The origins of our church are rather fascinating. The story goes that one Sunday morning some settlers on the other side of town set out into, what they thought was virgin wilderness to search for their lost cattle. After tramping about two miles through the dense woods they heard a dog bark and heading toward the sound, they came upon a religious service being held in the cabin of Deacon Icabod Clark, a pillar of the Baptist church. Stephen Clark paused in the midst of his inspiring exhortation to welcome the newcomers and at the conclusion there were introductions and handshakes all around.Soon a trail was blazed between the two newly acquainted settlements and thus began a long relationship between the believers in the north and south ends of Mt. Holly.
The original Belmont church was built through the urging of Rev. Daniel Packer in 1820 and was basically a union of Baptists, Methodists and Congregationalists.The reason for another church building in town was the powerful revivals which occured in 1817,1826, and 1832. Mt. Holly became the largest Baptist church in the state of Vermont with 466 members by 1840. Not only was the "South Church" in Belmont launched, but churches in Shrewsbury and East Wallingford were also organized by Mt. Holly Baptists. The original building, erected in 1851, where our current pastor, Rev. Glenn Davis began his ministry in 1980, was destroyed by a tragic fire on March 26th, 1990. With it went the unusually colorful stained glass windows and years of memories, but not the spirit of a committed congregation dedicated to the cause of Christ.
On the 26th of December 2007, St. Mary's Mission Church in Mt. Holly burned to the ground. In something rarely seen these days, our Catholic neighbors were invited to use our facility. A remnant of St. Mary's continues to worship and serve at Village Baptist in the true spirit of Christian unity.
The original Belmont church was built through the urging of Rev. Daniel Packer in 1820 and was basically a union of Baptists, Methodists and Congregationalists.The reason for another church building in town was the powerful revivals which occured in 1817,1826, and 1832. Mt. Holly became the largest Baptist church in the state of Vermont with 466 members by 1840. Not only was the "South Church" in Belmont launched, but churches in Shrewsbury and East Wallingford were also organized by Mt. Holly Baptists. The original building, erected in 1851, where our current pastor, Rev. Glenn Davis began his ministry in 1980, was destroyed by a tragic fire on March 26th, 1990. With it went the unusually colorful stained glass windows and years of memories, but not the spirit of a committed congregation dedicated to the cause of Christ.
On the 26th of December 2007, St. Mary's Mission Church in Mt. Holly burned to the ground. In something rarely seen these days, our Catholic neighbors were invited to use our facility. A remnant of St. Mary's continues to worship and serve at Village Baptist in the true spirit of Christian unity.