History
In April 1875, a group of people living in the vicinity of Bunn Schoolhouse came together and decided to organize a Sunday School. The local schoolhouse was chosen as the meeting place. It was constructed of logs with a board roof, a stick and dirt fireplace, and chimney. It was located about three hundred yards east of the junction of highways 39 and 98, at what is now called “Old Bunn.”
Mr. Clinton Perry was asked to organize and superintend the new Sunday School. Mr. Perry lived across the Tar River about three miles from the schoolhouse. He walked the distance, including rowing across the Tar River each Sunday until his resignation.
About 1880 a new room frame was built at the junction and the Sunday School was held there until 1904 when a new building was erected about one hundred yards to the south. It was in this building that Bunn Baptist Church was organized in 1911. The charter membership of Bunn Baptist Church was composed entirely of members from Poplar Springs Baptist Church. Bunn Baptist has been in the Tar river Baptist Association for most of its existence.
Bunn Baptist Church continued to meet in the schoolhouse at “Old Bunn” until 1914, when it moved to the Bunn School Building, meeting there until 1917. At that time, the present church building was completed on lots given by the North State Development Company of Rocky Mount.
Parsonages were constructed in 1948 and 1971 and an educational building was added in 1960. In late 1977, a major renovation was completed in the sanctuary. A new baptistery was added and relocation of the choir gave opportunity for seating behind the pulpit. New carpet was laid and the interior was painted. In 1978, storm plate glass was added to protect our beautiful stained glass windows. Also in 1978, a mural was painted on canvas for the baptistery and new choir pews were given. There have been many other improvements since that time, most recently in 2007 when the sanctuary floor was refinished and new carpet was installed. Over the years the church has been served by 26 different pastors.