churchhistory

125 Years of
God's Faithfulness
Eastport Baptist Church

A rich history of Serving the Lord . . .

                                            In the late 1800’s, Eastport was a very active little village with four churches, a public school,a Grange & Macabee Hall
.                                and located on beautiful Torch Lake which was named Was-wa-gon-ong by the Indians meaning “Lake of the Torches."
.                                It was named for the many torch lights on the canoes used for spearing fish at night. Sidewalks were on each side of the main
.                                street with people walking to the grocery store,drug store, hardware, post office, stagecoach stop and two hotels or .
                              blacksmith shops.   There were at least four mills, one saloon, and a doctor who also pulled teeth when necessary and later a
.                                meat market and funeral parlor.

                              In 1884, in the General Store and Post Office of Eastport, John and Alice Pearl (owners), helped
to form a new church by the name of First Baptist Church of Eastport along with ten other people. The charter members
were: W.F. Chamberlin, Mattie Hadcock, William, Amanda, and Alice Olmsted, Alice Pearl, Milton and Mary Robinson,
Hannah Salisbury, and Frankie Smith. Three others were baptized and added to the church rolls two months later: Bertha
Byer, Mattie Chamberlin, and Mary Williams. One acre of land was purchased on East Torch Lake Drive in 1886 from
Cyenius & Maria Chamberlin for $25 and with the community’s help built a parsonage which was also used for church
services. This home was the first parsonage and became Hattie Arnold’s home.


                                      In 1890, the church and Eastport Congregational church came together and worshipped at the
.                          Congregational church. They took turns calling a pastor from one denomination and then the other. In 1892, First Baptist called its .
                        first Pastor, the Rev. Henry Mellon who served with his wife Malissa until 1895.

                        The first minutes we have on record occurred on July 14, 1894. The beginning reads…
                           The First Baptist Church of Eastport met for regular covenant meeting at the Parsonage,
                           Saturday July 14, 1894, at 2 o’clock pm with the Pastor as the chair. After singing a hymn,
                           reading a portion of scripture, and prayer by the Chairman...
                        Seventeen members were present at this meeting with one visitor. The collection for State Missions was
                        recorded at $1.07.

During that year a tent meeting was scheduled in which people came know the Lord and followed in believer’s baptism in Torch
Lake. Also a Baptist Young People’s Society was formed and Dwight Arnold was Dwight Arnold was elected as president of the
society. On November 3rd, it was reported that the total offering for the quarter was $46.80. The church at this time was a part of the Grand
Traverse Baptist Association.

Robert Wilkinson, a member of the church was licensed to preach and then called as the next pastor of the church on October 3, 1896 and then
ordained in November of that same year. It was voted that he be paid a salary of $150 per year with the assistance of the State Missions Board.
Upon invitation to the council the ladies made arrangements for a Chicken Pie Social. Robert and Mary Wilkinson served the church until 1898.

                                                                                 In November of 1898 the church purchased the John Pearl General Store and gave John and
                                                     Alice free rent in the upstairs rooms. The church paid $3 a month for the Store. Abe and
                                                     Hannah Arnold (grandparents to Jackie Watson) joined the church. From 1900 to 1902, the
                                                     congregation called Pastor H.E. and Millicent McGrath to lead the church.

                                                     From 1902 to 1908 the congregation called Herbert and Grace Gould. Pastor Gould in 1906
                                                     added Torch Lake Village to his preaching schedule. The Ladies Aid Society voted to give
                                                     5 cents per member for the Pastor’s support. Mrs. James Arnold and Grace Hooper joined
                                                     the church during this period.

                                                     From 1908 to 1911 the church was pastored by Wilber Knight. During the period from 1912-
                                                     1919 the Baptist And Congregational churches came together again, this time meeting in the
                                                     Baptist Church. From 1912-1918 Philip Hooper served as pastor.

                                                                                                             The church building was sold to Frank Hooper, son of Pastor Hooper for $1500
                                                                        and the congregation bought a lot from Thomas Kirdy for a new church for $200
                                                                        and a property dedication service was held May 20, 1928. Meetings were held
                                                                        at the Maple Hill school house. The Guyer’s house burned down at this time and
                                                                        along with it many church records. Purchase of a church building from Alden was made from the
                                                                        Michigan Baptist Convention and Fred Brooks was contracted to move the church building from
                                                                        Alden to the present site. The church dedication service was held 18, 1929. The church became
                                                                        an outstation from the Charlevoix Baptist Church. Pastors Rouch (29-39), Cruthers (39-43),
                                                                        Petersons (43-45), and Jackson (45-47)lead the church during this period of time. In 1948, the
                                                                        church voted to become independent from the oversight of Charlevoix Baptist Church.

