Mission :

To be a dynamic spiritual organism empowered by the Holy Spirit to share Christ with as many people as possible in our church, community, and throughout the world.To be a worshiping fellowship, experiencing an awareness of God, recognizing His person, and responding in obedience to His leadership.To experience an increasingly meaningful fellowship with God and fellow believers.To help people experience a growing knowledge of God and man.To be a church that ministers unselfishly to persons in the community and world in Jesus name.To be a church whose purpose is to be Christlike in our daily living by emphasizing total commitment of life, personality,and possessions to the lordship of Christ.

History:

In the 1930's the Baptist Church ceased to function in the Village of Stamford. There was a church meeting at South Jefferson it has since ceased operation. The nearest ongoing Baptist Church was (and is) Flat Creek Baptist  Church.

Pastor Bray began to visit in the Stamford area in the spring and summer of 1975. These visits were a prayerful attempt to determine if God was guiding in beginning a new Baptist work in Stamford. At the same time a new work was begun in the town of Maryland, in Otsego County, by the Bray family.

A Bible Study group was formed in the area, property (33 Lake Street) was secured and the Brays moved into Stamford in the Fall of 1977. The new church start grew with people coming from all over the area.

In the early 1980's the new church began to develop a Baptist Church in Jefferson. A new location was acquired at 40 Lake Street for the Stamford church. That location was the former Chateau de Navarre. The building had been built in 1897. It was the private residence of Dr. Bristol. In 1922 it was purchased by W. Leman, who established it as a hotel.

In the January1982, the historic building was accidentally burned while attempting to thaw frozen pipes. The congregation rallied and soon a new building was begun. In May ground was broken for the new structure and in September, 1982, the first services were held in the building. Since that time the fellowship has continued to develop the property.

Baptist churches are different from other Christian groups in several ways. First, the building is not the Church. The Church is the people in fellowship under the lordship of Jesus Christ. A Church may exist without a building. The building provides a warm, dry place to meet but it is not the Church.

Another distinctive is called soul competency. This means that each person stands before God and is competent to make decisions apart from clergy or hierarchy.

Baptists base their beliefs on the authority of the Bible and not on creeds or councils.

Baptists practice Believer's Baptism. This simply means that baptism is by immersion and only to be performed after a person has made a personal confession of faith in Christ.

Baptists believe in the autonomy of the local congregation. No outside organization has any authority over the local church and all property and business matters are conducted by the congregation.

The only ordinances of a Baptist church are Baptism and the Lord's Supper, or Communion. These are not sacraments since they do not dispense grace to participant. Grace is received directly from God to the individual soul.

The local congregation determines its officers and practices and owns its own property.