How it all started...
On November 25, 1881, Shady Grove Baptist Church was organized under a brush arbor near the site of the present church, located at 3240 Tryon Courthouse Road, Cherryville, North Carolina.
Mount Zion Baptist Church commissioned thirty-two charter members out to start a new baptist church and called it Shady Grove. Home missionary, Reverend A.L. Stough preached the first sermon using as his text, Acts 12:24, "The Word of God Grew and Multiplied". Trustees elected by the church were Mr. I.P. Hicks, Mr. Noah Mauney, and Mr. M.L. Hullette.
During the winter of 1881, a one-room frame structure was erected, which was the first church building used for worship. In 1926, the church building was turned to face the highway and additional space was added for Sunday school classrooms and the choir.
In 1949, a new church building was planned and construction began. The church was built mostly by free labor, both from members and the community. The new brink sanctuary was dedicated on February 18, 1951.
Land for a parsonage was purchased in 1956 and a parsonage was constructed. Land adjoining the church property was purchased in 1962 for the purpose of building an Educational Building. However, a fire on March 6, 1963, gutted the church sanctuary and these plans had to be postponed. Finally, in 1964, the Education Building was erected.
In 1979, the church purchased 93.848 acres of land behind the church for additional growth. Growth continued and the Family Life Center was completed and dedicated in August 1992. In 2005, the Family Life Center was remodeled and the staff offices were relocated to this area.
In 2014, Pastor Dale Hendricks was called to lead the ministry here at Shady Grove. In 2014, under his leadership, the church began immediately updating the property. We replaced heating and air units throughout the campus. We also replaced windows in the Educational Building along with many other updates around the campus..
In 2016, Shady Grove acquired the facility at Creekside that once was Creekside Baptist Church and started the Community Ministries NW center to provide food and other resources to the community. In 2017, the Educational Building was renovated to make way for the new KidsLife Children's Ministry.
In 2019, the church was challenged with a Building Through Faith program to raise funds for a new state of the art sanctuary. A Ground Breaking Ceremony was held on Mother's Day 2020, despite the service being held in the church parking lot due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. The new sanctuary was dedicated on May 2, 2021, which was also our Homecoming Celebration of 140 Years of Ministry.
For more than 140 years now, through the faith, dedication, and hard work of our members, Shady Grove has been a beacon of love and a source of strength and hope to its members and the community. May the Word of God continue to grow and multiply, as our church becomes all that God called it to be.
Mount Zion Baptist Church commissioned thirty-two charter members out to start a new baptist church and called it Shady Grove. Home missionary, Reverend A.L. Stough preached the first sermon using as his text, Acts 12:24, "The Word of God Grew and Multiplied". Trustees elected by the church were Mr. I.P. Hicks, Mr. Noah Mauney, and Mr. M.L. Hullette.
During the winter of 1881, a one-room frame structure was erected, which was the first church building used for worship. In 1926, the church building was turned to face the highway and additional space was added for Sunday school classrooms and the choir.
In 1949, a new church building was planned and construction began. The church was built mostly by free labor, both from members and the community. The new brink sanctuary was dedicated on February 18, 1951.
Land for a parsonage was purchased in 1956 and a parsonage was constructed. Land adjoining the church property was purchased in 1962 for the purpose of building an Educational Building. However, a fire on March 6, 1963, gutted the church sanctuary and these plans had to be postponed. Finally, in 1964, the Education Building was erected.
In 1979, the church purchased 93.848 acres of land behind the church for additional growth. Growth continued and the Family Life Center was completed and dedicated in August 1992. In 2005, the Family Life Center was remodeled and the staff offices were relocated to this area.
In 2014, Pastor Dale Hendricks was called to lead the ministry here at Shady Grove. In 2014, under his leadership, the church began immediately updating the property. We replaced heating and air units throughout the campus. We also replaced windows in the Educational Building along with many other updates around the campus..
In 2016, Shady Grove acquired the facility at Creekside that once was Creekside Baptist Church and started the Community Ministries NW center to provide food and other resources to the community. In 2017, the Educational Building was renovated to make way for the new KidsLife Children's Ministry.
In 2019, the church was challenged with a Building Through Faith program to raise funds for a new state of the art sanctuary. A Ground Breaking Ceremony was held on Mother's Day 2020, despite the service being held in the church parking lot due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. The new sanctuary was dedicated on May 2, 2021, which was also our Homecoming Celebration of 140 Years of Ministry.
For more than 140 years now, through the faith, dedication, and hard work of our members, Shady Grove has been a beacon of love and a source of strength and hope to its members and the community. May the Word of God continue to grow and multiply, as our church becomes all that God called it to be.