It was at this time that Milford and Marian Tyrrell, Maude Ayotte, and Hattie Arnold joined the church. A parsonage fund was started. Rev. Clare
Gleason served as pastor in 1948-1949. There was also a vote to convert the church from coal to oil heat. Bill and Alma Armstrong became
members of the church.

From 1949 to 1952 the church called and ordained John Brubaker as their pastor. Effie Powell (mother of Joe Powell),
Anna Smith, and Ken and Jackie Watson were taken into the membership. All joined the church August 13, 1950.
The church also voted to remove themselves from their membership with the American Baptist Convention in 1951.

                        From 1952 to 1958, Pastor Al Northrup served the church. Chester and Shirley Farrell joined
                        the church October 29, 1953. and Joe and Velma Powell joined, July 8, 1955. The church was
                        remodeled along with the East Wing added to the auditorium. A balcony was added to the main sanctuary with a cry room in the
                        East wing. The Eastport school house was purchased for a youth center. The church also had a 15 minute radio program which
                        aired at Noon on Saturdays. Jay and Jean Nauta were added as missionaries for $10 a month. The church joined the General
                        Association of Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC) in 1955. In 1957, Vacation Bible school was cancelled due to a measles
                        outbreak.

Pastor Paul Bone ministered from 1958-1963. Pastor Bob White (63-66) was the first to live in the
church parsonage that was converted over from the Eastport School. The swing set to the West of
the home is from the old school. The church worked to help start a Baptist Church in Elk Rapids .
The church supported the work for some time under the work of Pastor Paul Glick (Jesse Glick’s father).
The Marots were added on as missionaries for $5 a month. The West side addition was added on at this time as well. Jake and Joy Koens joined the
church in January 1964 and Jeri Aenis (Watson) in September 1965.

                                             From 1967-68 Pastor Jim Downey lead the church and Sheila Essenberg (Farrell) joined the church in 1968.
                                             John Bell served as Pastor from 1968-1973. The garage for the parsonage was built and a new kitchen was added
.                                               to the basement of the church. Jim Seifert (74-75) ministered as Pastor and the church changed its name to
                                             Eastport Baptist Church. Awana Clubs were started. We were club number 1346. Don Reidel was ordained and
                                             pastored from 1976-1981. Because of the growth of Awana clubs the church built the gymnasium in 1978.

                                             The church celebrated its centennial under Pastor John Gillette (82-90).   Ed Cramer joined the church in 1985.
Property between the church and parsonage was acquired and that home was leveled to increase parking. The church stepped away from its
membership with the GARBC. The church also participated in helping to start the Baptist church in East Jordon.

                                                              The church called Pastor Jerry Mack (92-96) to Eastport. During his
                                          time the church joined the Adopt –a –Highway program to help keep
                                          part of M-88 clean. Major renovation was also done at the parsonage.

Pastor Jerry Troyer answered the call to Eastport in 1997. The church
has grown, so the auditorium was remodeled to accommodate a larger attendance. The front entrance was reworked as well with a new parking lot
and entrance along with a new church sign. The parsonage was remodeled fully with the call of a youth Pastor Dave Furst (2006-07). A new organ
was given to the church in memory of Dave Ray.   The parsonage garage was converted to a youth annex. In 2009 the church voted to join the
association of churches called Converge, formally known as the Baptist General Conference.

The most important history of the church, however has come person by person and family by family as people have been shown the love of God
through deeds and words of God’s people who have been a part of this church’s fellowship. Many people have come into a personal relationship with
Jesus Christ, have been baptized, and taught the teachings of Christ through the sacrificially giving and service of God’s people.   God’s people have
been encouraged to live for Him, and taught the whole council of God through the systematic teaching of His word by its Pastors and Teachers this
church has been privileged to have over the years.   These are our most important jewels of history and we will celebrate together throughout all
eternity what God has done in our midst. We are here because of the faithfulness of God and by His grace we will continue to faithfully proclaim His
love and message to each and every generation. To God be the glory, great things He has done.   We look forward to what God will do through this
fellowship until the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

                                                                                                                        125th Anniversary Committee