194 Years of Faith, Fellowship, and Service

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For nearly two centuries, God has been faithful to Springwood Baptist Church. Our story began in the early 1800s, when a small group of Baptists gathered in the Timber Ridge community of Botetourt County.

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Our Beginnings

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The church first appeared in the records of the Strawberry Association in 1832 under the name James River Church. The congregation often met at what was known as Copp's School and Meeting House, and the name "Copp's Church" remained a familiar name in the community for many years.

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In those early years, the church was small and faced many challenges. Membership sometimes numbered fewer than twenty, pastors served small congregations, and resources were limited. Yet the people continued to worship, fellowship, teach God's Word, and serve their community.

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The church became part of the Valley Baptist Association in 1841, and through the decades that followed, the congregation experienced seasons of growth as well as seasons of difficulty.

 

A New Beginning

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In 1885, after a difficult period in the church's history, the congregation reorganized as the New James River Church. A new season of ministry began, including regular communion, prayer meetings, Sunday School, and the construction of the sanctuary that still serves as the heart of our church today.

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In 1889, the church returned to the name James River Church.

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Then, on December 14, 1890, the congregation adopted the name Springwood Baptist Church, reflecting the new name of the surrounding community. And that is the name we continue to carry today.

 

Growing Through the Years

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The twentieth century brought many changes. Springwood Baptist developed Sunday School and youth ministries, mission efforts, fellowship opportunities, and ministries for people of all ages. The church joined with other congregations in shared ministry for many years before taking an important step in 1958 to become a full-time church with its own pastor.

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Throughout the following decades, the church continued to grow. The facilities were expanded and improved, including additional Sunday School space, a fellowship hall, a pavilion, a baptistry, paved parking, and other improvements.

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But the story of Springwood Baptist has never really been about buildings. It has always been about people seeking to follow Christ together.

 

Faith in Action

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Over the years, Springwood Baptist has reached beyond the walls of the church through missions, Vacation Bible School, youth ministry, community events, food assistance, Christmas outreach, mission trips, and support for local, state, national, and international missions.

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The church has also experienced difficult seasons. Like many congregations, we have faced financial challenges, periods of declining attendance, disagreements, transitions in leadership, and even a church division in 2002. Through those seasons, God has continued to sustain His people.

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One of the clearest examples came during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2021. When the church could no longer gather inside, worship continued through drive-in services, radio, Facebook, prayer meetings, and other creative ways of staying connected. The doors eventually reopened in March 2021, and the congregation began rebuilding its fellowship and ministries.

 

Looking Toward the Future

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In 2021, Springwood entered another season of transition following the retirement of Pastor Brian Clingenpeel, who had faithfully served the church for thirteen years. After a period of prayer and searching, Mike Anderson became pastor in 2022.

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Today, Springwood Baptist Church continues the work begun by those faithful believers nearly two centuries ago. We worship together, study God's Word, care for one another, serve our neighbors, support missions, and seek opportunities to share the love of Christ.

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From a small congregation meeting in a schoolhouse to a church that has stood for generations, our history reminds us of something important:

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God has been faithful.

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And as we look toward the future, we believe He is not finished with us yet.

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194 years behind us. A future still in His hands.