The Oceana Freewill Baptist Church was organized in 1910 with 11 members and reorganized in 1939 with 10 new members added
to the church.
It was the first Freewill Baptist Church in Wyoming County, West Virginia.
The land that the church stands on was donated by Don L. Cook and the work on the church began in March 1940 and completed
in June 1941.
A church bell was purchased by Harve Tilley and remains on the property today.A dedication sermon was preached by Elder Jeff
Thomas.
The first pastor was Rev. H.K. Cook of Oceana; Deacons were Harve Tilley, Don L. Cook, Kenner Griffith and Glen Cook.
Three additions were added to the church as the congregation continued to grow. A new building was built on the same property
with work beginning in June 1970.
While the building was under construction, services were held at the Oceana Grade School during the summer and in the Kopperston
Union Hall.
A dedication service was held on March 25, 1973 with the sermon given by the Rev. Gerald Holley of Prosperity, WV. The paster
at this time was the Rev. Jack Hicks of Oceana.
The Deacons were Bryant Wesley, Frank Whitten, Opie Bolen, Bill Stafford, Garvey Blankenship and Gordon Paitsel.
The Ladies Auxiliary Building was also under construction in 1973. The porch area of the church was later enclosed by an add-on
to the church.
A steeple was purchased and installed on the church in April 2001.
The land located beside the Ladies Auxiliary building was purchased and a picnic shelter was built in 2004.
A dedication ceremony for the picnic shelter was held in honor and in memory of Brother Oral Harless on Sunday October 10,
2004.
Today's church pastor is the Rev. Jackie Grimmett of Man, WV with current Deacons consisting of; Wesley Cook, Michael Prichard
and Bob Price.
Oceana Freewill Baptist Pastors
1941-
H. K. Cook
1944-1949
Pierce Cook
10/1949-1957 Stollie
Parsons
4/1957-6/1958 Leland
Phillips
6/1958-7/1960 Kimble
Blankenship
7/1960-1962
Robert Woods
7/1962-2/1964 Kimble
Blankenship
3/1964-1965
Gerald Holley
1965-2/1967
Roy Adkins
3/1967-1973
Jack Hicks
8/1973-1977
Ronald Baldwin
8/1977-1978
Leland Phillips
5/1979-11/1981 Carl Lyons
5/1982-8/1989
Otis Hensley
3/1990-3/1999
Timmy Brewster
10/1999-Present Jackie Grimmett
Oceana Freewill Baptist Deacons
1941-
Harve Tilley
1941-
Don L. Cook
1941-1946
Kenner Griffith
1941-
Glen Cook
1943-1949
L. J. Shrewsbury
1944-1945
Seaman Marcum
1944-
W. R. Cook
1945-
Garnet Bailey
1945-
Willis Brooks
1949-
Renn Cook
1949-
Wicher Thomas
1949-1988
Bryant Wesley
1949-1975
Opie Bolen
Paul Dempsey
George Goins
1954-1959 John
Dixon
1956-1958 Roscoe
Morgan
1960-1968 Lacy
Davis
1965-1967 Boyd
Prichard
1967-1977 Frank
Whitten
1961-1992 Bill
Stafford
1968-1996 Garvey
Blankenship
1962-2001 Gordon
Paitsel
1977-2007 Oscar
Justice
1981-1999 Bill
Huffman
1989-1998 Dillard
Tate
1992-Present Wesley
Cook
2001-Present Michael
Prichard
2001-5/2005 Danny
Cooke
2008-Present Bob
Price
