As Sylvia continued to grow through the 1890's and into the turn of the century local citizens felt the need to build local churches for worship. One of the first churches in the immediate Sylvia community was the Sylvia Baptist Church. This church was started with a group of citizens meeting in each other's homes for church services in 1895. Four of the eight founding families were Mr. WR and Lula Burch, Dave and Murtle Powers and family, Peter and Inez Sheley and family, and Louis and Hauttie Storey. After raising the funds needed to purchase building material, work began on the new church building. After months of hard work, the new church building was completed in the summer of 1898.
The Sunday of the new church building dedication the Clarksville Mineral Branch ran an excursion train from Pond Switch to Clarksville to allow everyone in surrounding communities to see the new building and be a part of the services. This was a very special event since the mineral branch did not run on Sundays.
The first church building was a typical church design of the day with white weatherboard siding and cedar shake shingles. There were two front doors. One on each side of the church with a small window between the doors. It had a bell tower built into the steeple in the center of the building. The church bell was important in this time period since there were no telephones and clocks were not as dependable. It let everyone in the community know it was time for church. The church bell would also be used to call the community together in case of emergency somewhere in the area. There were three rows of pews with an aisle leading from each door. There was a flue in the middle of the church with a pot belly stove which provided heat in the winter. The church was lighted by two kerosene hanging lamps. One leaning over the pulpit, the other in the middle of the church as well as three kerosene wall lamps with reflectors on each side of the church. One of the original church wall lamps is proudly displayed in the foyer today. This would light the new church very nicely for any nighttime service or activity. The photograph of the first church was taken as the building was nearing completion. Notice the sprouts growing from the tree stumps which were cut to clear the land for the church and were sawed into lumber for the church. This would be in the middle of todays Old Sylvia Road.
The average church attendance at the turn of the 20th century was 75 to 85 people. Through the 1930's, like the Methodist church in Sylvia the church attendance declined until only a few members were coming each Sunday. Several people have said if it were not for Mrs. Ora Berry, who taught Sunday School, played the piano, and even brought her own firewood for the church stove, Sylvia Baptist Church would not be here today. Through her determination the church attendance started growing by the 1940’s.
Church services were held in the original church building until May, 1948, when the church was damaged by a storm. Mr. Roger Lee Westerman told of one Sunday night during church services the wind was blowing pretty hard, "you could see the
church building swaying and the church lights swinging from the ceiling." That night it was decided by the members that the time had come to replace the old building, using as much lumber and material as possible out of the old church to build the new church building. The new building would be built beside the old church location with a basement to be used as Sunday School rooms. The church bell would be removed and reinstalled in the bell tower of the new building, where it is still used today.
During the 1970's the church was bricked, the basement Sunday School rooms were remodeled and carpeted. A baptistry was added as well as bathroom facilities.
During the 1980's a new Sunday School wing and fellowship hall with kitchen was added.
Additional parking spaces were added to the back of the church during the 1990's. A new front entry was added in the late 1990's. At the turn of the 21st century. church attendance grew to 250 between two church services on an average Sunday morning. In 2003 the church bought all the property in front of the church including the Old Sylvia Market building and the house behind. with plans to build the new church additions In 2007 the church purchased the house on the right side of the property for future growth.
After 22 years of praying and planning the church completed and moved into the Sylvia Baptist Fellowship Center. The dedication service was held on May 19. 2019. Both previous AM worship services meet together for one combined service at 10 AM. The new sanctuary holds around 350. The church offices and a few classrooms are located in the Fellowship Center. The theme over the years was "building on faith”. Praise God for all He has done we look forward to the future.
Pastors from 1916-Today
CN Hester W Picklesimer EW Tidwell
JC Walker LL Preston Herold Phillips
AG Williams Kindell Thomas Roy Hardesty
VR Webster Foy Phillips Dale Ledbetter
Rm Hastings D Edgar Allen Victor Brown
Fulton Robertson William Stewart Thomas Webb
LH Hacher Lewis Platt Hubert Brooks
Bro. Coltharp Lauren Atkins Clark Brown