On Sunday, September 9, 2012, East Fork Baptist Church will be celebrating its 138^th Homecoming services beginning at 10:00am with “The Land of the Sky Boys” worship in song.

We are blessed to have Rev. Larry Sprinkle as Interim Pastor, with his wife, Sandy, serving our Lord alongside the church congregation who invite all members, former members, family and friends to share in this special day in the life of East Fork Baptist.

The Rev. Grey Fisher, a former pastor with his wife Pat, will be the 11:00am worship speaker.  They served in the years 1980-84 of our church.

Our humble beginning began in 1874, when thirteen members from the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church assembled to begin a church in the upper Cruso Community, calling this new Church East Fork Baptist.  They met in a one-room log schoolhouse and the small group struggled to stay together, but with the help of God they started to grow.  They drew up a Covenant, Articles of Faith, and Rules of Order, and called the Rev. J.V. Reece as the first pastor.

By 1895, the members decided a true home for the church was necessary.  A white plank church was then built.  The simple plank church building lasted until 1942 when a building of native river rock replaced the small plank church.

Again by the late 1950s, the church had once again outgrown its home.  Just down the road from the rock church, across from the Cruso School, the current brick sanctuary and educational building were built and the first services were held there in 1964.

Since the turn of the last century East Fork has made great strides toward advancing the kingdom of God.

In the years since 1874, we have prospered and grown as a church.  Pastors and members have come and gone.  Babies continue to be born and our precious members leave us in death.  So today and always as we remain strong, may our prayer be that this body of God’s people stay together in love to do God’s will.

Everyone is welcome to attend.  The church is located in the Cruso Community at 13175 Cruso Road, Hwy. 276 South of Waynesville, across from the Cruso Community Center.