Mt. Cilla Baptist Church, nestled down a quiet dirt road in rural Pulaski County, is one of Georgia’s oldest African American congregations. Organized in 1871—just six years after the Civil War—it stands as a lasting symbol of faith, resilience, and community.

The church’s own history reminds us of the spiritual foundation upon which it was built: “Mount Cilla Baptist Church – established in Hawkinsville, GA just six years after the Civil War – bears witness to the old Negro spiritual, ‘Lord, You brought us from a long, long way’ into this present time. And it is certain, the Lord will continue to lead us through the present and in the future as we continue to lean and depend on the Rock that is Your darling son Jesus!”

For more than 150 years, the congregation has kept this promise alive. The church was literally and figuratively “built on a rock” in 1871, dedicated to God by members who sought not only a place of worship, but a place of hope and endurance in a world forever changed by emancipation.

Today, Mt. Cilla remains an active, well-maintained congregation, carrying forward the legacy of its founders. Its simple but beautiful sanctuary has sheltered generations who leaned on faith through hardship and joy, ensuring that the spirit of worship at Mt. Cilla grows sweeter as the years go by.