History

The church is named after a nearby mill located on Back Creek that is no longer standing. It was a church plant of its mother church, Peter’s Creek Church of the Brethren.

The history of the Poages Mill Church of the Brethren goes back to when Brethren in the area met for services in a shop building belonging to Elijah Poage during the Civil War. These services were not held regularly.

The first regular services were held at Kittinger’s Chapel, once a month. This was a place of worship for several denominations: Brethren, Lutheran, Primitive Baptist, and the Missionary Baptist. The Brethren soon realized a need for their own place of worship.

On January 13, 1900, 1 7/8 acres of land was purchased from Elijah and Mary Poage for $50.00. Then, a small frame structure, just a few hundred feet from where the present church now stands, was completed in 1902. In 1923, an addition was built on the south side of the church. A well house was built in 1930 and a piano was bought for the church in 1932.

As the church grew, the congregation felt the need for a new sanctuary, so in 1947 work was begun on our present sanctuary and Sunday School rooms. The logs, which came from members land, were cut by hand, hauled to the lumber mill and finishing plant, and then used for the inside structure, as well as the ceiling and flooring. The Ladies Aid Society made quilts, apple butter, sold cards and served dinners to raise money to purchase chairs for the choir, chairs and tables for Sunday School classes and pews for the sanctuary. The youth had pie suppers and sold stationary to help purchase the rose window which is mounted in the center of the front of the sanctuary.

In May of 1948 this new brick structure was dedicated. The original building was sold at auction for $1,000.00 and then removed. A parsonage was also built in 1957.

An addition to the existing structure, including a fellowship hall, Sunday School rooms and offices, was built in 1968. In May of 1993 the sanctuary was remodeled with new lighting, carpeting and more. In 1996 a handicap accessible elevator and rest room was installed. 1997 brought the enclosure of the courtyard, making room for the Growing Christians to have a new classroom and also adding a beautiful room on the upper level. The gentlemen's and lady's rest rooms were remodeled by the men of the church in 2001 and 2002.

In 2001 came the building of a large picnic shelter at the rear of the church and 2002 also brought the building of a retaining wall next to the rear entrance to the parking lot and picnic shelter.

In 2008, the parsonage was remodeled, including new bathrooms, windows, appliances, painting, carpet, heat pump and additional insulation.