By Mike Steely
steelym@knoxfocus.com
Mark your calendars because a local church is planning to celebrate 100 years in our community. Inskip Baptist Church, at 4810 Rowan Road in North Knoxville, is planning a Sunday celebration on June 9. Rev. Mike Segers, who has pastored the church since 1999, says that the celebration will begin with Sunday School. He said many former members will be attending the church service and a former pastor there will be the speaker. A lunch is planned and the afternoon will be full of memories and memorabilia of the church’s long history.
Services start at 10:45 and lunch is at noon. The Service of Remembrance and Celebration begins at 2 p.m.
Rev. Segers said an Alumni Choir will perform in the afternoon and he’s urging current choir members, former music ministers or mission trip choir members to join in the singing.
Anyone planning to attend the 100th Celebration is urged to RSVP by calling (865) 689-5416 or email Inskip@knology.net. If you are unable to attend you can still send a note of encouragement and reflection.
The history of the church dates back to 1919 when Rev. J.H. Snow of the Knox County Association of Baptists visited the community with the idea of organizing a church. That year a Woman’s Missionary Society began with five members and met in the home of Mrs. Charles A. Child. A Sunday School was organized and met at the old Inskip School. The need for a church building was realized and two acres of land was purchased from Dr. J. B. Parker. Rev. W. M. Thomas was elected pastor.
In October of 1920 construction on a cinder-block church started and a cornerstone placed containing a Bible, The Baptist and Reflector, a daily newspaper, a history of the church and a silver coin dated 1920. That cornerstone is now found in the monument sign for the current church building. About 188 people attended the first services in the church and, later, a library room added.
In 1947 the members voted to buy lots across the street and, on July 4h, 1948, the members left the cinder-block church, walked across the street, and entered the new building. The smaller church building was then sold.
Several ministers served the church and the community over the 100 years and Rev. Segers was selected to head the church twenty years ago. He is inviting everyone to make plans to attend the 100th Celebration.
