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Pages are not adequate to compare all of the names, activities,
and events that tell the entire story about the history of Riley
Hill Baptist Church. Guided by the direction of the Holy Spirit,
a group of committed Christians from four local churches near Wendell,
NC came together under a bush harbor in 1872 to lead in the establishment
of a church known today as Riley Hill Missionary
Baptist Church.
Riley Hill has a legacy of long-tenured pastors, for after the
brief administration of Rev. George Harris, Rev. Harmon Pair served
for 50 years, leading the church to higher Christian fellowship,
serving God and humanity. He led the members into the construction
of a white wooden building and helped establish several auxiliaries
that enriched the community.
In 1922, several dedicated members recommended that George Signal
Stokes, a student at Shaw University, succeed Pastor Pair. Under
Pastor Stokes' leadership, the present brick church, with a seating
capacity of 500 or more, was built by members who donated their
wood, money, labor, and time. The Education Building was later added,
along with a fellowship hall. The church grew spiritually, financially,
and numerically to about 300 members.
Following 50 years of dedicated, dynamic service and leadership,
Dr. Stokes was called to his eternal rest. Rev. William Grover Horton
became the church's fourth pastor. Improvements were made in the
church's building, and it
grew in membership to nearly 400.
On June 1, 1988, Rev. Alfonza Fullwood came to us with his family
from Southport, NC with a strong sense of visionary leadership.
Under his guidance, the landscape of Riley Hill's ministry has transformed
into new and innovative ways of doing ministry. Multiple programs,
activities, and services came into fruition, which led to a full-time
church operation. The church now has 700 members and has accumulated
substantial landholdings/ properties for future growth and outreach.
Although, 135 years later, names and faces have changed,
our faith has not.
Our history is one that is purpose-driven, fueled by goals and visions
of a people who dare to dream, who dare to march to the beat of
onward progress. We are where the founders were, having a grasp
that exceeds their reach, and we stand here today as beneficiaries
of their reach and their foresight. Now, we must not only observe
and preserve our history, but also enlarge upon it by transforming
our possibilities into realities.
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