In 1829 a division arose over the issue of supporting missions and the Sunday School ministry of the newly organized Baptist State Convention.  The members that opposed missions stayed at the original location.  The non mission group would latter become know as Sandy Creek Primitive Baptist Church.  The Pro-missionary group left the first church at the Sandy Creek site but retained the name Sandy Creek.  

A brush arbor was constructed for the first summer worship.  Winter worship was held in the local home of Sidney Kivett.  Today all that remains of the home is a cellar and rock chimney. 

By 1833, a log structure was constructed beside a pre-existing cemetery (dating back to 1700's) located across from the intersection of Cox Meadow Road and Old Staley Road.  Today the site is overgrown leaving  large foundation stones and  broken head stones as its only key to the past.

Services were held in the log structure until 1852, when the church constructed the first building, pictured below, beside Shady Grove School, pictured to the left, on land  belonging to Zale McDaniel.  The Church continued to use the cemetery at the first site for a time as evident by the grave of Zale McDaniel in 1860.

In 1859, at a meeting of the Sandy Creek Association at Mount Gilead, delegates from the Shady Grove school asked to be admitted as Shady Grove Baptist Church.  This was done to distinguish themselves from the Original Sandy Creek Church.  The association had just withdrawn fellowship from the Original Sandy Creek Church because of its anti-missionary teachings and primitive practices.  The delegates from Shady Grove school were admitted, but were told to retain the name Sandy Creek Baptist Church, as this group had kept  with the mission teachings of the association.

In 1902, a building committee was appointed  to build a new Church on the old Shady Grove School site. The first service was held October 16, 1904.  In 1945 the members voted to  remodel and add new Sunday School classrooms.  The Sunday School classrooms were given to  White Cross Baptist Church to form part of their parsonage in 1970.

In 1905, a few members (2) of the Church at Shady Grove along with other people in the community  returned to the original location on Sandy Creek, and  established worship services under the name of Sandy Creek Baptist Church.  

On the third Sunday of December 1934 Sandy Creek Baptist Church at Shady Grove formally changed it's name to Shady Grove Baptist Church. This was done for two reasons.  One, to distinguish themselves from the  group that had returned to the original site at Sandy Creek in 1905.  Second, to limit confusion in the newly formed Randolph Baptist Association.  

As the church grew, different buildings were constructed to meet the needs of the church family and community.  After Hurricane Hazel in October 1954, the members milled downed trees to build a Parsonage.  In later years a carport, study and washroom were added to the Parsonage.

The Current Church, third building on this site, was started in 1969, directly behind the second building as shown in the picture to the left.  Current pictures of Shady Grove can be seen at the bottom of this page.

In 2005 Shady Grove celebrated 250 years of continuous mission work and support.  The celebration centered around homecoming, food, and  fellowship.  We looked back at our history in Gods work to find strength and guidance for future outreach and missions.

Currently plans are under way to build a new fellowship hall/Family Center.   Please click on the picture to see the plans.

What is to come....