Spence Baptist Church

   Spence Baptist Church is a small rural church 3½ miles outside of the town limits of Snow Hill, Maryland.  We are located 1½ miles from Public Landing and the beautiful Chincoteague Bay.
    Spence Church was established in 1914 when residents seeing a need for a Sunday School in the community, obtained permission to hold classes in the public School building.  This Sunday School became known as the Neighborhood Sunday School.  The need for worship services was felt a short time later.  Mrs. Laura Fitzsimmons, contacted the Maryland Baptist Union Association in Baltimore.  After an investigation, the Rev. David Peebles of Pocomoke Baptist Church came to preach at Spence after being called to the field of service.  Several months later, Rev. William Witt of Girdletree Baptist Church, followed Rev. Peebles in the work at Spence.  A revival was held resulting in 29 professions of faith in baptism.  It was during this period that the Neighborhood Sunday School became a Baptist mission.  On August 27, 1916, the mission became Spence Baptist Church. 
   Spence Baptist Church is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention and holds to the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.  Some of our basic beliefs are included at the end of this profile.
We are a member of the Eastern Baptist Association on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
   Ken Elligson has been the Pastor of Spence Church since January 1990.  Both he and his wife  Mary hold degrees from Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University.)
   Ken and Mary were married in 1979 and have four children, Karen, Amy (and her husband Charles), David and Stephanie.  They are also the proud grandparents of 2 grandsons and a grand daughter.  Besides Spence Church, Ken has served churches in South Carolina, Ohio and Maryland.
   Our weekly activities include Sunday Worship at 9 AM at our Family Center.  During that service we offer Children’s Church for kids PreK - Grade 6.  We also have childcare available for infants through age 3. Following our worship service we offer Sunday Morning Bible Study for all ages at 10:15 AM.
    Other ministries include our Rooted Youth Fellowship which meets every Friday from 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM at the Spence Family Center.  They spend time in Bible Study, fun activities, and snacks.  Periodic mission projects and camps are a part of our youth ministry.  Currently we run between 15-20 in attendance.  We have Teen Week annually which is VBS in disguise for teens!
   Our Joy Senior Adult Group enjoys monthly get togethers with the purpose of fellowship.  One month we meet at the Family Center for a prepared meal or covered dish meal and program.  The next month we go out to a restaurant or activity of some sort.  We average anywhere between 25-40 depending on what we’re doing.  
   Pastor Ken leads a Wednesday morning Bible Study where about 15-20 people meet.  During this Bible study we go through a book of the Bible verse by verse and meets at the Grey Building.
   A Young Ladies Morning Devotion Group meets each Saturday morning at the Grey Building. A small group of about 8-10 ladies meet to study God’s Word and pray together. 
   We have a Women of Faith group that meet periodically throughout the year.  They attend women’s conferences, retreats and fellowship with one another.
   Our Men hold a monthly Men’s Breakfast at our Family Center.  The purpose of this group is for Christian fellowship, prayer and devotions.
   In addition to these groups that meet, Spence Church is active in some outreach activities.
   A group of folks go monthly to Salisbury where they cook and serve dinner to about 85-100 homeless people at the Halo Homeless Shelter.  The number of participants vary each month with an average of 10-15 volunteers.
   Janet Carter heads up Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Ministry.  Last year we put together and delivered over 400 shoeboxes.  Many folks in our church family participate in this ministry.
Our Women on Mission Group meets once a month for missions education, prayer and involvement in local mission projects.  They help promote our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.
   In addition to these, we donate and support the Snow Hill Food Pantry, hold our annual Easter Outreach Service at Snow Hill Middle School, and Vacation Bible School in the summer.
   Currently we have 397 members with an average attendance of 160-200.  We have four praise bands and musicians who alternate in leading us in worship.  We have a variety in styles of music from contemporary to traditional. We also have our Choir which meets for rehearsals and sings on Sunday mornings.  We join around the table once a month as we observe the Lord’s Supper.  We are pretty casual in our atmosphere of worship and enjoy a wide variety of age groups with no one in particular larger than another.  
   Our campus includes our main church building with sanctuary and classrooms.  A small fellowship hall is in the basement of that building.  The Francis Grey Memorial Building is used for our offices and has a large meeting room where we have committee meetings and Bible Studies.  Our Family Center was built in 2017 and was paid off in 2021.  This building has a large room where we currently meet for worship.  It is also used for dinners and other forms of ministry and entertainment.  It also has a smaller room that is used for our youth group, Joy Senior Group, choir rehearsal as well as other ministries.  We own approximately 25 acres of property.
   We currently have an active Long Range Planning Committee who meet monthly and are exploring the ministries and facilities 5-10 years ahead.
   Spence Church is grounded firmly in the Word of God, is evangelical and conservative in our doctrine and beliefs.  Our church mission statement is “To Know Him and Make Him Known.”
Some of basic beliefs include the following:
 - About God
   God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.  
Genesis 1:1,26,27; 3:22 Psalm 90:2 Matthew 28:19 I Peter 1:2 II Corinthians 13:14 
 - About Jesus Christ
   Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Matthew 1:22-23 Isaiah 9:6 John 1:1-5 & 14:10-30 Hebrews 4:14-15 I Corinthians 15:3-4 Romans 1:3-4 Acts 1:9-11 I Timothy 6:14-15 Titus 2:13  
 - About the Holy Spirit
   The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. The Christian seeks to live under His control daily.
II Corinthians 3:17 John 16:7-13 & 14:16-17 Acts 1:8 I Corinthians 2:12 & 3:16 Ephesians 1:13 Galatians 5:25 Ephesians 5:18 
 - About Man
   Man is made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. He is the supreme object of God's creation. Man is scarred by disobedience toward God called "sin." This attitude separates man from God.  Genesis 1:27 Psalm 8:3-6 Isaiah 53:6a Romans 3:23 Isaiah 59:1-2
 - About the Bible
   The Bible is God's Word to all men. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error.  II Timothy 3:16-17 II Peter 1:20-21 II Timothy 1:13 Psalm 119:105,160 & 12:6 Proverbs 30:5
 - About Eternity
   Man was created to exist forever. He will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God, through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence.
John 3:16 I John 2:25 & 5:11-13 Romans 6:23 Revelation 20:15
 - About Salvation
   Salvation is a gift from God to man. Man can never make up for his sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can man be saved from sin's penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
 Romans 6:23 Ephesians 2:8-9 John 14:6 & 1:12 Titus 3:5 Galatians 3:26 Romans 5:1
 - About Eternal Security
   Because God gives man eternal life through Jesus Christ, the believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives this security.
John 10:29 II Timothy 1:12 Hebrews 7:25 & 10:10-14 I Peter 1:3-5
 - About Baptism & Communion                            
   Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried and risen Savior, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Baptism is symbolic of what Christ has done for and within the believer and has no regenerational value.
   The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the family of God, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.  Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12.