Historical Events

1940’s

J.L. Trent called people of the area together on Sunday afternoons for Sunday School. They met in the basement of a building on Glenn Street for the first time on January 7, 1940.
March 10, 1940 – Sunday School attendance was 86.
First Vacation Bible School happened on July 1, 1940 – July 7, 1940.
First Revival happened on November 17, 1940 with Rev. Floyd Creasy preaching.
Organized the Church on December 1, 1940. Rev. J.L. Trent was elected as temporary pastor. Pastor Trent served without salary until January 1941, at which time the church voted to pay him $6 a week.
March 16, 1941 – Church voted to purchase two lots on May Avenue at a cost of $1,600.00.
November 15, 1942 – Opening service of Basement Building.
January 1943 – Ordained first deacons.
In 1944, first church bulletin was printed.
December 3, 1944 – Rev. J.L. Trent accepted the full time pastorate of Lynn Garden Baptist Church.
By 1945, a Woman’s Missionary Union, Baptist Training Union and a Brotherhood had been organized.
In 1948, we sponsored a mission Sunday School which later became Gravelly Baptist Church.
By 1949, a Building Committee was authorized to secure an architect to draw plans for a new Sanctuary because the congregation had grown out of the basement.

1950’s

December 24, 1950 – First Sunday in the new Sanctuary. Membership was 615.
February 2, 1951 – First baptism in the new Sanctuary.
In 1953, a lot was donated to the church to be used as a parking lot.
1n 1957, the first floor of the Education Building was built.

1960’s

During 1960, the second and third floors of the Education Building were completed.
A church-sponsored kindergarten was organized in 1961.
In 1961, Rev. J.L. Trent served on the Ordination Council for Rev. Carl L. Strickler who was ordained to the gospel ministry.
On December 5, 1965, our church celebrated its 25^th Anniversary with a special reception immediately after the evening worship service.
In 1965, Rev. J.L. Trent was honored as the “Citizen of the Year” by the Kingsport Civitan Club, on the 25^th Anniversary of our church.

1970’s

Rev. J.L. Trent retired in 1970 after 30 years as our church’s first pastor.
On December 1, 1971, Rev. Carl L. Strickler assumed the pastorate of Lynn Garden Baptist Church.
In October 1972, the church bonds were burned to represent the end of the church’s indebtedness with Rev. J.L. Trent and Rev. Carl L. Strickler present.
In 1974, the church withdrew from the Holston Association and joined the newly-formed Sullivan Baptist Association.
In 1974, a church bus was purchased.
In 1977, a beautiful steeple was finally put on top of the Sanctuary Building.
Carpet was installed in the Sanctuary Building and a new organ was placed in the Sanctuary in 1978.

1980’s

The Evangelism Explosion Personal Witness Training Program began in 1982.
During the 1980’s, our youth traveled to Myrtle Beach to share the gospel in campgrounds.
August 10-19, 1989 – Our youth took a mission trip to New Orleans.

1990’s

1990 was the 50^th Anniversary of Lynn Garden Baptist Church.
June 24, 1990 – Open house for the newly renovated church parlor.
In 1997, Dorothy McCurry retired after 26 years as secretary of our church.
Reconstruction of the Fellowship Hall began in 1990.
Purchase of the house at 305 May Avenue.
Rev. Jim Lindsay served as Interim Pastor.
In 1997, fellowship kitchen was remodeled.
In 1999, Rev. Carl L. Strickler retired after almost 29 years.

2000’s

January 9, 2000 – With a 99.24% yes vote, the church called Rev. Gale Hartley as the third pastor of Lynn Garden Baptist Church.
March 22, 2000 – Church voted to approve the addition of internet service for the church offices.
Youth traveled to Nebraska for a mission trip.
In November 2000, a children’s chapel was established on the first floor of the Education Building.
February 2005 thru July 2005 – Dusty Stout served as Pastor.
In October 2005, Rev. Carl L. Strickler became the church’s Interim Pastor.
On January 15, 2006, Rev. Michael Wrye joined Lynn Garden Baptist Church as our fifth Pastor.
In April 2006, a new roof was purchased for the Sanctuary Building.
Church traveled to New Orleans during the summer of 2006 to do mission work after Hurricane Katrina.
In April 2007, the Vestibule and the Sanctuary were painted.

