By Stephen Smoot
“Praise Ye the Lord!” reads the media announcement from North Shinnston Baptist Church as the congregation prepares to celebrate a century of service to the Drain Hill community and beyond.
While each church is the House of God, it is the congregants that set the tone and give it life. For North Shinnston Baptist Church, that vitality has come from families that made this church their home for a full century now.
As North Shinnston Baptist congregant David Minor shared “when we grew up here, it was a pretty tight knit community.” That community, the Drain Hill neighborhood, saw its first development about a half-century before the establishment of the church.
Deloris Minor, 98 years young, has attended North Shinnston Baptist for 80 years and has worn many hats in both leadership and administering its affairs. Prior to that, she attended a Baptist church in Wyatt starting at the age of five.
She explained that “the church was a small church,” then said that congregants themselves came together to construct the church. “The carpenters built the church, the Minors, the Leesons” Deloris Minor stated.
Prior to that, as Mrs. Vinnie (pronounced like “vine”) Minor stated “I guess they did have church in their homes.”
In 1974, Deloris Minor wrote “History of the North Shinnston Baptist Church.” In it, she described how “twelve charter members” were “inspired by God” to establish it. From the start, the church was a family affair. It involved the original settling family, the Drains, as well as the Leesons, Minors, Martins, Horners, McIntires, and Lippencotts.
“Each family in the community contributed with freewill offerings,” Deloris Minor penned, also stating that “each gave as the Lord prospered them.” Local residents and businesses also contributed and “most everyone in the community helped.”
To help the new church get started in 1924, other Baptist congregations, including Shinnston First Baptist, Hepzibah, and Worthington Baptist Churches assisted.
Originally, the church had a small sanctuary. As congregant Danny Minor explained, the original church’s footprint only occupies the back third of the current structure. Today, that area is half open space and half devoted to other rooms.
That said, church records show that attendance could often outstrip the church’s capacity. On one April Sunday in 1927, 114 came to church. David Minor joked “they had to be standing outside.”
By the 1950s, the church started working on expansion. The Salvation Army donated $100 in 1957 to purchase another lot on which to expand the building. Community support helped to raise funds for construction. David Abruzzino, the lawyer handling the lot purchase, donated part of his fee for the effort. The next year, a cookbook sale helped to bring in funds.
As Deloris Minor wrote in her history, “many out of town members sent offerings and also nonmembers of the Church gave.”
The first expansion came in the form of digging a basement, work which was started in 1960 by Salerno Brothers, who worked at a significant discount to aid the church. By 1967, the entire structure was ready for dedication with the new section serving as the sanctuary. The church also received new seats, hymnals, carpet, and other furnishings
Through much of that time, Deloris Minor worked in numerous capacities to serve the church. As David Minor told it, “she taught Bible study and Sunday morning classes for years and sang in the choir.” Vinnie Minor added that she also worked as church treasurer, clerk, and sang as part of the quartet. Her responsibilities included keeping the records of the church, valuable to posterity in terms of understanding how the church grew and developed.
Like many smaller churches, North Shinnston Baptist struggled to find its footing in the 21st century. “Like all small churches,” David Minor stated, “it practically folded at one time. It was closed for a while.” Vinnie Minor added that “a lot of people, you can’t get them to come to church,” but she went on to say that one saving grace was that they still sent their children.
Also, as David Minor said, for a time the larger “mega” churches served as a draw for a lot of people seeking a different worship experience.
North Shinnston Baptist closed its doors for eight months in 2011. David Minor shared that “it’s a miracle that the church is still here.”
And the reason for that, in part at least, is, of course, Deloris Minor. Danny Minor explained that “her getting in touch with a local preacher” looking for a church home helped to bring it back, Lazarus-like. That pastor, Jeff Dytzel, as David Minor said “brought a lot of people with him that he knew,” including friends and relatives. “He was a young man just starting out,” he added.
Today, Pastor Matthew Keith serves the church congregation as he has for the past six years Music, as in most churches, has remained important over time. David Minor explained that “this church has had its share of good guitar players and piano players over the years.”
Danny Minor explained that the church has a somewhat informal tone. With attendance generally around 20, the back and forth between pastor and flock gives services a less than High Church type of tone “We cut him no slack,” laughed David Minor, also saying “we keep him on his toes.” Danny Minor agreed whole-heartedly, but added “when it’s time to get serious, we get serious. We’re here to serve the Lord.”
On Friday Aug 2 at 6 PM, the church will hold a special worship service with Josh Oldaker, to which the congregation encourages all to “bring your family and friends.” The next day, the church will have a community picnic in Ferguson Memorial Park at the large pavilion. Fellowship opens at 11 AM and lunch starts an hour later.
“Bring your family, friends, and a covered dish” the flier for the event reads.
Then comes a Sunday service starting at 11 AM with former Pastor Garry Layfield giving the service. Lunch will follow.
The celebration reminds all who attend and love the doughty little church and its devoted congregation that they must continue to “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”