A Small Raleigh Congregation on Penny Road Since 1879
Swift Creek Baptist Church sits on Penny Road in southern Raleigh, North Carolina, just off the busy thoroughfares that define this part of Wake County. The church was organized on Friday, November 1, 1879, in the Burns School House on Penny Road, after a series of meetings led by the Rev. W. R. Gwalteny, pastor of Tabernacle Church in Raleigh. Nearly a century and a half later, the congregation continues to meet on the same road where it began, a small Southern Baptist body that has chosen to make intimacy and belonging the heart of its identity.
Pastor Jason Dunham describes the mission in plain language: "Celebrate, Connect, and Care." Members are encouraged to come as they are, and the church seeks to be a place "where everybody is somebody and Jesus is Lord of all." In a season when many congregations are large and program-driven, Swift Creek has stayed small on purpose, leaning into relationships, family ministry, and quiet discipleship. Visitors and longtime members alike are greeted by name, prayed for by name, and given a place to serve.
The Story Behind the Building
The first permanent home of Swift Creek Baptist Church was a modest frame structure built in 1880 on land given by J. P. Massey. Over the next several decades the building was added to and remodeled: two Sunday school rooms came in 1910, an east wing in 1919, and three more rooms in 1927. From 1880 until 1921 the building was heated by wood stoves, until a furnace was installed in 1921 and replaced in 1948. The sanctuary was remodeled in 1952, and four additional rooms were added. In September of 1964, the original frame building was torn down to make way for the present sanctuary, which has housed the congregation ever since.
Just after the turn of the twentieth century, in 1950, T. L. Jones gave land for a parsonage, which was built by H. H. Holland. The first grave in the church cemetery was dug in 1888, and today there are more than 350 graves on the grounds, marking generations of families who have been part of Swift Creek's story. In 1882 a group withdrew and formed the Oak Grove Primitive Baptist Church; in 1963 another group left to begin Midway Baptist Church, now known as Macedonia Baptist Church. Through all of it, the core congregation has continued to gather on Penny Road, growing from 83 members in 1889 to 331 by 1939 under the leadership of Rev. R. E. Atkins, and remaining a steady, family-shaped church into the present day.
What the Church Believes
Swift Creek Baptist Church holds to historic Baptist convictions about the gospel of grace. In the church's own words, the central message is that every person is a sinner, that any sin separates people from God, and that salvation is a free gift received by faith rather than earned by human effort. The congregation points to key scriptures to frame the message: Romans 3:23 ("For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God"), Romans 5:8 ("God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us"), Ephesians 2:8-9 ("For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith"), Romans 6:23 ("the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord"), and John 3:16.
Those who wish to receive Christ are invited to pray a simple prayer of faith, confessing Jesus as Lord and trusting in his death and resurrection for salvation. The church then encourages new believers to share that decision so the congregation can rejoice with them and help them grow spiritually. Swift Creek also partners with other believers through the Raleigh Baptist Association, the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, and the Southern Baptist Convention, cooperating with these bodies for missions, education, and ministry support.
Sundays at Swift Creek
The Sunday rhythm at Swift Creek Baptist Church follows a familiar pattern. Sunday school meets at 9:45 a.m., with classes for everyone from babies through grandparents. Sunday school is meant to be a setting where members can learn more about Jesus in a smaller group and fellowship with one another as they strengthen their spiritual walk.
Worship follows at 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary. The service blends congregational singing with a choir, prayer, scripture reading, giving, and a sermon preached by Pastor Jason Dunham. Communion is observed on the fifth Sunday of any month that has one, and the church gathers for special services at Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunrise. The annual music calendar includes Easter and Christmas cantatas, which draw additional musicians from the community, including the Wake Christian Academy Chorale and Handbell Choir.
Wednesday Nights and Friday Mornings
Midweek has its own shape at Swift Creek. Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. bring two things at once: a Bible study and prayer time for adults, and a separate gathering for children and youth. The adult Bible study is open to anyone who would like to join at any point in the series, and the prayer time invites the congregation to bring requests for the churchwide prayer list.
