On Buckley Hall Road in the Mathews County village of Hudgins, Mathews Baptist Church has gathered for worship since 1776, when traveling preachers founded a congregation first called "Kingston." The name changed in 1791, the same year Mathews County separated from Gloucester County and gave the church its present identity. A 1905 renovation added the steeple, which can easily be seen from all directions across the county, and a 1930 gift from Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Smither established the church cemetery on Queens Creek.
Sunday from Contemporary to Traditional
Sunday mornings move through three distinct gatherings. A 9:00 a.m. contemporary service opens the day, followed at 10:00 a.m. by Sunday School classes for every age group, and capped at 11:00 a.m. with a traditional service. Pastor Brian Kramer leads the congregation with the help of teachers across the Sunday School hour.
Wednesday Nights at the Table
From September through April, the fellowship hall fills at 6:00 p.m. for the Wednesday Night Dinner. As the meal winds down, the room shifts into Bible studies for various groups, including a youth breakout. The dinner and study pair make Wednesday one of the church's main weekly touch points through the cooler months.
Mountain Movers: Youth in Grades 6 to 12
Middle and high schoolers are invited to join Mountain Movers, the church's youth group. The name reflects the group's aim to learn and live God's Word, serve others, and impact the community in a positive way. Sunday School, Wednesday nights, and seasonal activities fill the calendar, with youth leader Michelle Denkinger coordinating the program.
Trail Life and Children's Ministry
The church supports a local Trail Life USA troop, a Christ-centered, boy-focused mentoring program built around service and outdoor adventure. Through fifth grade, the Children's Ministry runs ongoing activities designed to help children grow in their spiritual walk and put service into practice in the community.
WMU: Helping Near and Far
The Women's Ministry Union keeps a steady slate of missions and welcomes volunteers beyond its membership. Each September, the Care Net Project collects baby clothing for Care Net Peninsula, a pregnancy care center serving the Virginia Peninsula. A year-round food pantry supplies canned goods and paper products to Mathews Social Services and Hands Across Mathews. The Blanket Project turns donated yarn into blankets for cancer patients at Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters and the Gloucester Cancer Center. Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes travel through Samaritan's Purse, and an August school-supply drive equips local children for the new school year. A different project takes the spotlight each month, from local hands-on work to statewide and international outreach.
A Bible-Centered Mission
Mathews Baptist holds the Bible as the sole guide for belief and practice. Its stated mission is to offer public worship to God, to preach the redeeming love of Christ and lead people to the Savior, to welcome the stranger, to comfort the sorrowing and help the needy, to build the spirit of Christian fellowship, and to serve the community, the nation, and the wider world.