A report of the history was read by Mrs. J. Lelsey Brewer, church clerk. The Conservative Baptist Church had its beginning in July, 1951. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Wilmot Churchill was opened to services which were held each week for many months. In August, 1951, they were duly organized into a church group with a chartered membership of 37, and a call was extended to the Rev. Reuben Martin to be pastor. Later that month the church, was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maine. The group soon outgrew the Churchill home and Sunday worship services were held at the local high school and the prayer meetings continued to be held at the Churchill home. In November 1951, a new church constitution was drawn up and adopted by its members. In February, 1952, they applied for membership in the Conservative Baptist Association of Maine and were accepted.
During this time the group purchased the Allen Hospital Home to be used as a church and parsonage. More than $1,700 was given as a gift from the Conservative Baptist Minute Men and that along with the sacrificial giving of members and friends of the church, finally brought the group to last Sunday, when the mortgage was burned.
From November 24 to December 13, 1952, the men were busy getting the building ready for services. The Men's Fellowship from Presque Isle along with Rev. Philip O. Hughey, Sr., assisted in the "tearing down" and ''building up" process.
December 14, 1952, the group held its first service in their church home. The dedication service was held the following Sunday with Rev. John Duchardt, bringing the dedicatory message. The first anniversary was observed by a week of special meetings and messages were brought by Pastors Read Blackstone, John Ruth, John Duchardt, Philip C. Hughey, Sr. and Reuben Martin.
Each year the group has participated in the missionary conference. In the five years there have been 41 missionaries speaking at the services and some have returned several times. Besides the family of missionaries, the Shantymen's Christian Association, the Evangelical Union of South America, the African Inland Mission, the Gospel Mission Union on Ecuador, the Mission to Displaced People in Europe, the Sudan Interior Mission, the Greater Europe Mission and the
Pocket Testament League have all been part of the services.
As a, church body, the group shares in the partial support of the following missionaries: Miss Lois Barnet in India, Miss Bernice Foss in the Congo, Rev. and Mrs. Rolf Parelius in French West Africa, Rev. and Mrs. Gilbert Zinke in Japan, Rev. and Mrs. Laurence Jordan in Brazil, Rev. and. Mrs. S. Jack Christinsen going to West Pakistan, and now the Rev. Reuben Martin in Maine.
One of the highlights of the church's history took place August 18, 1955, when one of the young men of the church, Gary Grunt, was ordained to the Christian ministry.
October 14, the Rev. Reuben Martin, after serving faithfully for the past five years resigned to become the first state Conservative Baptist missionary and the group will be calling a new pastor.
J. Lesley Brewer extended a welcome to the people attending the anniversary service and introduced the following ministers who extended greetings from their respective churches: the Rev. Quentin Johnson, United Baptist Church. Presque Isle; the Rev. Robert Bell, Conservative Baptist Church, Limestone; the Rev. Read Blackstone, Dunntown Advent Christian Church and Crouseville Advent Christian Church; the Rev. J. Wesley Stuart, First Baptist Church, Washburn; the Rev. Robert Brackley, Perham Baptist Church; laymen from the Masardis Baptist Church and Elmer Thompkins, State Road Advent Christian Church.
Special music was sung by the Rev. and Mrs. Reuben Martin, Elmer Thompkins, and a men's quartet from Presque Isle. Deacons participating in burning the mortgage were the Rev. Reuben Martin, J. Lesley Brewer, Wilmot Churchill, Kenneth Peary, Quentin Jardine and Guilford Sperrey.