Faith Baptist Church has stood on Pocahontas Trail in Georgetown, Kentucky since 1962, when a small group of believers started the congregation with little more than the conviction that "faith" was all they had to give. Six decades later, the church still describes itself with the same phrase it began with: a family of faith sharing God's love in a spirit of hope. Affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and CBF Kentucky, Faith has grown into a multi-generational congregation that mixes traditional worship with thoughtful study, creative children's programs, an active senior adult ministry, and an unusually broad set of community partnerships serving Scott County and beyond.
Sixty Years on Pocahontas Trail
The church marked its sixtieth anniversary in 2022 with a documentary by Molly Fulton, a friend of the congregation, that premiered at Theaters of Georgetown. The film captured the stories that shaped the church over six decades, beginning with that original act of founding and continuing through years of change in worship style, leadership, and community involvement. The anniversary year also brought a wave of public attention to the church's ongoing work through local media, including coverage by the News-Graphic and Spectrum News of ministries such as the Blessing Box food pantry on the playground and a Free Laundry Day hosted with Southern Elementary.
A Cooperative Baptist Identity
Faith Baptist is one of a network of congregations connected to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the CBF Kentucky state organization, and through CBF to the Baptist World Alliance and BSK Theological Seminary. Locally, the church partners with organizations such as Amen House, Elizabeth's Village, and The Gathering Place Mission in Georgetown. Internationally and regionally, the church supports Scarlette Jasper, a CBF field personnel serving in Eastern Kentucky through Together for Hope Appalachia, one of the poorest regions of the country. These partnerships shape much of what happens in the life of the church, from the missions budget to Wednesday night studies.
Sunday in the Sanctuary
The congregation gathers for Sunday School at 10 a.m. and for worship at 11 a.m., with the service usually ending around noon. The style is what the church calls "relaxed traditional" - a piano and organ lead the singing from the hymnal, but worship is not bound by formality. The aim is full and active participation, with diverse perspectives, an openness to the liturgical church calendar, and a place for encounter with God. Communion and baptism are regular features of congregational life; the church affirms believers' baptism and welcomes Christians from other traditions into membership without requiring rebaptism.
The service is also livestreamed on Facebook Live for those who cannot attend in person. The church encourages online participants to sing and pray along, remove distractions, and join the conversation through the comments.
Most people wear business casual, but jeans and t-shirts are just as welcome as suits and dresses. Activity bags are available in the foyer for children who want to stay in the sanctuary, and sensory objects are available there for any age.
Children, Youth, and College
Children's ministry at Faith begins with nursery care for children up to three years old during both Sunday School and worship. During the 11 a.m. service, children ages four through third grade are dismissed for Godly Play in the Children's Hall, a Montessori-inspired curriculum that uses multi-sensory storytelling to give children space to wonder about Bible stories. On Wednesday nights, the same children gather for activities, play, and relationship-building from 6:15 until 7 p.m.
Each summer the church hosts Art Camp, a free weeklong program for children entering kindergarten through sixth grade that combines visual art, Bible storytelling, games, and community. The 2026 camp focuses on textiles under the theme "You knit me together" from Psalm 139, and ends with an outdoor cookout and celebration for families.
Youth ministry serves students in sixth through twelfth grade, meeting for Sunday School at 10 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m., then gathering again on Wednesday nights at 6:15 for youth group. The program centers on Bible study, discipleship, and service projects, with special events throughout the year including retreats, mission trips, mystery outings, game nights, and intergenerational activities with the JOY senior adults. Rhys Tilford, a Georgetown College graduate now pursuing a master's degree at Georgia Tech, serves as the part-time Youth Programming Coordinator, a new role created to support the relational and spiritual development of the church's young people.
College students and young adults have a special place in the congregation, in part because of Faith's long relationship with Georgetown College. The church offers a free Wednesday night meal, small groups, and Bible studies aimed at this age group, along with social events throughout the semester. Several college students serve in internship roles within the youth and children's ministries.
Wednesday Nights Around the Table
Wednesday nights at Faith are built around the practice of shared life. The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with a family dinner in the Reception Area, prepared by volunteers with a suggested donation of $5 per person and a $15 maximum per family. From 5:45 to 6 p.m., the congregation shares joys and concerns and prays together. At 6:15 p.m., classes and programs begin for children, youth, and adults, running until about 7 p.m., when the choir gathers in the sanctuary for rehearsal.
Adult offerings vary by series. Recent topics have included "Faith in an AI World," exploring the ethical and theological questions raised by generative artificial intelligence, and "Faith Outside the Box," a continuing conversation with Interim Preaching Pastor Mary Alice Birdwhistell about following God beyond conventional expectations. The children's program has featured collaborative art projects built around the idea that human beings are God's masterpiece, while the youth series has drawn on resources from CBF about the five factors of a thriving congregation.
Wednesday night activities follow the local school schedule and pause during the summer, resuming in September.
Adult Classes and Small Groups
On Sunday mornings from 10 until 10:45 a.m., adults gather in small groups for study and fellowship. Free coffee and donuts are available before class. The groups use a range of materials, including Smyth and Helwys Formations guides and studies centered on the Revised Common Lectionary. Five classes meet regularly:
- Kai - for adults from college age through retirees, focused on prayer and lectionary reflection.
- Koinonia - mostly older adults, with rotating teachers and a fellowship emphasis.
- Kingdom Seekers - a mix of younger and recently retired adults who study the lectionary and gather for parties and celebrations beyond Sunday morning.
- All Things Considered - primarily senior adults, drawing on scripture, books, and personal experience for discussion.
