THE BEGINNING OF THE EVANGELICAL BAPTIST CHURCH OF TERNI

The Evangelical Baptist Church of Terni, Italy, was started on September 6, 1992. The following is a description of how the first members were contacted, and the missionaries involved.

In 1984, missionary Fred Whitman, ministering in San Sisto (PG), in Umbria, offered a free copy of the New Testament during one of his evangelistic television programs to anyone who requested it. After watching one of the programs, Alfredo Gallina wrote asking for a copy.

A copy was sent by mail. After a few days, another missionary that was present in the area of Perugia during that time, Al Pick, went to Terni to visit with Alfredo. After about seven weeks, Al returned to Terni to have a Bible study, as was previously agreed upon, but he found a situation totally different from the first visit. Alfredo, during those weeks, reading his copy of the New Testament, had put his faith in Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.

At the beginning of 1985, two other missionaries that were living in Umbria, Tom Jones and Tom Morgan, began having Bible studies with Alfredo on a weekly basis. In December 1986, Tom Morgan and his wife, Diane, decided to move to Terni. They found an apartment in via delle Palme, 10. They then began having Bible studies in their home every Sunday morning and in other homes during the week. In the summer of 1987, missionary Kieth Bloyd and his wife, Linda, who lived in Ferro di Cavallo (PG) and were learning Italian, began attending the Sunday Bible studies in the home of the Morgans.

In June 1988, the Morgan family returned to the USA for a year furlough. A few days after their departure, the Bloyds moved into their home to continue the ministry of the Morgans. They continued, therefore, to hold the Sunday Bible studies, and at the same time they also had one in their home during the week. In June 1989, the Bloyds moved to Sicily. The Morgan family returned to Terni about 2 months after the departure of the Bloyds.

After their return to Terni, the Morgans again began the Bible studies every Sunday. Then in 1990, he baptized Anna Maria Gallina in Fred Whitman's church in San Sisto. In December of the same year, the Morgan family permanently returned to the USA, as did, shortly before, Tom Jones and Al Pick. Therefore, missionary Frank Di Bagno, ministering in Deruta (PG), took on the extra ministry to come to Terni at least twice a month, to continue having Bible studies. He continued up until December 1991, when the Bloyd family returned to live in Terni. After being hosted by the Di Bagno family for more than a month, the Bloyds moved to Terni in January 1992, in an apartment in via Mola di Bernardo, 26. Therefore, in Terni, the Bible studies were once again started every Sunday morning.

In August 1992, Kieth and Linda Bloyd, and Alfredo and Anna Maria Gallina, decided to start a church, having the four of them as the founding members, starting from the following week when Alfredo would be baptized. They also voted to accept a church constitution, have Kieth A. Bloyd as their pastor, and to name the church "Chiesa Evangelica Battista di Terni" ("Evangelical Baptist Church of Terni"). Then on September 6, 1992, missionary Kieth baptized Alfredo Gallina in the church at San Sisto.

The church held their weekly Sunday morning services in the Bloyd's home, and from September 6 to the end of that year, they had six first time visitors. Starting that November 15th, they began to financially support Frank and Sherry Di Bagno for £100.000 every month (about $50.00 USA). At the end of that year, the members were still the same that started the church, and the average attendance was seven each Sunday morning.

The next year, in 1993, no new members were added, but there were a total of 14 first time visitors. The average attendance remained at seven on Sunday morning, like the previous year.

In October 1994, the members made some changes to the constitution, and decided to rent a room in via Mola di Bernardo, 13, where they are still holding their church services. The first church service held in the new location was on that following December 4th. At the inauguration church service, the reverend Ron Brooks, from the USA, brought a message from the Bible and Pastor Bloyd translated. There were twenty two present. Even that year no new members were added to the church, but the average attendance went up to eight, and there were fifteen first time visitors.

August 22, 2002