1855
First Baptist Church
While Kansas was still a territory and conditions were building up toward the Civil War, a company of seven people was called together to organize the First Baptist Church in Lawrence, Kan., on June 25, 1855. This date makes us the oldest continuous Baptist Church in Kansas.
Very meager records have been found regarding this meeting, but we do know that the church was organized on this date and the names of the charter members: James S. Emery, Marshall M. Hammond, Samuel Jones, Rebecca Jones, Nathan Herrick, Lydia Ann Herrick and Elizabeth Parks.
By 1857, there was a large influx of settlers, and the Home Mission Society sent the Rev. R. C. Brant to be the church’s first pastor. For 10 years, the church met in rented meeting halls. It was during these unsettled times that Quantrill’s Raid took the life of Samuel Jones, one of the original seven members. In 1867, the members moved into the basement of their own building under construction on a lot at Kentucky and Henry streets (now 8th Street) obtained for $2,000. Three years later, on Jan. 30, 1870, the building that was to stand on that corner for a hundred years was dedicated. On the 100th anniversary of the founding of the church, a new Christian Education Building was dedicated.
Deterioration of the building in 1974 made the sanctuary unsafe. While limited repairs were made, Plymouth Congregational Church opened the doors of its meeting house to the Baptists. Our congregation returned to worship in its historic building for two more years, but continued crumbling of the brick under the main roof beams made it necessary to vacate the gracious old structure. It was razed in July 1976. Church members accepted the challenge to plan another house of God, which would enable His people to continue to fulfill His mission for years to come.
Through foresighted leadership, the church began acquiring adjacent properties that served as equity for a new building. The downtown properties were sold to Douglas County Bank, and the 6-acre site on Kasold Drive was purchased. The first service in the new building was Christmas Eve, 1979.
After several years of planning and praying, the dream of an enlarged facility on Kasold became a reality. With a cost of $1.3 million, an addition, which doubled the size of the existing building, was dedicated on Jan. 30, 2000. Exactly 130 years to the date of the dedication of our first building in 1870, the congregation celebrated with a service of worship as part of the “Blessed With A Vision” campaign. The generous gift of $300,000 from the Arthur Dougan estate allowed for the complete construction of architectural plans. The First Baptist Church is here because of the faith and dedicated service of many who have gone before us.
In 2005, our Sesquicentennial year began with an inaugural program at the church on Jan. 23, 2005. The theme, “Reflect, Rejoice, Renew!” was introduced to the congregation. The Mission’s Ministry also unveiled the “Give 150” program, a mission effort to focus our time and talents on several community organizations. The program was our way of giving thanks to the City of Lawrence for supporting First Baptist Church for the last 150 years.
Step Sponsored By: H. D. “Don” Workman Memorial and The First Baptist Church