Our History

1888 to Present

 

In 1888 when Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church was organized, the world was a very different place.  Mr. Paul Hull and his wife, Sallie, built a brush arbor which was used for a community Sunday school.  On November 11, 1888, the church was organized by two laymen, Maurice Truslow and W. Suddon Jackson with 14 members from Ramoth Baptist Church.

Rev. Abbie Thornton Lynn was called to be the first pastor of the newly organized church and served until 1914.  During Rev. Lynn’s ministry at Hull’s, services were held once a month.  Records for 1889 listed the Sunday school as “flourishing” with 78 enrolled.  In 1896, Rev. Lynn gave the land, and construction of a new building began.  In 1897, the new building was dedicated and became known as Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church; consisting of 66 members.

Hull’s became a member of the Potomac Association in 1889 and remained so until 1913 when we changed to the Hermon Association.  In the last year of Rev. Lynn’s ministry, the membership was listed as 131.  Rev. Lynn was succeeded by James B. Cook and he served until 1917. 

Austin J. Arthur became pastor in 1918 and served until 1920.  Records indicate the first Women’s Missionary Union was organized in 1918.  Upon Rev. Arthur’s departure, Rev. Allran White Graves came to serve as pastor.  He served from 1921 through 1922.  During this time in Hull’s history, services were held the first and third Sundays; and membership was at 149.

Alexander C. Walker began his ministry in 1923 serving one year and then returned in 1925 to serve another year.  From 1926 to1928 we were without a pastor, several men supplied the pulpit.

In 1928, Lloyd B. Boutchyard was called as pastor and served for ten years.  In 1935, we moved again to the Potomac Association.  At the end of Rev. Boutchyard’s service membership was 174 and services were held every second and fourth Sunday.

Rev. Edward V. Peyton served as supply pastor from 1939 through 1944.  In 1943, minutes reflect the organization of the Training Union and noted the Woman’s Missionary Union received an A-1 banner that year.

In 1945, David R. Hepler succeeded Rev. Peyton as supply pastor and served in that capacity until September 1946.  In September 1946, we issued a call to Junius Foster, Jr.  During the first year of his ministry, services were held on the first and third Sundays.

In 1947, the front of the church was remodeled and a vestibule added.  Later an addition was added to the back of the church which consisted of several Sunday school rooms, and choir loft.  Sunday school classes sponsored the building fund drive.  The Adult men’s class started remodeling while the women and young people cleaned and painted.  Upon completion, a dedication service was held September 11, 1949.

During 1947, Arthur W. Snellings was chosen as choir director; he started with a group of about 23 members.  Under his expert direction which lasted until 1982, the Hull’s Memorial Chancel Choir became known throughout the Fredericksburg area for the quality of its beautifully blended voices.

In 1948, services were held each Sunday.  The first Vacation Bible School was held in the summer of 1948 with an enrollment of 74.  In September 1948, the Hammond organ was installed.  The choir held concerts on the last Friday night of each month and a free-will offering was taken to help pay for the organ.

In March 1949, the first Brotherhood was organized with nine men present.  On April 14, they held their first regular monthly meeting with 25 men present.  The ladies of the WMU served the men an evening meal at this meeting.

On April 19, 1950 we extended a call to William L. Hales as our first full-time minister.  Rev. and Mrs. Hales moved into the new parsonage in August that same year and with their coming, we began our first full-time program which included Sunday school, Training Union, and a morning and evening worship service each Sunday.

The Woman’s Missionary Union and Brotherhood met monthly.  During this time the WMU and the Brotherhood had been instrumental in organizing and sponsoring several youth programs.

In 1957, a new association was formed of churches within a fifteen-mile radius of Fredericksburg; we became a member of this association, known as the Fredericksburg Baptist Association, with Rev. Hales serving as its first moderator.

In June 1958, a ground breaking ceremony commenced for a new educational building and sanctuary.  The Cornerstone was laid on August 31, 1958, and on March 1, 1959, the first service was held in the new building.  Membership was listed at 311 and Sunday school at 286.

One memorable event in our history occurred on April 4, 1963, when a fire broke out near the church.  A quote from the local Fredericksburg paper, Free Lance-Star, indicated “The fast-moving Hull’s Chapel inferno burned a half mile path from Virginia Route No. 653, where it was stopped by a back fire; bulldozers plowed a fire lane to contain the blaze.  The fire started near the home of Richard Flippo.  It whipped pass Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church’s parsonage, the farm of John W. Withers and then sidestepped the new brick church building by about a hundred yards.”  Falmouth volunteer firemen, several high school fire fighters, neighbors, and our pastor, Rev. Hales, stopped the blaze just short of the old frame church building, which the youth of the church were using for a gymnasium.

