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Long Branch Traces Its History a Long Way Back
Long Branch Traces Its History a Long Way Back
By James Ivancic
It was 1786, three years after the Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War and Great Britain recognized the independence of the 13 American colonies. In an area now known as Halfway, Long Branch Baptist Church started that very same year with 25 worshippers gathered in a log cabin.
A proper church building was erected in 1820 and worshippers gather there to this day. The pastor’s office and meeting space adjoin the sanctuary located at 5541 Long Branch Lane, off The Plains Road, equally distant from The Plains and Middleburg. Rev. Frank Fishback has been the pastor since January, 2011, and also is pastor at The Plains Baptist Church.
The church has survived the Civil War, the Covid pandemic and declining church attendance.
It remained open during the Civil War, though in June, 1863, fighting in nearby Middleburg made it unsafe to attend. On Oct. 15, 1864 no service was held because “only one member present beside the clerk … our pastor a prisoner and a gloom pervading the community in consequence of the oppression of the enemy,” according to church records.
In-person services continued during the height of the pandemic. Sheila Burke said she started worshipping at Long Branch when her own church in Middleburg shut down. Long Branch attendees wore masks and spread out in church. Outdoors they would take hold of a string that symbolically “showed that we were still connected,” Burke said.
Susan Schulz and her husband moved to the area from Fairfax 40 years ago and were looking for a new church. Their housekeeper suggested Long Branch.
“The people were so endearing,” Schulz recalled, adding that she found “people’s arms were open” to her as a newcomer.
It’s definitely a giving congregation. One room off the sanctuary holds Branch of Hope, the pantry where laundry, bathroom and personal hygiene supplies are set out on shelves for those in need at no cost. The pantry is open from 9 to 11 a.m. on the third Saturday of the month. A total of 63 families were served in September.
“When we started Branch of Hope we wondered where [donations] would come from. Frank said not to worry,” said Schulz. “God has blessed us.”
The church supports the Seven Loaves food bank in Middleburg, distributes school supplies for children, and assists Hope Tree Family Services in Salem, Virginia. The ladies of Long Branch also put their hands to work making blankets for the needy in Appalachia.
The congregation holds a homecoming gathering every year and a picnic with food and music during the summer. There’s an occasional movie night with pizza.
“Methodists and Baptists are famous for the food” as a drawing card, said Burke. “The old ladies would cook. Now we’re the old ladies.”
The church holds Sunday school for adults and children at 9 a.m. Worship starts at 10 a.m.
There was a time when more congregants occupied the pews at Long Branch and filled Sunday school class. The farms near the church no longer hire as many people as in years past, which Rev. Fishback and longtime members say resulted in fewer adults and children coming to worship.
But members appreciate what they have and the opportunity to be of service to others.
“I don’t see explosive growth here,” Rev. Fishback said. “But if we have spiritual growth, we’re more apt to go out and ask people to come join us.”
