CHURCH HISTORY

Altha Grove Baptist Church was founded in 1873 as Sandy Level Baptist Church. Civil War General Thomas T. Munford donated the church land from the estate of local plantation owner Albert McDaniel. After the original building was lost in a fire, a small white-frame church and school building were constructed, and the name changed to Altha Grove Baptist Church. The exact date of this fire is unknown. Before the establishment of the church cemetery in the early 1900s, the burials of many African Americans were done on the Kitsmont plantation (Siveredes land). 
In 1981, the members of Altha Grove voted for the construction of the current sanctuary under the direction of Deacon Dennis Davis and Leslie Addison. Deacon Davis was the Building Fund Treasurer until Trustee Harry McDaniel took over during construction. After construction, there was "no mortgage due upon completion," the church family marched from the old building to the new one in the spring of 1982. The old church and school building were demolished shortly after. The school building stood at the end of our current parking lot, and the fellowship hall, built in 2011, stands on the site of the previous church building. On March 16th, 2013, a mortgage-burning service for the fellowship hall was held. 
The earliest members of Altha Grove Baptist Church were mainly local homemakers and farmers who carefully stewarded their limited resources to build a dedicated and active slice of Zion in the mountains of Forest, Virginia. Over the years, the congregation has grown from only two monthly services to holding service every Sunday since the 90s. We are blessed to have produced members making great strides in the community, from the first black school board member of Bedford County Public Schools from the Forest/Boonsboro district to many other offices and positions for African Americans. As our congregation grows, we look forward to spreading God's word and building leaders for Christ and our community.
The work of 12 pastors has blessed Altha Grove:

• Rev. Abraham Brown (founding pastor)

• Rev. James Shelton

• Rev. James L. McDaniel

• Rev. J.R. Nelson

• Rev. Roy Austin

• Rev. R.C. Pasley

• Rev. William Tyree

• Rev. Dr. N.S Walker

• Rev. Warren Anderson

• Rev. Thomas Harper

• Rev. Marcus G. Jones

• Rev. Michael L. Cherry II (current pastor).