On Friday mornings at 10:00 a.m., Pastor Jason leads a Bible study that is intended for deeper, more conversational study of the scriptures. Together with the Wednesday night time and the Sunday school hour, it gives members three weekly touchpoints outside of worship for serious study and conversation.
Children: Swift Creek Kids
Swift Creek Children's Ministry, branded as Swift Creek Kids, is committed to helping children grow in the Lord and learn to truly love him. The ministry serves children from infancy through fifth grade. During Sunday worship, K through fifth grade children participate in the first part of the service with the whole congregation before being dismissed to JAM, the church's own "Jesus and Me" worship time, where they hear biblical principles and learn how to apply them to daily life. The church believes strongly in modeling family worship: kids are welcomed into the sanctuary to sing, pray, and give alongside their parents and other adults. Matthew 19:14 - "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" - is the foundational verse for the ministry.
Youth: Middle and High School
Swift Creek Youth is a group for students in sixth through twelfth grade. The ministry seeks to create a safe environment where students can be discipled, hear biblically sound teaching, and experience Christian community. Leaders work alongside parents, recognizing the home as the primary place of spiritual formation and pointing students back to Jesus, to the church, and to the parental leadership in their lives. The verse that frames the work is 1 Timothy 4:12, encouraging young people to set an example for the believers in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Youth grow together through worshiping, praying, studying, laughing, working, and fellowshipping.
Music Ministry
Music holds a central place at Swift Creek. The Sunday morning choir and congregational singing are joined by special seasonal cantatas at Easter and Christmas, giving musicians and singers of all abilities a place to participate. A short clip on the music page features Kristin Frazier on piano and Savannah Dunham on guitar, an example of the collaboration that shapes the church's worship life.
Brotherhood: Men on Mission
The Brotherhood is a group of men on mission to serve God both within Swift Creek and out in the community. The men aim to serve the needs of their brothers and sisters in Christ. Among their regular rhythms, the Brotherhood prepares and serves breakfast for the entire congregation on the first Sunday of each month at 8:45 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall (September through May), making that first Sunday a casual, food-centered gathering that draws families together before Sunday school.
Women on Mission
Women on Mission is the church's connection to the Women's Missionary Union. The group seeks to reflect a biblical understanding of missions and to provide an open door to mission awareness and participation. Its emphasis is on developing a balanced approach to missions in the church, in the community, and around the world. The Women on Mission group gathers on the third Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m.
Senior Saints Ministry
The Senior Saints Ministry serves the older adults of the congregation with regular social gatherings. Game nights, field trips, dinners with entertainment, and other outings make up a lively calendar designed for fellowship and fun. It is one of several touchpoints that help Swift Creek function as an intergenerational family rather than a collection of programs.
The Perpetual Care Cemetery and Columbarium
Beyond its ministries, Swift Creek Baptist Church also operates a well-maintained perpetual-care cemetery, which has been part of the church's ministry since 1888 and now holds more than 350 graves. Donations for the upkeep of the cemetery can be made at any time by designating gifts to the Swift Creek Baptist Church Cemetery Fund. In addition to gravesites, the church provides a columbarium for those who wish to be cremated, with gifts accepted to the Columbarium Fund. Together, the cemetery and columbarium extend the church's pastoral care beyond a single generation, offering members and the wider community a sacred place to be remembered.
Staying Connected Through the Week
Members and visitors stay in touch through several ongoing channels. The Swift Creek Chronicler, the church's monthly newsletter, highlights events, special services, and a word from Pastor Jason. Recent sermons are posted online for those who miss a Sunday or want to revisit a message, with a library that includes series on the book of Jonah, sermons from Romans, and seasonal messages from Advent and Christmas. The church accepts secure online donations by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or PayPal, making giving convenient for members and supporters. A churchwide prayer list is open to anyone who would like a need lifted up; requests can be submitted online and are added to the list the church prays over together.
Whether someone is looking for a steady Sunday morning home, a place to study scripture in depth, a ministry to serve in, or simply a small congregation that knows its people by name, Swift Creek Baptist Church continues to offer a quiet, faithful presence on Penny Road in Raleigh, just as it has since 1879.