Historic Phillips Mill Baptist Church is planning its 225th homecoming service. Phillips Mill Baptist Church in the Tyrone area of Wilkes County will have its 225th homecoming Sunday, August 8.

Sunday School begins at 10 a.m. followed by the morning worship service at 11 a.m. During this service the Southern Baptist Convention will present a plaque, choirs will sing, and there will be a special power point slide presentation including old pictures from members of the church.

All members and guests are encouraged to dress in 1780s style. There will be the traditional covered dish lunch following the morning service.

Revival services will begin Sunday evening at 6 p.m. and will continue each evening at 7 p.m. through Wednesday.

A different speaker will be heard for each service. Sunday morning's speaker will be Rev. Jamie Callaway, interim pastor at Phillips Mill; Sunday evening, Evangelist Scott Smith from Knoxville, Tenn.; Monday, Dr. Charles Drummond, state missionary with the Georgia Baptist Convention and interim pastor of Tignall Baptist Church; Tuesday, Rev. Terry Rainey, pastor of Motlow Creek Baptist Church, Campobello, S.C.; and Wednesday, Rev. Tony Lee, pastor of Moon's Grove Baptist Church, Colbert.

Phillips Mill Baptist Church was founded June 10, 1785, as one of the original Baptist churches in the state of Georgia. Sixteen members met in the home of George Lea with its founding pastor, Silas Mercer. These 16 members "were found to be orderly, and well recommended by letter. They received us into their fellowship and constituted and declared us to be a church, according to the gospel order." This statement is from the minutes of the first page of the church record book.

Members of Phillips Mill later met in a grist mill owned by Joel Phillips who eventually donated the land to the church. The church was later moved to the present site and the millstones from Joel Phillips' grist mill were also moved and are still in the front of the church.

In 1907, the house of worship being used today was dedicated. Improvements have been made through the years, however, many of the old parts of the church are still in place. The church is an active and vibrant part of the Wilkes County community.