Sanders Grove

Roots at the Grove

     Sanders Grove Baptist Church had it’s beginning in the yard of Mrs. Ardelia Thomas, mother of our own Deacon Howard Thomas and his brother, Trustee, James Thomas. They lived near a mill and a bridge on this side of Angier, North Carolina in the mid 1930's. People came from Fayetteville and other places to work at the mill. They would take breaks and go to the home of Mrs. Thomas for water. They would sit on the bridge. Mrs. Thomas would have Sunday School in the yard every Sunday.

The workers would come to Sunday school and soon the crowd became so large that his family decided to build a building on the site. However, the building was never completed. Thus, the humble beginning of Sanders Grove Baptist Church.

One day a man named John D, Sanders came to the home of Mrs. Thomas and told them that his father had a large farm and would give them land to build a church. His folks went to see the land and eagerly accepted the opportunity to have a place to worship. They built the church and named it after the land owner. This first name was Sanders Grove. Traveling to and from the church was very treacherous, especially when it rained, It was a dirt road with plenty of holes and there were low washed out areas in the road. People traveling the road often got stuck. The church was located on what is now named Sassarixa Road.

Mr. Sanders saw what a hard time they had trying to get to church. So, he offered them (the Trustees) another parcel of land which is our present location.

The land was deeded to the trustees on October 12, 1944 with the stipulation that only a church could be built on land. The trustees of Sanders Grove at that time were James Thomas, Crayton McLean and tom Fowler. On the parcel of land that was deeded to the trustees was an old school house. Trustee Crayton McLean and his wife Flora loved there for several years. It stood in front of our present location.

Bro. James Thomas was a contractor, so he and his crew built the church alone with the help of our own Rev. Irene Thomas (wife of Dea. Howard Thomas). She handed cinder blocks to the crewmen as they laid them. Eventually, Trustee Thomas’ work with his singing group and other responsibilities caused him to turn over his responsibilities to his brother Howard Thomas.

Sanders Grove Baptist Church has touched and changed many lives since it’s existence. Many people over the years have accepted Christ. Over the years there have been several Pastors at Sanders Grove Baptist Church. the longest tenured Pastor was the late Rev. James N. Smith. We have been blessed with our ministry. While working and serving in our church as a deacon, Isaiah Smith (grandfather of sis. Carrie Hodges) was called to the ministry in 1956.

Ordination soon followed under the leadership of Rev. James N. Smith. Also, while working, serving, and singing in the choir at Sanders Grove Baptist Church sister Irene Thomas received the calling to preach God’s word and was ordained as well under the leadership of Rev James N Smith. Rev. Willie McSwain was pastor near the inception of Sanders Grove Baptist Church. Other pastors were Rev. McKeether, Rev. John Mangun, Rev. James Leggett, Rev. Wilbert Johnson and Rev. Govener Davis, Rev. Oliver C. Johnson Jr., and Rev. Lowell Hardy, and on April 20, 2024 Rev. Joshua Willis, was elected the 10th pastor to lead the Sanders Grove Missionary Baptist Church.