SOUTH NEWFANE — Old Home Sunday will be celebrated at South Newfane Baptist Church on June 5 at 11 a.m. On that date, the church will open its doors for the summer and Rev. Malcolm Hamblett will begin his third summer as minister. The sermon will be “Adopting an Attitude of Gratitude” with inspiration from 2 Samuel 2:47-51 and Luke 17:11-19.
In 1791, at the home of Nehemiah Fisher, the Baptist Church of Marlborough and Newfane was established. The first meetinghouse was built in Marlborough on Auger Hole Road, one quarter of a mile from the Newfane town line.
This house held 58 pews, a pulpit and galleries on three sides. In 1841, the church moved to its present location on Dover Road. In 1912, stained glass windows were dedicated representing local families and their descendants including the Bruces, Swarts, Goodnows, Bickfords, Baileys and Aldriches.
Old Home Sunday is a special service to welcome back families and friends who live in or have moved away from the area, those who are new to the area or looking for a new church home, or those who just want to come in and visit. A potluck buffet will follow the service. Everyone is welcome.
Rev. Hamblett has been in the ministry for the past 20 years. When not preaching in South Newfane, he serves as Director of Christian Education at the First Baptist Church of Chester. He also works for Blake Hill Preserves in Grafton. Rev. Hamblett resides in Weston, with his wife Amy and children Ben and Rebekah.