History of the Churches of the Pittsburgh Baptist Association

by William Pankey

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, RIVERVIEW, ORGANIZED 1908

A small group of Baptist people residing in the Borough of Riverview assembled in the home of James Stacker October 31, 1908, and agreed to organize a Baptist church in the Borough. Following the meeting, approximately forty persons secured their church letters and soon thereafter organized the First Baptist Church of Riverview. Their place of meeting was the Borough school house, with Horace Edwards in charge.

In 1912 the members of the congregation dug the basement and laid the foundation of the present church edifice. Only the Bible school portion of the edifice was erected at that time, however. The church records indicate that John Todd was very active in the new building program.

On October 26, 1924, the corner-stone of the church sanctuary was laid with appropriate ceremonies. The week of August 12, 1925, was given over to the dedicatory services in connection with the completion of the new structure. Since that date the congregation has made use of the new building continuously. The present membership is sixty.

The following ministers and laymen have served the church during its thirty years of existence:

Rev. J. W. Moody (1909-1912), Rev. E. A. Drake (1912-1915), Rev. G. Adams (1915-1917), Rev. S. L. Printer (1917-1919), Rev. G. W. Scarberry (1919- 1922), Rev. F. O. Sharpless (1923-1925), Rev. J. Wyke (1926-1928), Rev. William Arblaster (1928-1929), Rev. F. M. Quell (1929-1932), Mr. L. G. Simmonds (1935-1936), Mr. R. L. Miller (1936-1937) Mr. L. G. Simmonds (1938 ).

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