A Short History of Shelbyville Mills Baptist Church

Shelbyville Mills Baptist Church was organized June 20, 1937, in the Agnes Roberson Community House of the Mills Village. The Village is on the West side of Shelbyville and is a competent part of. the area known as U. S. Rubber Textile Mill (now Uniroyal) -hence the name Shelbyville Mills. The charter members were: Mr. & Mrs. E. A. Rich, Irene.Rich, Vaunetta Rich, Johnnie Rich, Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Rich, A. H. Rich and Lovie Rich, L. A. Foster, H. A. Foster, and Mrs. Cecil Clanton.

Action was taken October 23, 1937, to build a new church building. Tom Segroves was elected chairman of the building committee. Plans were drawn up and a new sanctuary was erected on a lot just East of the Mills Elementary School. During this time of progress, Hershel Cox served as chairman of the finance committee: Mrs. Rollin Altman served as clerk, and Cecil Clanton as treasurer. Rocks for the foundation of the new church building were cut out of the rock quarry near the ball park. Most of the labor was done voluntarily by the men of the church; the building actually began in the Spring of 1939. On the opening date of the new building 100 were in attendance for Sunday School. U. S. Rubber Company contributed liberally toward the construction of the new building. The building was constructed largely by voluntary labor under the supervision of Charlie Payne.

In March of 1987 the membership of Shelbyville Mills accepted God’s call to step out again in faith with a vote to relocated the church on Highway 41A North. The first worship service in the new building at 900 Union Street, was Sunday, March 25, 1990. The indebtedness on the new building was retired August 1995. Due to membership and attendance increase, the church voted to enter another building program. Construction began May, 1996 for additional education space, a new kitchen, fellowship hall, media library, and an office suite. The building project was completed in April, 1997.