2010’s

In March 2010, the elevator was completed and installed in the Sanctuary Building.
In April 2010, the church purchased the house at 1400 Lynn Garden Drive.
Major renovations occurred. Offices were remodeled and new windows were installed in the Education Building.
In July 2011, the remodeling project of the Parlor began.
August 26, 2012 – Rev. John Coats became the church’s Interim Pastor.
April 24, 2013 – Church decided to purchase the house at 309 May Avenue.
On September 1, 2014, Rev. Rick Meade became the sixth pastor of Lynn Garden Baptist Church.
In 2015, Fellowship Hall was remodeled.
75^th Anniversary Celebration and Luncheon on September 27, 2015.
April 27, 2019 – Started annual “Share the Love” event.
In June 2019, our Youth (Rootz) group spent a week worshipping in Myrtle Beach, SC.
In October 2019, the house at 309 May Avenue was demolished.

2020’s

In January of each year, our Youth travel to Gatlinburg, TN to attend Resurrection.
In February 2020, the church celebrated Reta Caldwell’s 50 years of service as our pianist.
March 2020 – Updates were made to the Education Building.
June 7, 2020 – Worship service was held at the church for the first time since March 15, 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
June 2021 – 15 youth from our church attended FUGE at Ridgecrest and several important decisions were made.
September 2021 – Our church sponsored a new church, water well and 200 bibles in Mitunda, Malawi in Africa.
October 17, 2021 – Ordination Service for Andy Walters.
April 16, 2022 – First Annual Easter Egg Hunt
June 1, 2022 – Construction of Octaball Pit for Youth
August 19-21, 2022 – 4 of our youth made decisions at Camp Bays Mountain.
August 2022 – Repaired water line break in Education Building.
November 6, 2022 – Deacon ordination service for Glen Rogers and Roy Chapman.
December 2022 – Replaced cover between our two buildings and repaired damage to drive-under.
October 28, 2023 – More than 500 kids attended our 15th Annual Trunk n’ Treat.
October 29, 2023 – Deacon ordination service for David Hammonds and Freddie Puckett.
August 16-18, 2024 – 2 of our youth made decisions at Camp Bays Mountain.
November 2024 – Under Construction! Come be a part of it!

Our Shepherds

Rev. J.L. Trent

1940 – 1970

Rev. Carl L. Strickler

1971 – 1999

Pastor Emeritus

Rev. Gale Hartley

1999 – 2004

Dr. Michael Wrye

2006 – 2012

Rev. Rick Meade

2014 – Present

Our Charter Members

Mrs. Hubert W. Baird
Mrs. Neville Woods (Shirley Baird)
Mrs. Arthur Baker
Mrs. Jim Watts (Jane Bullen)
Jerry Carico
J.D. Carico
W.E. Carico
Mrs. Charles W. Dalton
(Mrs. W.E. Carico)
Wiley Carico
Mrs. Wiley Carico
William Cassell
Mrs. William Cassell
Gomer Carl Chatman
Mrs. Gomer Carl Chatman
Clayton Darnell
Mrs. Clayton Darnell
Glen Darnell
Ralph Walton Dillow
Otis Flanary
Mrs. Otis Flanary
Emory Franklin
Mrs. Emory Franklin
Mrs. V.L. Greear
Mrs. Evelyn Gunter
Mrs. Bessie Johnson
J.R. Jones
Mrs. J.R. Jones
June Kern
Mrs. C.S. McConnell
Mrs. Paris Mays
Tom Mays
Mrs. Tom Mays
Mrs. Coy Meade
Charles W. Moore
Mrs. Charles W. Moore
Weymouth Moore
Creed Osborne
Roy Pate
Mrs. Roy Pate
John Roach
Betty Sampson
Charles Self
Mrs. Charles Self
Richard Self
Jacqueline Simmons
Mrs. L.E. Simmons
Laura Lee Simmons
Mrs. D.M. Stallard
Alice Vaughn
Juanita Vaughn
Tom Vaughn
Mrs. Tom Vaughn
Mrs. J.A. Wade
R.G. Wagner
Mrs. R.G. Wagner
Lloyd Williams
Mrs. Lloyd Williams
Mrs. Carl Yarnell