OUR HISTORY

A group of believers used to meet for services at the old Pasco School Station in the Amelia area. On October 8, 1942, they were taken under the wing of Lutz Baptist Church and formalized into the Amelia Baptist Church Mission. The Amelia Baptist Church Mission had 9 inaugural members: 

• Mrs. C.H. Johnston
• Mr. Leon Rabb
• Mrs. Nellie Rabb
• Mrs. Emmit Syzemore
• Mr. Emmit Syzemore
• Leon Syzemore
• Mrs. Lula Parker
• Mrs. Perry Bates
• Mrs. Clifton Sessoms

For several months services were held in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wilburn Kirkland on Bellamy Brothers Blvd. A one-acre lot (where the church is currently located) was donated by the Sawyer family, and the old Pasco Station was torn down and its lumber was used to build the church's sanctuary.

On September 17, 1944, the Amelia Baptist Church Mission was formally and autonomously organized as Amelia Baptist Church. Heard T. Burnette was the pastor. The inaugural meeting was opened by singing "Send the Light," after which Rev. Norman Bennett of Brooksville led in prayer. After several more songs, Cpl. R.L. Burnette led in prayer. All Ministers involved in the mission were then recognized:

• Rev. V.C. McDonald
• Rev. D.H. Combee
• Bro. R.E. Hancock
• Rev. W.F. Tyson

Rev. J.E. Rawls of Spencer Memorial Baptist Church of Tampa delivered the message for the service, entitled "Christ is the Head of the Church." The service concluded with the congregational singing of "We're Marching to Zion" and a prayer by Rev. D.H. Combee. There were 30 charter members of the formally organized Amelia Baptist Church:

• Mrs. W.P. Bates
• Mrs. Charlie Croft
• Miss. Helen Croft
• Rev. D.H. Combee
• Mrs. D.H. Combee
• Miss Joyce Combee
• Mr. C.H. Johnston
• Mrs. C.H. Johnston
• Mr. Vern Johnston
• Mrs. Ida Johnston
• Mrs. Audrey Johnston
• Mr. Wilburn Kirkland
• Mrs. Wilburn Kirkland
• Beauford Kirkland
• Mrs. Daily Miller
• Mrs. Lula Parker
• Mr. Leon Rabb
• Mrs. Nellie Rabb
• Mrs. Clifton Sessoms
• Mr. Emmit Syzemore
• Mrs. Emmit Syzemore
• Leon Syzemore
• Miss Mary Elizabeth Sessoms
• Miss Robert Sessoms
• Miss Emily Sessoms
• Miss Inez Samples
• N.V. Sessoms
• Robert Sessoms
• Miss Lola Mae Woodcock
• Mrs. Fruzie White

Over the following years Amelia Baptist Church started several church missions, including Lake George in Dade City (later called Northside Baptist Church), Lake Caroll Baptist Church in Tampa, and Hicks Road Baptist Church in Hudson.

In 2003, Wanda and Don Fleming graciously donated another four acres to the church. That same year, the congregation agreed to change the name from "Amelia Baptist Church" to "Darby Community Church" to better emphasize its outreach to the entire Darby area.

Pastor Tom Craine retired in the spring of 2005.  After his departure, membership dwindled to 12 people. In August of 2005 Chris Conti began serving as the interim pastor. The name of the church was officially changed to Darby Community Church, and in March of 2006 Chris was formally named the church's Senior Pastor. Attendance began to climb again, and in the years since then Darby has continued to grow through a variety of ministries such as the Cub Scouts, Discipleship Martial Arts, Golden Arrows Day Camp, Darby Christian Academy, and Spurgeon College classes.

In August of 2011 Mark Narankevicius joined the church as the youth minister, and in November of 2014 he was ordained as Associate Pastor. In 2018 he became the Teaching Pastor, with Pastor Chris Conti still serving as the Senior Pastor. In December 2024 Pastor Chris Conti stepped away from Darby to focus on supporting other local churches, and Mark Narankevicius was chosen as the new lead pastor.