Welcome

In June of 1978, Pastor Don Brodhacker met with several families at the home of Dick and Mildred Hamm in Palmyra, Missouri. The meeting was held to discuss starting a church that would be a lighthouse in Northeast Missouri. After a few more meetings, and much prayer and discussion, Mission Hill Baptist Church officially became a reality with Victory in Jesus being selected as a theme song.

The group was able to secure the old dance hall known as T.O. ½ (the other half) as a meeting place while property and financing were being considered. It was determined that 20 acres of land would be purchased from Roy Nelson on Business Hwy 61 at a purchase price of $2500 per acre. It was further decided that $100, 000 would be borrowed to secure the financing of that first structure.

This was accomplished with five men in the new church signing the note for $20,000 each. A proposal was drafted and accepted by the bank of Shelbina which made the original loan.

A quick sketchy outline of the next 18 ½ years would include:

• Mission Hill Christian Academy opened in the fall of 1979 (within a couple of years enrollment exceeded 60 students).
• An AWANA Clubs ministry was established under the direction of Bobby Bowen as AWANA Commander.
• The first of what would later become five bus routes was begun.
• Active local jail/prison and nursing home ministries were begun.
• Thursday night soul winning program became an exciting time. In ten years' time, 605 people would go through the baptismal waters and 29 individuals or families would enter into full-time ministry or mission fields.
• Mission Hill would become the pilot program for the Rock of Ages
  Shoulders Ministry.
• Mission Hill became a refuge for broken and hurting Pastors with a total of eight men being ministered to.
• One of the more memorable events was the Sunday that became known as
  "Mormon Sunday." A busload of young Mormons broke down on Highway 61. Mission Hill ministered to them and welcomed them into Sunday night services. Many of the church members heard back from group members for a time.

Upon the Lord moving Pastor Brodhacker to other fields of ministry, Brother Chuck Mayrand filled in as interim pastor for nine months.

In August of 1996, God sent Pastor Kent Lewis and his family to lead Mission Hill. Under Pastor Lewis, the tradition of outreach, and special ministries, such as AWANA Clubs, Daycare, Food Pantry and Building Growth flourished. On November 24, 2002 the Garage was dedicated and Groundbreaking held for a new sanctuary. In September, 2005, the first service was held in the new sanctuary, and in March 2006 the sanctuary was dedicated to God's glory with the dedication message preached by Bro. Brodhacker and Final Authority, part of the Mission Hill family, in concert.

The outdoor pavilion and prayer garden were constructed in the summer of 2007 and dedicated in July of 2007. In February of 2008, the church experienced a devastating fire which destroyed the original structure and the new sanctuary. This came just after repairs to the property had been completed following damage from a tornado.

Work on the property continued along with construction of a maintenance facility. In the summer of 2011, groundwork was begun on a new church parking lot and the hole was dug for a new sanctuary building. Once the outside structure was erected, inside work continued on the new sanctuary.

In 2013, the church was able to purchase 20 acres that join the Mission Hill property and begin to dream of the many possibilities that God would provide. With the passing of Mrs. Frankie Brodhacker the church began to see a real need in the area for a cemetery and in 2015 plans were made for the Mission Hill Memorial Gardens.

On November 27, 2016, the church family, along with friends from the community, walked from the gymnasium of the multi-purpose building to the new sanctuary and Mission Hill moved on to a new chapter of possibilities that God was providing to her.

As Mission Hill experiences the realization of her dreams, and if the Lord tarries, it would be interesting to hear this report in the next 10 or 15 years.

One thing is certain-the Lord has done, is doing, and will continue to do His part-the rest is up to you and me.