Our History
Third Creek Baptist Church has a long history. According to the Alexander County Treasures Book, Third Creek Baptist Church appears to be the oldest black church in the eastern part of Alexander County. Built on granted land in the 1860s, it was known as Gum Springs Baptist. The original location was not far from the present site.
According to written records from the early 1900s, Third Creek was served by the following pastors: Reverend Borders,Reverend George Thomas, Reverend R.B. Watts and Reverend George Parker. After 1911, the board voted to pay the pastor $100 a year. The new church was erected on the present site in 1914 and renamed Third Creek Baptist Church. Reverend W.S. Sherrill was pastor from 1917-1921. Under his leadership, wine was served for communion. Communion bread was made by Sister Harriet Parker and wine was made by Sister Betty Parker. Some of Reverend Sherrill’s sermons were recorded in the church records.
During the early 1920s, church services were held once a month on the 1st Sunday. Later services were changed to 3rd Sunday. Revival was held on the 3rd Sunday in August. Additionally, a paint rally was held in 1921 to purchase paint for the church.
Reverend V. Porter was called to replace Reverend W. S. Sherrill. He served from April 1922 until September 1922. Reverend E. D. Dubose served as pastor from 1922-1930. During his pastorate, members voted to buy locks to lock the church on May 18, 1924. They also voted to pay the sexton (person charged with the care of the church and cemetery) $8 a year. In 1927, the pastor and members began visiting the homes of non-attending members. Reverend G.W. Campbell served as pastor from 1931-1941. The usher board was organized under his leadership. The first ushers were Brother Albert Parker, Brother David L. Williams, Sister Lorene Redmon and Sister Ophelia Wellman Bennett.
Reverend D. W. Rutherford served as pastor from 1941 - (September) 1969. Under his leadership, the senior vocal choir was organized in 1942. Brother T. L. Nixon, Sr. served as the first chorister in 1942 and served until his death in the 1960s. Under his leadership, the music ministry flourished with the establishment of two additional choirs: The Golden Stars (1960) and the youth choir (1968).
In 1960, the parsonage was purchased and transported from Marion, NC to the present day site. Reconstruction was completed in 1964. Reverend Rutherford resided in the parsonage until his passing in 1969.Reverend D. U. Cooper served as interim pastor during Reverend Rutherford’s illness. During his interim, the present sanctuary was completed. Reverend Cooper was called as the pastor in 1976. He served from 1969 to 1976. Under Reverend Cooper morning worship services were held every Sunday.
Reverend J. H. Thomas served from 1976 to 1989. Under his pastorate, the education building and the James A. Parker Memorial Chapel were completed in 1978. The Voices of Faith Choir was established in 1979.
Following Reverend Thomas’s pastorate, Reverend Sterling Howard filled in from 1989 to 1990 during the pastoral search. In 1990, Reverend Howard was called as the pastor and served until December 2011. Under his leadership, a new men’s choir was established in 1997. The new vestibule was completed in 2002. Minister Steven Parker served as an assistant pastor from 2007- 2012. In October 2007, a praise team was organized. Voices of Faith and Golden Stars were disbanded in 2009 and the Mass Choir was organized.
Reverend Dwayne Harris was called as pastor November 2012 and served unto March 2014. Under his leadership a number of ministries were established: the Marriage Ministry, the Singles Ministry and the Seniors Ministry. Reverend Harris also reinstated the prison ministry and the deacons serving communion to the sick and shut-in. Under Reverend Harris, various church committees were established including: the Joint Head Committee, the Finance Committee, the Church Management Committee and the Events Planning Committee.
Our current pastor is Reverend Tommy Carpenter. Reverend Carpenter previously served as an interim pastor. He was officially installed on May 3, 2015.- Respectfully submitted by Sister Carrie Pulley andSister Betty Banks of the TCBC Historical Committee
Rev. Carpenter was born April 13, 1951 in Burke County. He was raised in a family with God-fearing parents. They always assured that he and his two brothers went to Sunday school. Somehow Tommy was different. He never drank, cursed, or even used slang language. He had an interest in the bible at an early age and would read it everyday and night before bed. When he started going out, he had to read the Bible when he got home. After his mother died he started hearing voices at clubs, work and other places and times. Soon he talked to his pastor and the pastor said, "Tommy, God is speaking to you in your inner ear." The pastor then told him that if he would surrender his life to God the voices would go away. The next Sunday he did and the voices left.
When Tommy became a deacon the power of God overwhelmed him again. But this time it was in the form of dreams. He talked to his pastor then surrendered to the calling to preach. He is the father of three children, son Talain Carpenter of Chesapeake Virginia, daughters Tomra Martin (Bobby) and Tracee Edmonson (Carlton) both of Glen Alpine, North Carolina. Pastor Carpenter is grandfather of nine grandchildren, Jaylan Martin, DeAndre Crapenter, Noah Carpenter, John Brown, Brooke Brown, Calvin Brown, III, Legend Springs, Cameron Edmonson and Taylor Edmonson. As Pastor Carpenter says, "God has richly blessed me. I want to always glorify Jesus through my living and giving."
Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Ephesians 3:20
“‘And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding."
Jeremiah 3:15
Rev. G.W. Parker (1911)Rev.
W.S. Sherrill (1917-1921)
Rev. V. Porter (1922)
Rev. E.D. Dubose (1922-1930)
Rev. T.R. Rucker (1930)
Rev. G.W. Campbell (1931-1940)
Rev. D.W. Rutherford (1941-1969)
Rev. D.U. Cooper (1969-1976)
Rev. John H. Thomas (1976-1989)
Rev. Sterling Howard (1990-2012)
Minister Steven Parker (2007-2012)
Rev. Dewayne Harris (2012-2013)
Rev. Tommy Carpenter (Current Pastor)
The Parsonage
During the 1960's, Third Creek Baptist Church was without a parsonage for our pastor, Rev. D. W. Rutherford. Rev. Rutherford traveled from Marion, North Carolina to Third Creek Baptist Church to pastor. Sometimes staying Saturday night with various church members.
Rev. Rutherford located a house in Marion that needed to be torn down. He bought the house for the sum of $10.00 (ten dollars). The man living next door to the house to be torn down hated to see the house go because he had seen a miracle in that house. A young girl 13 years old had been pronounced dead in the house. They waited for her Aunt to come from Virginia. It took the Aunt three days to get to Marion. When the Aunt arrived, she entered the house saying, "she is not dead". Having been in the casket three days, they were viewing the body of the young girl and the Aunt said, "she is not dead, she is breathing. The young girl lived, married and raised a family of four or five children. The man next door said it was a miracle. He came over every day and checked on the men working.
The house in Marion was to be torn down and rebuilt for our church parsonage in Stony Point. The church purchased the parsonage land from Bro. James A. Parker. A parsonage was needed to better serve the church. The trucks of Bro. Robert Parker Sr., Bro. Arthur Parker Sr. and Bro. Partee Wellman were used to haul materials and the cars of Bro. James A. Parker, Bro. Willie Rease, Bro. Lane McWhorter and Bro. Frances Wellman were used to transport workers.
Some adult workers included; Dolsie Parker, Monroe Parker and Grier McClain. Some youth workers included; Armall Adams, Sr., Wayne Hill, Leonard McClain, James McClain, Willie Millsaps, Dale Parker, Eugene Parker, Farley Parker, Tallie Parker, John "Bubba" Rease, Joe H. Thomas and Larry Wellman. The traveling workers worked hard to tear the house down and load the materials on trucks to be transported down to Stony Point.
In Marion, the house was torn down brick by brick, nail by nail, and board by board. Before the bricks were brought to Stony Point, they were cleaned and stacked. The trucks were loaded with boards, clean/stacked bricks from the foundation, chimneys and retaining wall. A heavy kerosene furnace from the old house was used in the parsonage. The loaded trucks were driven to Stony Point and unloaded in the woods where our parsonage is located. It was all day work and lunch on the ground. There were no forklifts, just manpower.
We traveled back and forth to Marion before 1-40 was completed. Old 70 was taken from Valdese to the Rock Barn Road. On one particular occasion while bringing a load to Stony Point, Bro. Robert Parker, Sr. had a flat tire on Rock Barn Road. Unaware of the problems with Bro. Robert's truck, Bro. Partee rode off and left Bro. Robert's truck with a flat tire. But thank goodness Bro. Arthur Parker was still behind Bro. Robert's truck, so he stopped to check on Bro. Robert. Bro. Robert told him he had to drive slow so he would not blow another tire. Bro. Robert told Bro. Arthur, "if I am not in Stony Point within a reasonable time, come back and look for me".It was also remembered, Mr. Arthur Parker received a ticket for no turning signal.
One day while working in Marion, the police came by and made the young men sweep all the debris off the sidewalk. On a hungry day, Mount Moriah Baptist Church ladies brought a fantastic home cooked lunch for the workers. Rev. Rutherford's wife, Mrs. Cora and daughters were among the cooks. The workers ate lunch under the trees. The menu that was remembered was: Fried Chicken, Creamed Corn, Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, Meat Loaf, Tea and Bread.
In Stony Point, brick by brick, nail by nail, board by board the parsonage was built for the pastor of Third Creek Baptist Church. The fittings were dug by hand. A water line was dug from the well at the church to the parsonage. The brickwork in Stony Point was completed by Bro. Sir Walter McClain. The lead carpenter in building back the house was Mr. Mitch Summers' father from Harmony. The parsonage was completed in approximately 1964. The parsonage has housed three pastors; Rev. D. W. Rutherford, Rev. D. U. Cooper, Sr., and Rev. J. H. Thomas