Middletown Church Commemorates 60th Anniversary

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Current member, Sandy Hall (left), with former and charter member, Walter Cox, and guests.

Lou Oms

Melvin Kirkwood (left) interviews Tom Clark. The two men have been members of the Middletown Church for many years, and talked about witnessing the growth of the church.

Lou Oms

Joy Dugan, current and charter member, talks about her earliest memories at the Middletown Church.

Lou Oms

More than 180 church members and visitors attended the Middletown Church 60th Anniversary celebration. The Middletown Church have more than 20 ongoing ministries and are currently focusing their efforts to reach the Berrytown community in Kentucky.

Lou Oms

Church members and friends of the Middletown, Ky., Church gathered on February 18, 2023, to celebrate the church’s 60th anniversary. More than 180 people attended this special event, which was a reminder of the church’s history and continuous growth.

The Middletown Church began as a mission plant of the Pewee Valley Church in 1957. It was originally called St. Matthews Church. The church members had a ground-breaking ceremony on December 3, 1961, for their soon-to-be new church home. That same afternoon, the building’s footing was dug by hand, and concrete was poured the following day. In less than a month, the church building was completed.

Then, on December 22, 1962, the St. Matthews Church facility was officially dedicated. Sixty years later, Marius Serban, pastor, wanted to commemorate the occasion.

“I was visiting one of the very first St. Matthews Church members and on her table was the original bulletin of the St. Matthews’ Church dedication,” said Serban. The St. Matthews Church changed its name to Middletown Church in 1988, after having moved to a new building. “I got excited and, while we were not able to celebrate the anniversary on the exact date, we knew we wanted to do something special.”

Sandy Hall, with the help of the anniversary committee members, prepared the special program for February 18, 2023. The celebration kicked off at 11 a.m., and included special music; a sermon by Denver Canvins, former St. Matthews Church pastor; and interviews with former and current members who shared their memories of the church’s past. After the service, everyone enjoyed the fellowship potluck.

“We wanted to remember all of those memories that meant so much to people,” said Hall. “We were also just excited to have as much fellowship with the former members and current members of our church.”

The Middletown Church currently has 259 members. Their goal is to be known in the Louisville, Ky., area as a “church that transforms people and communities through the genuine love of Jesus.” They have more than 20 ongoing ministries and are currently focusing their efforts to reach the Berrytown community in Kentucky.

“We are a very friendly church family,” said Hall. “We genuinely care about each other and our community. God has blessed our church richly throughout many years, and our goal is to continue growing and sharing His love.”

Kentucky-Tennessee | April 2023