The Beginning of NewKirk and later additions and renovations

A History of Newkirk Baptist Church
By Ada Purcell Hicks
Summarized by Denny Saverance

NewKirk was born on February 14, 1993, but was conceived in the minds of members of Oakland Baptist Church many years earlier.   When First Baptist Church of Rock Hill founded Oakland, the members of the new church decided that someday they would do the same for another congregation.  It took a long time for this dream to become a reality.  Oakland had planned a renovation project prior to 1993 but in the minds of some there was the lingering conviction that something should be done about a mission church.  Finally, the pastor, Dr. Robert Dale Shrum, decided that it was time to bring the mission church into being.  Oakland put her building and renovation plans on hold and the Missions Committee was challenged to set about finding an organizing pastor for the new church.  June Neal was the chairman of the committee charged with the responsibility of locating a pastor.  After months of searching, the Committee selected Rev. Harold Shirley as the organizing pastor.  At that time he was with Ebenezer Baptist Church in Florence, South Carolina.  He agreed to come and Oakland Baptist Church formally extended the call on October 25, 1992.  Oakland got not just an organizing pastor but an organizing team.  Betty and Harold Shirley bought a house, moved to Rock Hill and settled in for the long haul.  Meetings were held at Oakland and in private homes in the community to locate persons who would be interested in membership in a new church.  After some time it was decided that the time was right for the “birthing” of a new church.  February 14, 1993 was chosen as the day.  It was with spirit of celebration that the congregation of Oakland met that day.  The theme for the establishment of the new church was, “It all began with love.”  Many of those in attendance wore T-shirts with big red hearts which declared, “It all began with love.”  NewKirk members did not have a building to call their own so we held services in the York County Nature Museum and the National Guard Amory until our building was constructed on Museum Road.  Soon a ground breaking ceremony was held on February 13, 1994 and construction was soon to follow.  After a lot of planning and hard work the building was completed and we had open house on April 2, 1995.