GOD RAISED UP A CHURCH FOR HIS GLORY
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE BAPTIST CHURCH
On July 15, 1962 Lloyd Sprinkle, a Shenandoah Valley native, only 23 years of age, held the first meeting of what would become this church in Harrisonburg, Virginia, at Roadcap’s Motorcycle Shop building on Route 11. There were 26 people in attendance.
On February 8, 1963 Harrisonburg Baptist Temple was formed with 16 charter members. The pastor’s salary was $30.00 per month. The group continued to meet at the Roadcap building until, through the blessings of God, they outgrew the space. The church then moved to a building between Armstrong’s Restaurant and Kavanaugh Hotel on N. Main Street. It was during this period that plans began to be made to build their own building.
The congregation of Harrisonburg Baptist Temple held their first service in their own building on Chicago Avenue on December 19, 1965 where the church gathered to worship for the next 39 years. In the late 1970’s, the church was renamed Park View Baptist Church. The Lord blessed the congregation in many ways through the years. One significant blessing was a sizable parcel of land on Erickson Avenue. In time, a new building was constructed and made ready for the use of the church as their permeant meeting place.
On July 11, 2004 the church dedicated their new building on Erickson Avenue for the worship of the Triune God. In light of God’s good providence to the congregation through the years, His provision of the property, and the finances for building the structure they chose Providence Baptist as their name.
On July 15, 2012 the church celebrated its 50th anniversary, with Pastor Sprinkle still serving Christ faithfully as its pastor. After undergoing open heart surgery and suffering a stroke in 2014, Pastor Sprinkle resigned in July 2015 as pastor of the church which he had served faithfully for 53 years. A prayerful search for the next pastor was intensified.
Andy Rice preached at Providence Baptist Church upon returning to the States after working as a missionary in Zambia on the continent of Africa on May 31, 2015. The church heard him gladly and requested him to preach for them on any Lord’s Day that he was free from other obligations. As Pastor Rice continued to preach the Word the congregation became convinced that he was the man they were desiring to serve among them as pastor.
On the Lord’s day, Oct 4, 2015 Pastor Rice came to preach and to answer questions that had been submitted to him from the congregation. His answers were greatly appreciated by the church, and the congregation voted unanimously to call him as their next pastor. An installation service was organized for Nov. 8, 2015 and Pastor Andy Rice became only the second pastor in the church’s history.
On February 8, 1963 Harrisonburg Baptist Temple was formed with 16 charter members. The pastor’s salary was $30.00 per month. The group continued to meet at the Roadcap building until, through the blessings of God, they outgrew the space. The church then moved to a building between Armstrong’s Restaurant and Kavanaugh Hotel on N. Main Street. It was during this period that plans began to be made to build their own building.
The congregation of Harrisonburg Baptist Temple held their first service in their own building on Chicago Avenue on December 19, 1965 where the church gathered to worship for the next 39 years. In the late 1970’s, the church was renamed Park View Baptist Church. The Lord blessed the congregation in many ways through the years. One significant blessing was a sizable parcel of land on Erickson Avenue. In time, a new building was constructed and made ready for the use of the church as their permeant meeting place.
On July 11, 2004 the church dedicated their new building on Erickson Avenue for the worship of the Triune God. In light of God’s good providence to the congregation through the years, His provision of the property, and the finances for building the structure they chose Providence Baptist as their name.
On July 15, 2012 the church celebrated its 50th anniversary, with Pastor Sprinkle still serving Christ faithfully as its pastor. After undergoing open heart surgery and suffering a stroke in 2014, Pastor Sprinkle resigned in July 2015 as pastor of the church which he had served faithfully for 53 years. A prayerful search for the next pastor was intensified.
Andy Rice preached at Providence Baptist Church upon returning to the States after working as a missionary in Zambia on the continent of Africa on May 31, 2015. The church heard him gladly and requested him to preach for them on any Lord’s Day that he was free from other obligations. As Pastor Rice continued to preach the Word the congregation became convinced that he was the man they were desiring to serve among them as pastor.
On the Lord’s day, Oct 4, 2015 Pastor Rice came to preach and to answer questions that had been submitted to him from the congregation. His answers were greatly appreciated by the church, and the congregation voted unanimously to call him as their next pastor. An installation service was organized for Nov. 8, 2015 and Pastor Andy Rice became only the second pastor in the church’s history.
