WELCOME!
At Graefenburg Baptist Church, it's our commitment to seek and share the heart of our great God. God gives us a heart for people - like you!
You're welcome at any gathering of our church. Wear whatever you like. We think you'll find this a joyful place, a caring place, a stable place, an important place - and a place you'll "fit" perfectly.
We are located in the beautiful Bluegrass Country of Kentucky between Frankfort and Shelbyville. We are affiliated with the Shelby Baptist Association, Kentucky Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention.
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Mission and History
We are followers of Jesus Christ, committed to believe, live, proclaim and share His message so that lives will be transformed by Him.
Objectives
History and Heritage of Graefenburg Baptist
In the summer of 1868, just three years following the end of the Civil War, America’s bloodiest encounter in which “brother fought against brother”, a group met to consider the founding of a Baptist church in our little village, then called Hardinsville. The congregation began with nineteen charter members and was known as Hardinsville Baptist Church until 1930. At that time the community’s name was changed to Graefenburg because Kentucky had a town in Breckinridge County called Hardinsburg. It seems the U.S. Post Office was getting the mail mixed up with the Breckinridge County town.
The congregation’s first house of worship, located down next to the creek, was dedicated in December 1872. Ten years later we joined the Shelby County Baptist Association and in 1887 began our first Sunday School.
The building was raised a second time in 1906 due to high water in the creek. Early in the 1900’s, Woman’s Missionary Union was started.
Motivated by flooding as well as increased attendance, a one-acre lot across from the Christian Church was purchased in 1911. The church’s second house of worship was completed by December and the debt paid three years later. Two Sunday School rooms were added and a parsonage built in the early 1930’s. About ten years after that, a basement was dug out beneath the sanctuary for more classrooms, a furnace was installed and some remodeling took place upstairs including the installation of a baptistry.
In the mid 1950’s, a new educational building was erected. Five and one-half acres on U.S. 60 were bought for $1,500.00. In late 1956 a contract was let for the educational building; the cost was $56,000.00.
Our present house of worship was constructed in 1961 for $57,000.00. The first service took place in October and we got new pews almost a year later. The last structure built was the present parsonage, in the mid 1960’s, presently used as our office building. The former parsonage, on what is now known as Graefenburg Road, was sold.
On August 17, 2003, we held a 135th Anniversary celebration at the Heritage Elementary School.