PIEDMONT – When membership falls to single digits, many churches consider shuttering the doors. This isn’t so for the Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church in rural Piedmont, which will mark 195 years on September 20.
“It’s just a little church out in the sticks in the Ozarks. The closest small town is seven miles away,“ said pastor Jimmy Lemonds, who began his pastorate August 2.
“I had preached there before, and they had nine people. My first concern was, I wasn’t sure how long it could stay open.”
“We don’t feel the Lord wants us to close. The Lord has blessed us in the last three months,” said Sunday school teacher/worship leader Earlene Barnes.
Pastor Lemonds echoes that sentiment, adding that almost 30 people attended the Aug. 9 service.
“The Lord has his hand on this church. Mt. Pleasant grew out of Jackson, the first Baptist Church in Missouri. Mt. Pleasant has sent out a lot of people for mission work and church planting. They were vibrant at getting the Missouri Baptist Convention started,” Lemonds said.
In May 1975, they baptized 16 people in one day. At two other earlier times, they had 10 people present themselves as candidates for baptism. Multiple baptisms have been common in the church’s history.
Despite declining membership until recent months, the church has actively served its area. The church offers $600 college scholarships, sends children and youth to respective camps, sponsors children at St. Jude’s hospital, holds a yearly fish fry and invites community members, helps the senior nutrition center and food pantry, gives to people with needs for medical issues or from fire or floods and holds wedding and baby showers.
“We try to stay connected,” Barnes said.
However, Bible school wasn’t held this year, because of a lack of leaders.
“I live in Poplar Bluff. It’s a 50-minute drive for me, “ said Lemonds an over-the-road trucker, who is Midwest Baptist Theological Seminary-trained.
“God put that church there. He’s not done with it. When the Bible says ‘where two or three are gathered… (Matthew 18:20)’ people need to pay attention. It is true. That’s how God operates. God takes a couple of people and makes it what He wants. We want to give him glory for whatever happens.”
“We have some young couples coming. I enjoy watching God do His work. It’s exciting as pastor (to see this),” Lemonds said.
Lemonds praised Barnes.
“She’s been the glue that holds that place together. She’s the catalyst, the person of peace.”
“We’ll see what God does. I think the Lord will start to speak to people there to start ministries. Where two or three are gathered in my name…” Lemonds said.
The 195th anniversary celebration will include former pastors and guests speaking in the morning and afternoon, with “lunch on the grounds” between the services. There will also be deacon and teachers recognition.