OUR HISTORY

Who We Are.

How It Started.

The property on which Flemington Baptist  Church stands was donated in 1765. It was the first place of worship in Flemington (originally called the Settlement of Flemings) and actually determined the location of Main Street in the settlement. Until 1835, the small congregation occupied a simple wooden building. It was replaced in 1837 with a larger building; and in 1867 an even larger building was built to accommodate up to 1,000 people. Flemington was a bustling metropolis after the Civil War, and the church was thought to be the largest building and perhaps even the largest congregation in the country at the time. That building was destroyed by fire in 1926. The current church building was completed in 1928. The education building was added in 1958. At the time, the church had more than 600 members and more than 200 Sunday School attendees.

Our church has been blessed with a number of gifted and dedicated pastors over the years. Rev. Pamela Reed served as the assistant pastor from 1989 to 2004. Upon the retirement of Rev. Bruce Morgan in 2004, Pastor Reed took over as the full-time pastor of the church until her retirement in July 2019. She is fondly remembered for her engaging sermons; her special gift for pastoral care, especially during times of illness and grief; and the wonderful relationships she developed with the children and the youth of the church. In addition to her contributions to Christian education, she had a strong interest in mission and social justice, and she encouraged the congregation to look for new ways to serve. Rev. Bruce Morgan, who served as pastor from 1992-2004, was a superb administrator and a strong partner with lay leaders in the church. He was an active and enthusiastic choir member and was very involved in the local community.

Dr. Marcus Pomeroy, who served from 1979-1991, was a man of tremendous warmth with whom the members felt especially close. The local mission to support the Meals on Wheels on select public holidays was initiated by Dr. Pomeroy. Dr. Bob Roberts is remembered for his inspirational leadership of the church from 1965 to 1979. His engaging personality is well remembered, and the church’s endowment was begun during his tenure. He also helped make the youth group into an active and vibrant body of young Christians in the church. He went on to serve ABC at the national level, but continued to maintain a relationship with the church. With a tenure lasting from 1928 to 1965, Rev. E.C. Dunbar is the longest-serving minister FBC has had. He guided the church through WWII and worked closely with lay leaders to bring about the construction of the education building.  

Institutions can change a great deal in 200+ years, and Flemington Baptist is no exception. From its humble beginning as a small community of about 15 members, the church has expanded and contracted several times, from a high of about 1,000 members after the Civil War to its current membership of about 115 people. Over the years we have planted new churches in nearby communities, including Cherryville, Croton, Hopewell, North Hunterdon, and Ringoes. The church also began hosting services for a Spanish- speaking congregation that meets on Sunday afternoons. The education building has been filled over the years with Sunday School classes of all ages and has also, at times, been used by home schooling groups, a music academy, and even other congregations. Our parsonage was occupied by a refugee family from the Congo for about ten years and is now in use by an educational foundation.

We have many beloved traditions that have been carried forward over the years, and we love to share meals together. We enjoy weekly coffee fellowship time, Easter breakfast, Christmas reception, and periodic picnics, luncheons, and Lenten suppers. We honor our long-time members on Founders Day, celebrate the start and end of our Sunday School year, and, even if we can’t always find a real live donkey, we shout hallelujahs while the kids process across the grounds on Palm Sunday. Support for both local and world missions is also a key focus for our congregation through both financial donations and direct involvement (e.g. Meals on Wheels).

How It’s Going

Where We’re Headed

Changes within the religious landscape of the United States have been ongoing. 1 in 5 Americans does not identify with any religion. Our church desires to be active contributors to this new spiritual milieu. With the help of our dream team, our church is exploring ways to become more hospitable to ALL who are exploring their spiritual paths.