The need for a place to worship in the small community on Hamilton Mountain was fulfilled when the first church meeting was held in a home referred to as the Burson House.  Gatherings later took place at a house owned by Professor Daniel Elbert Rosser and his wife Sudie Ella.  The house was known later as Iva and Eula Adams’s home.

A growing need for a permanent place to worship was planned in 1942.  The land for the church was purchased for one dollar from Professor Daniel Elbert and Sudie Ella Harris Rosser. It was paid by Church Clerk Lonnie Moore on August 12, 1946.  The deed was not recorded until some years later on September 13, 1952.

The timber for the church was cut from Ralph Posey’s land, known as the “bottoms,” and Mr. H. C. Turley hauled it to the sawmill in Blountsville.  Timber was also cut from Dee Taylor’s land by Dee and his son Selmer Joe.  Lonnie Moore and Ralph Posey hauled the timber on a wagon to the sawmill.  Other members of the community also contributed timber for the building of the church.  This was a hard and time-consuming job; the trees had to be cut, stripped of their limbs, loaded onto the wagons, and hauled to the sawmill to be cut into lumber.  Many months passed, and then on April 3, 1943, it was announced that all of the lumber had been sawed, and it was in need of being stacked and was ready for use.

            It was time for the hardworking families of the community to begin the anticipated construction of the church.  Bill Dorning had the honor of driving the first nail into the lumber.  On workdays by noon, the wives and mothers had traveled either by foot or by wagon to bring lunch to their husbands, sons, and neighbors.  This routine continued until construction of the church was completed.  After several months of hard work by everyone in the community, the awaited day finally arrived.  The first services were held within the new church on August 1, 1943.  Not only was this a monumental day for the charter members, the church also received fourteen new members. 

Pastors and Officers of Welcome No. 1 Baptist Church

            Pastors:

             1.  Rev. Lester B. Kent                                    (1942-1944)

             2.  Rev. William Riley “Bill” McCay     (1945-1946, 1953-1956)

             3.  Rev. John William Pate                               (1947-1948)

             4.  Rev. Bethel I. Chambers                             (1949-1952)

             5.  Rev. Roy Ellis Wall, Jr.                               (1957-1958)

6.  Rev. George Ewing “Bill” Cooper              (1959)

             7.  Rev. Clarence Claburn                                (1960-1965)

             8.  Rev. Shellie Edward Young                        (1966-1968)

             9.  Rev. Floyd Chambers                                 (1969-1971)

            10.  Rev. Earl Floyd                                         (1972)

            11.  Rev. Kelly Jack Posey                               (1973-1978)

            12.  Rev. Troy Halbrooks                                 (1979-1981)

            13.  Rev. Lowery Hill                           (1982)

            14.  Rev. Buddy McHan                                   (1983-1984)

            15.  Rev. Terry Lee Butts                                 (1985-1987)

            16.  Rev. James Earl Pate                                 (1988-1989)

            17.  Rev. Ennis Stone                                       (1990-1991)

            18.  Rev. Carter Banister                                  (1992-1994)

            19.  Rev. Jeff Landers                           (1995-1997)

            20.  Rev. Neal Whited                          (1998- 2001)

            21.  Rev. Larry E. Tolbert                                 (2002-2003)

            22.  Rev. Paul Jerome Butts                              (2004-present day)

            Deacons have included the following:  Ralph Posey, Bill Dorning, Lonnie Moore,  Jack Dingler, Arthur Pate, Danny Dorning, and John Ganus.  Present deacons are Jerry Bullard, David Butts, Harold Posey, A. J. Stewart, and Clifton Tribble.

            Sunday School Superintendents have been the following:  Lonnie Moore (1942-1951), Viderlee Taylor (1952-1954), Joe Brown (1955-1956), William Stracener (1957), Ralph Posey (1958-1959), Jack Dingler (1960-1974), Hugh Don Taylor (1975), Junior King (1976), Alton Massey (1977, 1979), Harold Posey (1978), Danny Dorning (1980), Robert Bullard (1981, 1988), Jerry Bullard (1982), Jimmy Dorning (1983-1987, 1989), David Butts (1990-1991, 1993-1995), John Ganus (1992, 1998-1999), Clifton Tribble (1996), Brian Whitmire (1997), David Carr (2000-2004), and Heath McHan (2005). 

            Those who have served as Church Clerk are as follows:  Lonnie Moore (1942-1951), Danie Posey (1952-1953, 1957-1959, 1963), Lorene Massey (1954-1956), Ruby Dingler (1960-1962, 1964-1968, 1971-1972), David Dingler (1969), Benny Posey (1970, 1973 – present day).

Church Treasurers are as follows:  Ralph Posey (1942-1951, 1953-1974), Aubrey Doyle (1952), Harold Posey (1975-1997), John Ganus (1998-1999), Jerry Bullard (2000- present day).

Some of the earlier Sunday School Teachers were as follows:  Bertha Massey, Ruby Dingler, Jack Dingler, Sam Price, Danie Posey, and Viderlee Taylor.  Most of the earlier charter members also showed their dedication to the church and its work by being delegates to the Baptist Association throughout the years.  Some of the earlier delegates were Lonnie Moore, Kate Moore, Ralph Posey, Danie Posey, Lela Dorning, Viderlee Taylor, Sam Price, Ruby Dingler, Jack Dingler, Bertha Massey, Bill Dorning, Mae Pate, Aubrey Doyle, and Ruth Bullard