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A Short History of Grace Baptist Church
Georgetown, Kentucky
      In February, 1965, the Bryan Station Baptist Church of Lexington (pastored by Bro. Al Gormley) authorized Bro. Sam Dennis to begin a mission in Georgetown. The mother church and other cooperating Baptist churches helped to support the mission through a home mission work called Baptist Continental Missions. Brother Dennis conducted the first service in March of 1965 and the name Penn Avenue Baptist Mission was chosen for the new work.

      Later that year (December 1965) Bro. Joseph Hendricks became pastor of the mission. Bro. Hendricks served as pastor for almost two years.

      In November 1967, Bro. Bill DeRossitt became pastor of the mission. In June 1968, by the authority of the mother church, nineteen charter members were constituted into a church. The new church named herself the Grace Baptist Church and called Bro. DeRossitt as pastor.

      Since 1968 the Grace Baptist Church has been blessed with growth and has been privileged to begin missions in Lawrenceburg, Ky., and Lexington, Ky. These two missions grew and became churches now known as Hebron Baptist Church of Lawrenceburg and Lexington Bethel Baptist Church of Lexington. (Hebron is now pastored by Bro. George Dye and Bethel by Bro. Walter Fisher.) Bro. Dye and Bro. James T. Vance were called of God to the pastorate under the ministry of the Grace Baptist Church.

      The Grace Baptist Church in July, 1974, erected a house of worship at the corner of Showalter and Mt. Vernon in Georgetown. The membership of Grace Baptist Church sincerely believes the blessings of God have been bestowed upon us. So we are thankful to the God of all grace and to a people willing to work. We face the future, looking for His return, desiring to reach all men with the gospel, and to give Him glory in the church.

      When Bill DeRossott passed away, Tom Byrd became pastor, followed by Coy Cox. The present pastor, Bill Van Nunen, has been pastor since 2011.

      The church sponsors the John Leland Baptist College with classes held at the church building, 1300 Mount Vernon Drive, and in northern Kentucky. (Latest revision - 2012)



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