SCIOTO VALLEY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION

HISTORY:

Emmanuel Baptist Church constituted on August 26, 1948.  This church was the sixteenth church in The State Convention of Baptists in Ohio.  The first meetings were held in a tent on Portsmouth Street.  The church moved to the Memorial Building and later to a concrete building on State Street.  The name of this new work was originally "New Baptist Church".  It was changed to Emmanuel Baptist Church on October 24, 1948.  Affiliation was with The Greenup Association of Baptists in Kentucky.  On January 28, 1954, Scioto Valley Baptist Association was organized at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Jackson.

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Property on North Chestnut Street was purchased in May 1949 for $775.00.  The first unit (31'by 60" basement) was voted upon on June 29, 1949.  The church adopted their constitution on March 1, 1950. The house and property next door to the church was purchased in July 1954.  The upper story over the basement was erected with the aid of a Home Mission Board loan in 1954.

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The Sunday School attendance grew so much that in 1971, the church purchased a home on High Street to be used as a parsonage instead of the house next to the church.  The house was then converted into Sunday School space.

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Five acres were purchased on Breaden Lane in 1973 for $10,000 for future relocation.  September 1976 groundbreaking services were held.  With a loan of $100,000 plus $47,000 in cash, the building was constructed in June 1983.  There was 183 Carpenters for Christ that helped erect the present facilities.  These men came from Alabama Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.  The building was build in five and one half days.  October 1, 1983 dedication services were held.

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Emmanuel Baptist Church has started three missions that have grown into churches: French City Southern Baptist Church Gallipolis; Grace Baptist Church McArthur; and Faith Baptist Church Wellston.

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Throughout the years, Emmanuel Baptist Church has been supportive to Scioto Valley Baptist Association.  Numerous meetings, seminars and training events have been held at the facilities.  Seeing the need to help a sister church this church partnered with Countryside Baptist Church, Bidwell, Ohio to help with their completion of the facilities.  This congregation continues to reach out to the Jackson community through many unique ministries such as:  Nursing Home Ministry, Back to School Supplies, Jackson Food Pantry, Queen's Treatment Center, Homecomings, Mother's Day Banquets and Vacation Bible School are all a highlight.