- Martha Simpson - formerly a women's class, now open to anyone interested.
JOY and the Senior Adults
The senior adult ministry, called JOY (Just Older Youth), is one of the most active parts of the church. JOY members teach Sunday School, serve on committees, and lead in the church's mission work. The group gathers for a potluck lunch and program on the third Monday of every month and joins the Wednesday night dinner and program during the school year. Special outings take members to the Derby Dinner Playhouse, Holly Hill Inn, and other local destinations, and a Valentine's Tea Party and movie nights round out the social calendar. Some JOY members play pickleball with other community seniors in the church gym on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. The group also looks after its own, visiting shut-ins, delivering food after church events, and providing transportation when needed.
Greg Earwood, a former pastor of Faith and current active member, is currently serving in a part-time interim role supporting senior adult ministry and the congregation's pastoral care needs while the church searches for its next Senior Pastor.
A Statement of Welcome
Faith Baptist's Statement of Welcome commits the congregation to affirming people of every race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, marital status, ability level, education level, socioeconomic status, and religious background into full membership and ministry in the church. All members are welcomed to the ordinances and leadership offices of the congregation, including communion, baptism, marriage, family and child dedication, and ordination. The statement grounds this welcome in Baptist principles of soul freedom and the priesthood of all believers, and acknowledges that disagreement will arise as in any family - but that no member's full participation binds another's conscience on disputed matters.
Resources for further study are gathered on the church's website under two ongoing theological conversations: the church and LGBTQ+ inclusion, and anti-racism. Each section recommends books, articles, podcasts, and videos, with a particular emphasis on listening to voices from within the Baptist tradition and beyond.
Music at the Heart of Worship
Music is one of the church's hallmarks. The adult choir sings regularly in worship and rehearses on Wednesday nights, with opportunities for singers, handbell ringers, and instrumentalists of all kinds. The annual Music Sunday, held during Advent, weaves together choir and orchestral music, beloved carols, storytelling, Advent liturgy, dance, ribbon-waving, and moments of quiet prayer - a service the church calls "A Home for Peace." Natalie Tilford Kopp directs the music program and welcomes newcomers to the choir.
Missions in Georgetown and Beyond
Mission involvement is described by the congregation as "the natural result of our faith," and the list of ongoing projects reflects that conviction. Several deserve particular attention:
- Helping Hands - a partnership with First Christian Church and Commonwealth Credit Union that helps people escape predatory payday loans by converting them into low-interest traditional loans. The church office fields calls from anyone who wants to apply.
- Reading Camp - an after-school tutoring partnership with Southern Elementary that has drawn local press coverage for keeping students on track.
- Blessing Box - a small food pantry on the playground, stocked and maintained by the church and featured by Spectrum News.
- Prom Dress Giveaway - a partnership with Amen House that provides free prom dresses, shoes, and accessories to young women in Scott County.
- Back to School Bash - a joint effort with other Georgetown churches to supply shoes, socks, and backpacks to elementary students.
- Christmas Shoebox Ministry - an annual collection of supplies for distribution by Scarlette Jasper to families in Eastern Kentucky.
- Gathering Place Mission - teams from Faith prepare and serve lunch at this Georgetown ministry on Mondays.
- Extreme Build - a CBF Kentucky project that builds a home in two weeks each summer for a family in McCreary County.
- Ray of Hope Recoveries - a medication-assisted treatment clinic for opiate addiction that operates out of the church building, open for appointments and walk-ins on Wednesdays.
- Prayer Quilts - handcrafted by members of the congregation and blessed in worship, given as tangible tokens of prayer to those in need of comfort.
The Benevolence ministry does not give direct aid but instead refers people to local resources and collects monthly support for the financial assistance program at Elizabeth's Village.
The Building as a Hub
Faith Baptist sees its building as a hub for the wider Georgetown community. The sanctuary, gym, classrooms, and Reception Area host weddings, family reunions, baby showers, sports team practices, theater groups, civic meetings, small groups, classes, and recitals. Visiting groups can park in either of the church's two lots and enter through most doors. The office, open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., sits in the smaller lot closest to Broadway; visitors ring an electronic doorbell to be admitted.
Staff and the Pastor Search
The church staff currently includes Mary Alice Birdwhistell as Interim Preaching Pastor, Elizabeth Sands Wise as Interim Minister to Children, Natalie Tilford Kopp as Choir Director, Rhys Tilford as Youth Programming Coordinator, Angela Earwood as Office Manager, Fernando Thomas as Custodian, and Melisa Custard and Sidney Smith as Nursery Workers.
As of mid-2026, Faith Baptist is in an active search for its next Senior Pastor, receiving resumes through August 1, 2026. The Pastor Profile describes the role as one requiring seminary training and full-time ministry experience, familiarity with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the ability to bring Scripture to life in well-prepared sermons, collaborative work with staff and volunteers in worship planning, and a passion for pastoral care and community engagement. The church is looking for someone who finds joy in a multi-generational fellowship, models hospitality to people of all backgrounds, leads the congregation in local and international mission, and helps the congregation live out its commitments to social justice and spiritual formation.
Worship With Us
Faith Baptist Church is located at 116 Pocahontas Trail, Georgetown, Kentucky 40324. Sunday School begins at 10 a.m., with worship following at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary and on Facebook Live. Office hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The phone number is 502-863-1537 and the general email is familyoffaith@familyoffaith.net. Those interested in giving, signing up for the weekly Faith File newsletter, or exploring membership can find more information on the church's online pages.