 1988.
Our first services were held in the home of Harold and Marie Lee. We soon were meeting Sunday mornings and Sunday evenings at the Shell Point Elementary School. We met in different homes for Wednesday prayer and Bible study.
On October 9, 1988, after a brief time of prayer support as a mission of the The Baptist Church of Beaufort, Shell Point Baptist Church was constituted with 57 charter members. The church applied for and was accepted into the Savannah River Baptist Association.
Key leaders in our church were: Rev. Harold Greene, Pastor; Art Verhaeghe, Minister of Education; Fred Tiedemann, Minister of Music; Paul Lancaster, Chairman of Deacons; Marie Lee, Pianist.
The vision the church embraced was to have an open invitation fellowship, where the only agenda would be, “How does Christ want us to present ourselves to the community around us?”
We chose as our first project to canvas the Shell Point area. This was done every Saturday afternoon. We wanted to minister and provide a place of worship and belonging for the surrounding community. We also saw the opportunity to reach out to the large military community on the four bases in Beaufort.
Only one year after constituting as a church, the building site of 3.3 acres of land centrally located on Parris Island Gateway was purchased on May 8, 1989. The land was paid in full on October 10, 1990. Construction was accomplished by the church’s members, skilled craftsman from the Savannah River Baptist Association, and Baptist Builder groups from Georgia. We held our first service in the new building on Wednesday, July 3, 1991.
Rev. Greene continued as Pastor until February 1994, when Shell Point called Dr. Bill Mastriani, who served until January, 2001. It was during the first two years of Dr. Mastriani’s tenure that the church experienced its greatest growth. It was also during this time that the church constructed our Education/Fellowship Hall facility. The slab was poured in November, 1996 and the building was completed in May, 1997.
During a period of transition, Rev. Derris Davenport was called as our Interim Pastor in January 2001. Pastor Davenport strongly encouraged us to “dream again” our vision for the church in order to fulfill God’s purpose for Shell Point Baptist Church. Pastor Davenport served until November 2004.
The Pastor Search Committee offered Captain Ralph Gibson, US Navy Chaplin to the church as pastor. After a trail sermon, the church called Pastor Gibson, a call with 100% of the vote. Rev. Gibson began November 2004. At the present time, Pastor Gibson is still serving as pastor.
Special celebrations by our church include: Homecoming (in October); Easter and Christmas musicals; Mothers’ Day Observance and Dinner; Fathers Day Dinner; Fifth Sunday Sings; and, as always, Missions Weeks of Prayer and Offerings throughout the year.
The “Women’s Enrichment Celebration” was scheduled to be held here at Shell Point Baptist Church on September 11, 2001. The Savannah River Baptist Association, along with our church, decided to go ahead with the dinner and banquet. Special Prayer was given for our country and for the people who lost their lives earlier that day.
Overhead projectors were added during 2004.
The Education/Fellowship Hall was paid in full in April 2008.
CHARTER MEMBERS
Armstrong, Tom Emminger, Terry Munroe, Paul Armstrong, Marie Emminger, Clay Richard, Rex Anderson, Wayne Emminger, Fran Richard, Hazel Anderson, Vera Fountain, Bryant Rex, Mary Baker, Ted Fountain, Tammy Scott, Fran Baker, Rina Fogleman, Hubert Sandridge, John Baker, Pam Fogleman, Nancy Sandridge, Sharon Baker, Marguerite Greene, Harold Sandridge, Beth Cooler, Clayton Greene, Frankie Smith, Thomas Cooler, Frances Kruger, Robert Smith, Diane Chavis, Royce Kruger, Theresa Smith, Tommy Chavis, Doris Lancaster, Paul Smith, Timothy Clenney, Tim Lancaster, Judy Tiedemann, Fridrik Clenney, Bobbie Lancaster, David Tiedemann, Miriam Colley, Betty Lancaster, Michelle Tiedemann, Lisa Estes, Kevin Lee, Harold Tiedemann, Friddie Estes, Kristin Lee, Marie Tiedemann, Jennifer Daniels, Lisa Lee, Jason Verhaeghe, Art Emminger, Frank Long, Margaret Verhaeghe, Virginia
