Colossian Baptist Church

Colossian Baptist Church was organized in the year 1867 in Mulberry Island, Virginia, by a small group of members from the First Baptist Church in Hampton, Virginia, together with a few community members. Some of the organizers were Reverend Henry Harris, Reverend Walter Williams, Brother George Taliferro, Philip Conray, William Brown, John Turner, Edward Seldon, Richard Hughes and Robert Ray, all members of First Baptist Church. Worship services began in an old barn on the Follies Farm in Mulberry Island, Virginia, under the pastoral leadership of Reverend Walter Williams, who served faithfully for five years., In 1894, Reverend Aaron Wyatt was elected pastor and served for 16 years. During Reverend Wyatt's pastoral leadership, the Follies Farm Barn, "our church" was destroyed by fire. Nevertheless, with a combination of inspiration, ambition, determination, and invaluable leadership, the faithful members entered the second edifice in 1903., In 1914, the second church was destroyed by a windstorm and was rebuilt in 1915. In 1917, our country became involved in World War I and in 1918, the United States Government purchased the church and its property on Mulberry Island, Virginia, which is presently known as United States Army Transportation Center, Fort Eustis. Construction of a new church began in 1967 and was completed in 1968; it is the current Colossian Baptist Church., Text and images courtesy of Colossian Baptist Church.