"A Look Back"

by Dave Carlen  

    On May 28, 1830 a piece of land was purchased by Samuel Tilton from Philip Greely for the purpose of establishing a church. The outrageous purchase price was a whopping $12.00! That's right, twelve dollars!
       Knox Ridge Baptist Church was first organized on September 13, 1830 as "The First Orthodox Congregationalist and Calvinistic Baptist Meeting House." On June 11, 1831, pews were bought by the parishioners and duly recorded for posterity. 

       After a period of time, the church fell into disuse; and on August 10, 1937 the church was reorganized as Knox Ridge Baptist Church. By September 18, a constitution was drawn up and signed by Lillian Elkins, Emma Gordon, Carol Bragdon, Daniel Clark, Rose Perkins, and Pauline Perkins (who we now know as Pauline Littlefield.) The first pastor of this reorganized church was Elwood Goss who was paid $4.00 a week.
       The church was not used on a full-time basis until around 1945. At this time the church called David Madeira as pastor. He also pastored in Thorndike and Freedom at the same time. He was the tool God used to bring many to saving faith in Jesus Christ. He had the pleasure of baptizing a crowd of 35 all on the same day at Lake St. George. In 1948, the Halfmoon Stream Chapel was converted into a parsonage with David Madeira and family being the first pastor to occupy the new home.

Starting in 1950, renovations were begun. A basement was added by raising the church and excavating under it; some of this work was done by Denby Larrabee. Vaughn Hurd acquired a bell from a church in Sangerville which was placed in the steeple in 1959. In March 1967, the floors and walls were painted, carpeting was installed, and new pews were purchased.

As the church increased in attendance, it became necessary to increase the size of the building facility. The ground breaking for the largest building project to date took place on May 21, 1979. The church building was nearly doubled in size. The new addition included class rooms, nursery, fellowship hall, and kitchen. The lumber was donated by Bert and Peggy Perkins and Clayton and Pauline Littlefield and was sawn by Merton Reynolds (Elsie Ladd's father).

On September 10, 1980, Steve Cook was called as pastor and served for the next seventeen years, the longest term of any pastor at Knox Ridge Baptist Church.

In 1980ff, a front entry with stairs and a ramp was built. New windows were installed in the sanctuary in 1989. In 1997 the stage and entry were remodeled, the sanctuary was painted, and new carpeting was installed.

In 1998, Henry Grift, of New Brunswick, Canada, was called to serve as pastor. The Lord has blessed this ministry, but in June of 2004, the Lord had other work for Pastor Grift. He returned to New Brunswick as area missionary with Word Of Life.  

In May, we called John Tabor to be our pastor. We are excited about what the Lord will do in our little church in this area of Maine.