A 19th-Century Sanctuary on Penn Street
Muncy Baptist Church sits on West Penn Street in Muncy, Pennsylvania, a brick-and-stone presence in the Lycoming County borough whose members have worshipped together since 1841. The story begins with Reverend William T. Hall, an evangelist in the service of the Pennsylvania Baptist Convention, whose meetings in the area led to the conversion of many souls. On June 24, 1841, Hall called a meeting of twenty-eight baptized believers who organized as the Independent Regular Baptist Church of Muncy. The name later changed to Muncy Baptist Church, and the congregation was admitted to the Northumberland Baptist Association.
A first church was begun at South Market and High Streets in 1841 and dedicated on March 1, 1843, but a growing congregation soon needed more space. Under pastor L. J. Shoemaker, the present edifice was completed and dedicated to the service of God on November 22, 1896. A postcard from 1910 shows the same steeple that still marks the corner today, and the building has now served the church for more than 125 years.
Sunday Mornings at Ten
Worship gathers at 10 a.m. on Sunday mornings, both in the sanctuary and online. The congregation's motto, Connecting to Christ. Serving together., captures the rhythm of a service that pulls members from the pews into the week ahead. Services are livestreamed on the church's Facebook page, and recordings of recent Sundays - complete with study notes - are posted in the days that follow.
Visitors driving in for the first time will find a parking lot just beyond the church on Market Street, with additional street parking nearby. Rob Rice, who has served as pastor since August 2013, often preaches a sequential walk through a book of Scripture, with recent messages moving through the plagues of Exodus and tracing themes such as The Will of God in Three Short Commands.
Weekly Bible Study and Small Groups
Adults at Muncy Baptist have several regular touchpoints through the week. A Women's Group meets on Tuesday mornings, and a Men's Group gathers on Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. in the Fellowship Room for Bible study, lively discussion, prayer, and fellowship. A church-wide Bible Study meets on Tuesday evenings, and the church as a whole has at times read a book together - the most recent shared study being Praying the Bible, with short video devotions posted for each chapter.
Pastor Rob keeps office hours and welcomes individualized meetings for anyone with questions or concerns. The church also maintains a prayer guide and a commitment card for those exploring next steps.
Children and Youth
The children's ministry is led by Children's Director Melissa Sones. A nursery is offered for children four years old and under, and children ages five through middle school gather for a Bible Club lesson with Sones. Junior-high students meet separately for a Youth Discussion Group with Associate Pastor Don Edwards. The music program has also expanded to include children, supported by Music Director Cindy Edwards, who has shaped a generation of young voices singing alongside the congregation.
A Church Embedded in Muncy
Muncy Baptist is woven into the life of the town in practical ways. The church hosts a Boy Scout troop in its building, and members volunteer with Camp Victory in Millville, Pennsylvania, where children climb treehouses and gather for a week each summer. The church also takes part in Fourth Fridays, the regular community events that fill Muncy's downtown. Softball games against neighboring congregations - including a memorable matchup with Pleasant View Wesleyan - have become a lighthearted tradition of their own.
Since Pastor Rob's arrival in 2013, the building itself has been part of that outreach. Major renovations have already refreshed the sanctuary and adjoining rooms with new pews, a re-purposed fellowship room, and air conditioning. Work is now underway on the kitchen and basement to make those spaces more accessible and inviting for both the church family and the wider community.
What the Church Believes
Muncy Baptist affirms that the Bible is the inspired, authoritative, and infallible Word of God, the standard and guide for faith and practice. The church confesses one God eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and teaches that Jesus Christ, begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, is true God and true Man, the only sufficient mediator between God and humanity.
The church holds that Jesus lived a sinless life, died, rose from the grave three days later, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will personally and visibly return to judge all people. Human beings are created in God's image but are fallen and condemned, and salvation comes only by God's grace through faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. The local church is described as an assembly of redeemed, baptized believers who gather for worship, fellowship, discipleship, witness, and service. Two ordinances are observed: baptism by immersion (for those physically able) and the Lord's Supper as a commemoration of Christ's death until He returns.
Supporting the Work
Tithes and offerings support the daily work of the church. Members and visitors can give online through Tithe.ly or mail a contribution to the church at 11 West Penn Street. The church points to Deuteronomy 14:22 and 1 Chronicles 29:14 in framing giving as a worship response: everything believers have is a gift from God, given so it can flow through them to others.
The Pastoral Team
Reverend Rob Rice came to Muncy Baptist in August 2013. A graduate of Drexel University in business, he went on to earn a Master of Divinity from Liberty Baptist Seminary. He and his wife, Jen, have four children: Alexa, Kaylyn, Cole, and Cohen. Reverend Dr. Don Edwards serves as Associate Pastor with more than 45 years of parish ministry behind him. He and his wife, Cindy, have been married for over fifty years, have six children and eleven grandchildren, and have served as both full-time and part-time evangelists. His prayer is to be used to bring individuals to a personal, living faith in Jesus Christ.