HISTORY
The following is the roughest of sketches of the history of Somers Baptist Church, focusing on the seven pastors (plus interims and pulpit supply) that have served SBC throughout the years. We’ll hope to fill out this history as time goes on. As we approach SBC’s 55 th anniversary, we thank our Lord Jesus that the doors are open, the building is in repair, lives are being transformed, and, most importantly, the Gospel is still being proclaimed.
TIME LINE
Somers Baptist Church was incorporated on 13 June. 1968. Pastor Len Waterman, a church planter with Conservative Baptist Home Missions Society was the first pastor. The first public service was held about five months later on 3 November. 39 people met at the Kibbe-FullerElementary School.
The church voted to affiliate with the Conservative Baptist Association of America, which today goes by the name “Venture Church Network.”
In 1970, the church acquired 4.5 acres of land on Battle Street, much of it donated by Gordon Schlaf, a neighbor.
In January of 1972 Pastor George Bertrand became SBC’s second pastor.
In 1975, Pastor Sedgewick came as the interim pastor. Then Pastor Waterman returned to step into the interim role in the late summer of 1976.
In April of 1977, Pastor Russell Buisch became the third pastor of SBC.
On October 15, 1978, the church held its first services in the new building on Battle Street.
In 1984 a new addition to the building was completed.
In 1991 another addition to the building was completed.
On 17 May, 1992 the newly established Ellington Baptist Church called Russell Buisch to be its first pastor. A year later 25 Members were released via vote to go out with Pastor Buisch to help establish the church.
On 19 August, 1993, the church voted to extend a call to Denis Frediani to become SBC fourth pastor.
In September of 2003, a year after Pastor Frediani left to serve with the Prison Ministry of Vision New England, the church called Russ Wight as the fifth pastor of SBC.
On January 9, 2011, John Reilly was installed as the sixth pastor of SBC.
Pastor Russell Buisch returned as an interim and helped guide SBC through the time of COVID- 19.
On 10 July, 2022, in the church’s 54 th year, Pastor Colin Landry answered SBC’s call to become SBC’s seventh pastor. After relocating from the Denver, CO area, he was installed on 16 October of that year.