Church History

According to records, there was a Baptist church in existence in this area around 1808 on Obey River. The church later moved to Sulphur Creek, Kentucky, north of Lillydale and near the town of Willow Grove, Tennessee. In 1835, some old church minutes mentioned three men as being from sister churches: Brother Isaac Denton (who traveled here from England in 1772) from Clearfork Church in Clinton County, Kentucky, S. G. Roberts from Wolf River Church, and Brother William D. Sewell from Obey River Church.

In 1830, William D. Sewell was licensed to preach, and in 1835, he was ordained as a pastor. He was one of the most highly esteemed preachers “raised up in the Stockton Valley Association of United Baptists in Tennessee and Kentucky.” The Stockton Valley Association covered an area of southern Kentucky and northern middle Tennessee (Lillydale and Willow Grove were not yet covered by the waters of Dale Hollow Lake until around 1945). Around the time he was ordained, William Sewell became a member of Mt. Zion United Baptist Church in Oakley, Tennessee in Overton County of Willow Grove Road. Brother Sewell was chosen as pastor and served the church for 46 years. He was also a messenger to the Stockton Valley Association every year from 1828 to 1871. Brother Sewell’s brother, James A. Sewell’s granddaughter, Dora Ann, married William Steve Guthrie, founder of Fellowship Baptist Church.

From 1861 to 1869, the Civil War was being fought in this area. There were battles at Livingston, Zollecoffer, Mill Creek, Celina, Obey River, and others. During this time, there were few churches, schools, law, or courts in most places. The elderly, widows, and small children were the only people left at home as the men were all away fighting. This area was on the line between the North and the South, and, in some instances, brothers fought against brothers. After the war, the people worked hard to rebuild their homes, churches, schools, and barns, and to cultivate their land.

In 1872, two men, Uncle Thomas Howard and Uncle Wesley Roberts, went from the Fellowship area to near Burkesville, Kentucky and asked Brother William S. Guthrie to come to Overton County and organize a Baptist church. The church was first organized in Uncle Thomas Howard’s blacksmith or furniture workshop, approximately ¼ mile east of the present church on Willow Grove Road, ½ mile west of Oakley, Tennessee. There is not an accurate record as to the number of charter members, but it is believed to have been seventeen. Among the charter members were Thomas Howard, Wesley Roberts, William Howard, Baalem Howard and wife, Gabriel Marcom and wife and children, Jo Mathis, Joe Spicer, Jim Spicer, Eddie Maynord and wife, William Maynord, and Gabriel Dennis.

The land for the church building was donated by three Howard brothers: William, Baalem, and Thomas. A log building was built at the present site in 1872. A seminary received a charter to use the building on July 20, 1879. The following men applied for the charter on June 26, 1879, which is on record at the Overton County Courthouse:

                J. T. Howard, W. T. Davis, Killiam Harch, J. T. Martin, B. N. Howard, A. D. Mainard, G. K. Grimsley, Brinkley Howard, Gabriel Maynord, J. S. Reed, C. H. Chowning, George A. E. Martin, E. G. Maynord, S. N. Martin, L. H. Carlock

The charter was recorded on July 20, 1879, in Corporation Record Book “B” in said office pages 598-599 by Secretary of State of Tennessee, Charles N. Gibbs. It states that charters may be granted to any association of individuals for the support of any literary scientific undertaking, a college or university with power to confer degrees, an academy, a debating society, the promotion of painting, music, or the fine arts, the support of boards of trade, or chambers of commerce, or other objects of like nature.

Uncle Edgar Savage, who was a member since the age of twelve or thirteen and turned 100 years old on June 8, 1989, remembers four charter members and a teacher, Miss Dillon. Mr. Savage attended school there.

During the winter of 1887, Marzetta Hicks, mother of Farley Hicks, of the Fellowship community, died in the very cold weather. The weather was so bad, funeral services could not be held. On the following regular “once a month preaching day” (the second Sunday following the second Saturday in May), her funeral service was held at the church. A large crowd attended. Brother Guthrie planned to resign that day and move his family to Oklahoma (his children by his first wife lived in Oklahoma, and he had planned on taking his second wife and children to join them there); however, so many people begged him to stay that he changed his mind. He remained in Tennessee until his death in 1912.

For many years thereafter, that Sunday in May was referred to as May Meeting Day. It was like the Easter Sunday of today – everyone thought they must have new clothes and “go to Fellowship” on May Meeting Day. Many people never went inside the building for the church service, preferring instead to greet old friends and have a good time outside. The church could not have held the crowd.

In 1919, a new church was built beside the old one. It was a large one-room building. In 1950, a parsonage was built behind the church with the labor and materials being donated by the members. Brother Thomas Redford was the pastor at that time.

In 1975, Louis R. Wilson was the pastor, and Fellowship underwent a major renovation. A split level was added onto the back of the church. It had a large fellowship hall, Sunday school rooms, offices, baptistry, and kitchen. The debt was paid off in June 1982. A few years later, the sanctuary was redone. Then, in 1987, the steeple was added. In 1988, the parking lot was paved and paid off in December 1989. In 2000, the porch was enclosed and a sound room, two bathrooms, a library, a small conference room, and a foyer were added. Brother Ron Harris was the Pastor.

In 2004, a Family Life Center was started, complete with a gymnasium, industrial kitchen, a youth room, bathrooms, a back deck, storage closets, and a stage. The new building was dedicated on November 19, 2006. Brother Mike Anderson was the pastor.

In 2025, the roof of the Family Life Center was blown off in a thunderstorm, and the interior of the FLC was damaged by rain. The Family Life Center underwent a full renovation, including a new wooden gymnasium floor, new lighting, and remodeled industrial kitchen. Brother Jeff Watters is the pastor.