Ramah Baptist Church will celebrate its 175th anniversary on Sunday, Sept. 27 with morning and afternoon services. All friends of the historic church are invited to attend.

John Harden, church pastor, said Ramah Baptist Church was organized on Sept. 7, 1840 as Ramah Primitive Baptist Church and remained a primitive Baptist church until about five years ago.

“One hundred and seventy-five years ago, twelve people got together and constituted the church and then they prayed for God to send them a pastor,” Harden said. “And, God sent them a pastor, Caddenhead was his name.

“According to the records we have of Ramah Primitive Baptist Church, the church held services only once a month and on Saturday and Sunday. The members always had conference on Saturday. They did no transactions for the church on Sunday.”

Membership at Ramah Baptist Church was strong for many years as the agricultural community was growing and thriving. Today, the church has about 35 members.

“Of the 35 members, not all of them are active but we have some regular non-members,” Harden said. “On an average, we have between 15 and 35 in attendance at Sunday services.”

The church was originally at wood building, as was the second church. The brick church was built in 1955 and continues to serve the membership of the church.

Ramah Baptist Church’s 175th anniversary celebration will begin with the 11 a.m. worship service with the Rev. Averyt Walker as the guest minister.

Walker’s dad, the Rev. Gilbert Walker, was pastor of Ramah Primitive Baptist Church for nearly 30 years, Harden said.

He said the church membership is honored to have Walker to bring the anniversary message.

Following the morning worship service, there will be a covered dish lunch and everyone will be invited to join in the fellowship of a shared lunch.

At 1:30 p.m. there will be a celebration service featuring congregational singing, special music, the sharing of the church history and a message for the historic occasion.

Special music will be by the Bapticostals from Union Springs, Barry Culpepper, Ken Renfroe, Sherry Culpepper, Tyler Culpepper and Hope Bolden and also by Aeriel and Bennie Carol Botts.

Ramah Associate Pastor Orvie Locklar will share the church history and the Rev. Aeriel Botts will deliver the anniversary celebration message.

Everyone is invited to join the members and friends of Ramah Baptist Church for the church’s historic 175th anniversary.