If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact us at

6650 Elim Church Rd NE, Ludowici, Georgia  31316  |  (912) 545-9380   |   Info@elimbc.com

"...they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there..."        Exodus 15:27

HISTORY OF ELIM BAPTIST CHURCH

ELIM BAPTIST CHURCH

6650 Elim Church Rd NE, Ludowici, Georgia  31316  |  (912) 545-9380  |  Info@elimbc.com

Where our purpose is to

EXALT Christ in Worship, EQUIP Believers for Ministry, and EVANGELIZE the Lost to Salvation.

1830

First sermon on the church grounds

delivered by Rev. Edward Quarterman Andrews

1846

Land deed for a house of worship

First structure 24 ft. x 30 ft. of hand-hewn pine

1857

Organization of Elim Baptist Church

Charter Members

Robert J. & Catholine B. Wheeler

Elias R. & Betsy S. Hodges

Hall & Sarah Howard

Nancy Smith McGowan

John & Sarah H. Shaw

William & Elizabeth Brewer

J.H. & Sarah S. Foster

Sarah Anne DeLoach Way

Zilpha Wheeler

1889

Dedication of New Sanctuary

1961

School & Land Acquired for Expansion

1965-1972

Renovations of Sanctuary

1973

Dedication of Educational Wing

1979

Pastorium Dedicated

1985

Dedication of New Educational Wing

1998

Dedication of New Sanctuary

2000

Renovation of Old Sanctuary

into Nursery and Pre-School Departments

2003

Renovation of Pastorium

There are several unique facts recorded in the history records of Elim Baptist Church.  One is how twelve dozen eggs became the cornerstone in the establishment of Elim’s first church building fund.  Another is, that in keeping with the idea of the deed to the church property naming its use by three denominations, that the first sermon preached there was by a Methodist; the sermon of dedication was by a Baptist; and that two of the church’s leading benefactors were Presbyterians.

It was in 1830, when an itinerant Methodist minister, Rev. Edward Quarterman Andrews, from Midway went to preach the gospel to a small group of people.  The next week, a bush arbor was built for holding services and for many years, services were held at intervals underneath this bush arbor or under the trees.  Then in 1846, John Way, who came from the Midway Church, deeded a tract of land (3 1/8 acres) for the “special purpose of building thereon a house of worship for the Baptists, Methodists and Presbyterians to use, so as to divide the Sabbath equally.  But in case of any dissention the right of title to belong to the Baptist denomination.”  It was then that a building committee was established and was composed of John Shaw, Gideon McGowan and Robert J. Wheeler.  Other leading benefactors in establishing the church were Colonel E.P. Miller, the Mallards and Walthours who were  Presbyterian;  and the Hines', Harrisons and Andrews who were Methodists.

In 1857, the church was organized and the first pastor was Rev. I.J. Brinson in 1858. 

By 1889, the first church building was completed and it was a crude structure, 24x30 feet.  But, it was well built of hand hewn pine timbers put together with pegs and even the shingles were attached with pegs.  The building materials were furnished and manufactured by Gideon McGowan, who owned a sawmill.  The pulpit and rostrum in the church were the gift of Rev. George Blount, three times it’s pastor.  When the church was dedicated, it was dedicated as a Baptist Church and was named “Elim” after the encampment of the Children of Israel after crossing the Red Sea (Ex. 15:27).  There were twenty-five people present at the dedication and the dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. Jesse Tatum of Tattnall County.  It was also at this time that the four dedicated women of the church brought three dozen eggs each to start a building fund.  The women were Mrs. Pauline Parker McGowan, wife of Joseph E. McGowan; Mrs. Julia Bacon Wheeler, wife of Furman Wheeler; Mrs. Margaret Finnel Way, wife of John E. Way and her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Alice Devereaux Way, wife of William Byron Way, better known as B. Way.

There were only six families (the Wheelers, the Hodges, the Howards, the Shaws, the Brewers, and the Fosters) in the community at the time the church was dedicated; for a total of fifteen charter members.  The charter members of the church were John Shaw and wife, Sarah Harnage Shaw; Robert Wheeler and wife, Catholine B Wheeler; Elias R. Hodges and wife, Betsy Smith Hodges; William Brewer and wife, Elizabeth; Hall Howard and wife, Sarah; J.H. Foster and wife, Sarah Smith Foster; Nancy Smith McGowan, Sarah Anne DeLoach Way and Zilpha Wheeler.

This brief summary only begins to cover the exciting history of Elim Baptist Church.  The links at the top left will provide a more detailed history as recorded by specific individuals or members of the church.