Bronson Baptist Church has been in the Bronson community for 140 years.

The small congregation in western Bourbon County will celebrate the anniversaryChur this Sunday, Oct. 16 with a special music concert by Lloyd Houk at 9:45 a.m., followed by morning worship at 10:45 a.m. There will be a carry-in lunch following services.

The  Bronson Baptist Church was chartered in 1882.  At first the people met in a wood frame building that housed the congregation, then a brick building at 403 Randolph, across the street was built in 1925.

“My grandfather, Christian Frederick Ermel, was a brick layer that worked on it,” said Judy Wilson, whose family has attended the church for generations.

“My parents, Reta Mae and Buford Johnson, always attended the church,” Wilson said.

“I can remember some Sunday School teachers from way back, Cordie Volmer, and Ima Jean Sager,” she said. “The people I remember older than my parents generation is Glenn Entzminger, who was a leader of the church, always there for anything needed.”

Judy and husband Rex were married in the church.

And in recent years they had Reta Mae’s funeral there.

“Right now, not many attend the church, but if folks come they are going to hear the Word of God, for sure,” she said.

The church is an independent Baptist Church and the current pastor is Michael Miller.

“It was the preacher’s suggestion to have the 140th anniversary celebration,” Wilson said. “He thought it was worth celebrating.”