Timeline of Noteworthy Events
Millbrook Baptists have a long history of ministry in Raleigh. Below are a few dates we’ve made a point to remember.
1875
Church was organized and a building built on land donated by Elias K. Chappell and located on the corner of Falls of Neuse and Spring Forest Roads. Church named Midway Baptist Church.
1922
Church moved to Millbrook community and meetings were held in Millbrook School.
Early 1920s
The church moves to a rotational model for deacons and begins appointing women for the role.
April 27, 1924
First services held in new sanctuary erected on one acre of land obtained from J. B. Green. Rev. K. E. Bryan was pastor. Name of church changed to Millbrook Baptist Church.
1924
Rev. J. S. Farmer’s fourteen-year pastorate began, during which time Sunday School rooms were added to the building.
1938
Dr. J. Allen Easley became pastor of the church.
1945
Rev. Edwin R. Andrews assumed the pastorate. Worship services were increased from twice monthly to every Sunday.
August 3, 1948
Rev. Robert L. Newton began his ministry. Classrooms, kitchen and bathrooms were added to rear of building. Additional land purchased.
1952
Parsonage erected on property donated by Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Billings.
March 1958
Rev. Ray K. Hodge became minister. Served for two years during which time a baptistry was built.
September 1960
Rev. Jack L. Bullard became pastor. Served for over seven years.
October 15, 1961
Educational building dedicated. Cost: $125,000.
June 26, 1963
Church Minutes: “Motion was made and carried that the Millbrook Baptist Church adopt the policy that if any person of any race should come to our church for worship, that he be ushered in and seated.”
1965
Sanctuary was renovated.
1965
Kindergarten was organized.
August 1968
Dr. William H. Puckett, Jr. began his ministry.
September 1969
Dr. M. Wayne Brown became the church’s first full-time Associate Minister.
May 1971
Building Committee selected for new building. Benjamin B. Taylor chosen as architect.
1972
Educational building received air-conditioning.
August 6, 1972
Ground breaking service was held for new worship and education complex.
October 21, 1973
New worship and education complex was dedicated. Approximate cost: $500,000.
February 1991
Dr. Randall Robinson began as senior minister.
1995
Rev. Robert Albritton began as senior minister.
2004
Millbrook Memorial Labyrinth and Garden was constructed.
2007
Ground breaking service for the connector building was held. The connector was finally completed in 2008.
April 1, 2008
Rev. Andrea Dellinger Jones began as senior minister.
2012-15
Rev. Bob Stillerman served as Associate Pastor.
2014-15
Molly Shoulta served as a student minister from Duke Divinity School.
2015
The deacons, chaired by Steve Carr, led the church in a revisioning process entitled, “Let’s Have a Conversation….”
Rebecca Hewitt-Newson began as Minister to Family Life.
2015-16
Rev. Molly Shoulta served as Associate Pastor. Millbrook Baptist ordained her on May 15, 2016.
2017-2018
Rhody Mastin served as a student minister from Duke Divinity School.
Holli Workman-Holmes served as a student minister from Campbell University Divinity School.
2019-2020
Evan Talbert served as Student Minister from Duke Divinity School.
October 2019
Jessica McDougald began as Youth Minister.
March 2020
A global pandemic of Covid-19 forced the closure of Millbrook Baptist and many other churches for an indefinite period of time. The church’s ministers pivoted quickly to work primarily through phone calls, Zoom calls, emails, and online video production. Regular Zoom calls proved especially useful for maintaining contact with the church’s children, and those calls were continued for the duration of the pandemic. By June 2020, the church had a new website to facilitate better online communication.
August 2020-April 2021
Claudia Grainger served Millbrook as a student minister from Duke Divinity School.
May 2020
Millbrook cautiously hosted its first outdoor special event on Pentecost Sunday.
October 2020
On October 4, Millbrook hosted its first socially-distanced outdoor worship service, with a musical contribution by a local bagpiper. The church began alternating each Sunday between outdoor and online worship services.
Millbrook ordained Rev. Evan Talbert to the gospel ministry.
December 2020
Millbrook hosted its first drive-thru live nativity, with nearly 120 cars participating, as well as a drive-in movie night.
Covid-19 vaccines become widely available to senior adults for the first time.
March 2021
Covid-19 vaccines begin to be more widely distributed to all adults.
On Palm Sunday, Millbrook began alternating between indoor and outdoor services.
August 2021-April 2022
Sam Ferrell served Millbrook as a student minister from Duke Divinity School.
November 2021
Covid-19 vaccines begin to be distributed to children 5 and over.
March 2022
Millbrook ordained Rev. Jessica McDougald and Rev. Claudia Grainger to the gospel ministry.
April 2022
Millbrook ordained Rev. J.J. Dickinson and Rev. Sam Ferrell to the gospel ministry.