Radnor Baptist Church is celebrating its bicentennial during this Sunday’s service.

The church will be having Sunday worship at 10 a.m., followed by a luncheon at noon and a prayer service at 1:15 p.m., all part of its 200th anniversary celebration.

The church was constituted May 4, 1816, in a log school house on land owned by William Lawrence.

Eighty-five years later, in the summer of 1901, the church was struck by lightning and was destroyed by the fire that ensued.

By fall of 1903, the church had been rebuilt, complete with stained glass windows, a new bell (which still stands on the church property today) and a Vocalion organ.

Then, 88 years later to the day, the church was destroyed by fire again, this time due to a local arsonist burning churches in the area.

The church’s current pastor, Paul Miller, said that the arsonist later returned to the church, after serving his jail time, to ask forgiveness. He later became a pastor himself and has since returned as a guest pastor to speak in front of the congregation.

The new church, the one that stands today, was built and dedicated in January 1992, sporting the old church’s bell at its entrance.

The church is located at 4050 Radnor Road in Radnor.

Radnor Baptist Church today with one of the only remaining pieces of the 1903 church — a bell purchased from the Cincinnati Bell Foundry in 1902.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2016/08/web1_radnor.jpgRadnor Baptist Church today with one of the only remaining pieces of the 1903 church — a bell purchased from the Cincinnati Bell Foundry in 1902. Morgyn Cooper | The Gazette

Radnor Baptist Church’s third church building, built in 1867. In 1901, The Gazette reported that it was destroyed by fire from a lightning strike.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2016/08/web1_Radnor-061.jpgRadnor Baptist Church’s third church building, built in 1867. In 1901, The Gazette reported that it was destroyed by fire from a lightning strike. Courtesy photo | Radnor Baptist Church