Nestled on the back roads of northeastern Cocke òòò½ÊÓƵ since the late 1800s and in view of Meadow Creek Mountain, Browns Chapel Church has served the citizens there for well over a century.
More than 100 years ago, Preacher William Kent organized a body of disciples a few miles from the present church and called it Solitude. In the late 1920s, William and Stella Brown donated a portion of the present grounds for constructing a new building originally called Pleasant Hill Church. After a few years, the name was changed to Browns Chapel Church in tribute to the Brown familyòòò½ÊÓƵ™s contributions.
The new building was typical of those of the era, with two small classrooms, a pot-bellied stove and outdoor toilets. In the early 1980s, the building was remodeled to include bigger classrooms and indoor plumbing. In 1982, Stella Brown donated land to establish Browns Chapel Cemetery.
On July 15, 1990, the congregation dedicated a new building with larger classrooms and a seating capacity of 140 on additional land donated by Hazel Partin. However, the congregationòòò½ÊÓƵ™s joy in their new setting was short-lived. Six months later, a fire destroyed the new complex. The church met in the St. James Community Center until July 1991, while the present building was under construction. The present building, complete with a baptistery, located at 1049 Browns Chapel Road in Parrottsville, was dedicated on May 2, 1993.
Pastor Paul Jennings led services at the church for over 30 years until his death on Sept. 25, 2016. On Aug. 20, 2017, Rev. Randall Frisbee was elected pastor and serves to date. On March 24, 2024, the congregation dedicated a new adjacent fellowship hall with a seating capacity of 100, a full modern kitchen, two bathrooms, and a storage room.
Browns Chapel offers Sunday services at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Sunday School at 10 a.m. Vacation Bible School is offered during the summer.