HISTORY OF PINE GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH
Realizing a community's need for a church, early settlers in the area formed Pine Grove Baptist Church in 1848. Some oral history indicates that the first location was near the intersection of Highway 46 and County Road 18.
Pine Grove was one of fourteen churches that met in 1852 to form the Arbacoochee Association. In 1868, Pine Grove left that association to join Harmony Association. The first record we have which lists a pastor is in 1868 when J.R. Northcutt was that pastor. He was followed by T.J. Garner in 1870. Pastor Northcutt was also a member of the committee appointed to establish the government of Cleburne County in 1866. One of the locations considered for the county seat was near Pine Grove.
In 1898, work was begun on a new building at the present site of Pine Grove on County Road 62. The land where the church stands, and part of the cemetery property were donated by the Bell Family. John A. Brown donated land that is behind the present building, and Terry Johnson donated the land where the pastorium is now located.
In 1899, Pine Grove joined in the formation of the Cleburne Baptist Association, and its members have strongly supported the association's ministry. Two years later, in 1901, a Sunday School was established under the leadership of John A. Brown.
The church building was torn down and rebuilt in 1925. One unique feature of Pine Grove is an outdoor baptismal pool constructed in 1928. It is no longer in use as an indoor baptistry has been installed. Sunday School rooms were built in 1956, and more rooms have been added since that time. In 1966, the building was bricked. Soon, a fellowship hall was added. The sanctuary has been remodeled and a steeple added. In 1980, a pastorium was built. A new fellowship hall was built in 1986. A facility consisting of a new worship center capable of seating 400 people, and education space was dedicated in September of 2004, providing facilities for all the church organizations.