In 1963, Rev. Hales resigned as pastor.  Membership was listed as 350 and Sunday school 341.

Rev. Sherwood C. Butler, Jr. accepted the call in February 1964.  A strong belief in the power of prayer was always emphasized to the membership under Rev. Butler’s leadership.  Rev. Butler resigned on September 30, 1971 due to ill health.  Membership at that time was listed as 442, Sunday school as 307.

In April 1972, Rev. James L. Carfrey accepted the call and came to serve at Hull’s.  Rev. Carfrey resigned in March 1974.

Rev. Charles F. Kindred accepted the call in November 1974.  During his first two years the minutes show an increase of 78 in membership.  In January 1976, an anonymous donor gave a gift of $3000 to establish an educational fund in honor of Rebecca M. Hickle.  Mrs. Hickle a former public school teacher, who taught Sunday school for fifty years.  The Rebecca Hickle Education Fund has grown through voluntary contributions, and it provides scholarships each year to high school graduates desiring to further their education.  During Rev. Kindred’s ministry; we acquired our first part time Minister of Youth, Mr. Gerald Brown, a local Stafford High School teacher.  Rev. Kindred resigned in August 1980.

In May 1981, Rev. John D. Ragland accepted the call to serve at Hull’s.  Also in May 1981 we voted to put stain glass windows in the sanctuary.  All of the windows were given as memorials in honor of friends and loved ones.  A dedication service was held in July 1982.  In May 1985, a ground breaking ceremony was held to begin work on enlarging the educational building.  This would include a breezeway, three offices, a library, kitchen, storage room, four Sunday school rooms, two bathrooms, and a multipurpose social hall.  Construction was completed in November 1985.  In the fall of 1986, we voted to begin having fellowship dinners each Wednesday evening.

In September 1988, as part of our 100 year celebration, a time capsule was buried beside the church bell to be opened in the year 2088.  In March 1993, Rhonda Nash became the first full time Minister of Education and Youth.  In September that same year we participated in Partnership Missions and sent two individuals to Hungary and Costa Rica.  In September 1995 we ordained, Agnes B. Barnett as our first female Deacon.

Rev. Ragland resigned after 14 years of service in September 1995.  In January 1997, Rev. Richard Clore accepted our call to serve as pastor.  In February 1998, we established a Senior Ministry which provides monthly outings and fellowship for the church’s senior members.  A new stewardship program was initiated earmarking a selected Sunday as “Consecration Sunday”.

In July 1999, we started an 8:30 a.m. contemporary worship service called Sunday Morning Live.  In September 2000, a health fair was held on the church grounds as an outreach to our community.  In October 2000, the HMBC Praise Band began playing during Sunday Morning Live providing contemporary music at least once a month.

In February 2001, Rev. Clore gave his notice of resignation to accept a position with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship as state coordinator.  In October, a call was extended to Rev. Scott A. Erwin to serve as pastor.

In May 2002, after 25 years of service, our sexton, Pat Raines, retired.  In July we hired our first paid nursery worker, Susie Cross for both services.   In June 2004, we began renovations to the sanctuary.  Services were held in the social hall from June to September during the renovation.  In September, Lindsey McClintock was commissioned to serve youth in Berlin, Germany, as the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s field personnel.  In September 2005, we voted to sponsor the Korean Baptist Church of Fredericksburg.  In January 2006, after a one year trial basis, we adopted a new Constitution and Bylaws, and a Policy and Procedures handbook.  In June 2006, Rev. Scott A. Erwin was terminated as pastor.

In August 2006, we entered into the Intentional Interim Ministry Program, which guides us through a deliberate process, to assist us in seeking, and implementing our purpose, and to assist us in calling our next pastor.   In December 2006, Rev. Paul Lee accepted the call as Intentional Interim Pastor.  Rev. Lee led the Transition Team and congregation through the aforementioned program and served as full time pastor.

 In May 2007, we held a History Celebration Sunday and the new History Wall was dedicated.  In the summer of 2007, Rev. Lee led a music camp for our children and those from the community.  In September, we hosted a Mission Fair whereby we participated in a discussion with a panel consisting of denominational and external groups with which we are affiliated.  In October, we hosted a Conflict Resolution presentation.