In June of 1973,
the Free Will Baptist Home Mission Board started talking about planting a Church in Delaware.
A group of ministers from the Maryland State Association of Free Will Baptists determined in 1974 to begin a mission
project in the state of Delaware. On May 7, 1975, Rev. Vergel Maness was approved
as Home Missionary to the area of Wilmington, Delaware. This would be a joint
project between the National Association and the Maryland State Association of Free Will Baptists.
Rev. Maness held
his first itinerant service on May 11, 1975. He traveled about four months to raise
funds to begin the new mission work. The Maness family moved from Jefferson County,
Missouri, to New Castle, Delaware on August 22, 1975.They moved into the house on 409 Moores Lane which is now the parsonage.
The first service was held in the parsonage living room on October 26, 1975 with an
attendance of 10 people. In December 1975 the congregation started meeting in
the music room of the Castle Hills Elementary School. On September 12, 1976, the
congregation decided to build a church building. The funds were secured through
a $57,000.00 bond program. The groundbreaking ceremonies were held on September
20, 1976.
On October 15, 1976, National Home Missions
Director Robert Shockey held a formal organization service recognizing the local congregation as being in full fellowship
with the national Association of Free Will Baptists. Fifty-two people were present
and the church was organized with 23 charter members.
The first service was held in the new church building on March 20, 1977. A dedication service for the new building was held on August 22, 1977. The
church later bought the property next door and then tore it down to provide additional parking.
After five years of ministry in
Delaware, Pastor Maness resigned in the fall of 1980. Upon the recommendation of the Maryland State Missions Board, the church
called the Rev. Richard Atwood to come as their pastor. He and His family moved
from Indiana to New Castle on October 20, 1980 and his first service as the new pastor was October 26, 1980.
Due to increased attendance the church voted in April of 1983 to build a new
addition. The dedication service for the new addition was held on March 25, 1984.
In
the late 1980’s, Pastor Atwood and the congregation invisioned mothering another Free Will Baptist Church in Delaware. After much praying and planning, the church
secured land in the Townsend, Delaware area. After pastoring both churches for
about a year Pastor Atwood moved his family to Townsend to become the full time pastor of the new church. The New Castle
Church mothered the new church until it was able to be self-supporting. The Townsend
Church grew rapidly and today averages over 400 in attendance.
The New Castle Church eventually called the Rev. Elmer Turnbough to be its next pastor. He and his wife Gladys move to New Castle, Delaware in the fall of 1990. Pastor Turnbough pastored the church until the fall of 1992.
The church voted to call the Rev. Jay Baines to be its next pastor on November
15, 1992. Pastor Baines and his wife, Annette, and family moved from Townley,
Alabama to New Castle, Delaware. He served as pastor here for 8 years. He accepted the pastorate of the Townsend Free Will Baptist Church on November 1,
2000.
April 1, 2001 was the first service in which the Rev. Wayne Hale assumed his duties
as pastor. He and his wife Melanie moved from Lynchburg, VA. During his time here the church has seen a lot
of change in the form of remodeling and repairing the buildings. Also during this time the church has had its third
highest attendance of 257 on Easter Sunday, 2002.
Many things have been accomplished in the 29 year history of the church. Many lives have been changed and many have gone out to serve the Lord in various
capacities. Many of our young people go to the FWB Youth Camp each summer. Some of the young people over the years have gone to Christian colleges and are now
serving in full-time Christian ministries or have become faithful lay people in local churchs across our nation. Many prayers have been answered and the church has grown numerically as well as spiritually.
In 1999 this church along with six other Free Will Baptist churches formed the
Mid-Atlantic District Association of Free Will Baptists, with its own representation to the National Association of Free Will
Baptists. Our Men’s Retreat, Ladies' Retreat, Couples' Retreat, Youth Camp, and other group activities are planned
on an annual basis by the Mid-Atlantic District Association.
It is exciting to think about what the Lord has done over the last 30 years
and to anticipate being a part of His future plans for the New Castle F.W.B. Church.