First Baptist Church (Columbia, Missouri)
| First Baptist Church | |
|---|---|
The sanctuary from the North at dusk
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| 38°57′3.8088″N 92°19′26.43″W / 38.951058000°N 92.3240083°WCoordinates: 38°57′3.8088″N 92°19′26.43″W / 38.951058000°N 92.3240083°W | |
| Location | Columbia, Missouri |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | American Baptist Churches USA, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship |
| Previous denomination | Southern Baptist Convention |
| Website | http://fbc-columbia.org/ |
| History | |
| Founded | 22 November 1823 |
| Founder(s) | William Jewell |
| Associated people | Charles Henry Hardin, Edwin William Stephens |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Colonial Revival |
| Completed | 1957 |
| Clergy | |
| Senior pastor(s) | Carol McEntyre |
| Pastor(s) | Ed Rollins |
| Laity | |
| Organist(s) | Colleen Ostercamp |
| Youth ministry coordinator | Michael McEntyre |
First Baptist Church is a historic Baptist church in Columbia, Missouri. In 1823, at the time of its founding, it was the first and only church in Columbia. The Church and its members have played a prominent role in civic and religious affairs in Missouri. The church's Georgian Revival style sanctuary sits conspicuously on Broadway in Downtown Columbia; it is the fourth church building and second at that location. Stephens College, formerly a baptist institution founded by church members, is across the street. First Baptist has both a traditional and contemporary Sunday services, and formerly hosted a Swahili-language congregation. The church is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA. In 2001, the congregation joined the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and its longtime affiliation with the Southern Baptist Convention was ended. In 2004, the Odyssey Chamber Music Series was founded as part of a community outreach effort. In addition, the Plowman Chamber Music Competition, Columbia Handbell Ensemble, Esterhazy Quartet, and the University of Missouri Concert Series utilize the sanctuary as a performance venue. William Jewell, namesake of William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, has been described as the leading force behind the creation of the church. The first meeting took place in the home of Charles Hardin, father of Charles Henry Hardin governor of Missouri.
Columbia was founded in 1818 as the county seat of Boone County. A hallmark of frontier life in the Boonslick was lack of organized religion. As Columbia was growing into a proper town, it was natural that like-minded thinkers would join together in Christian fellowship. First Baptist Church was organized on 22 November 1823 in the home of Charles Hardin on Locust street between 4th and 5th streets, now Flat Branch Park. This was the first brick residence Columbia. The founders were formerly members of Little Bonne Femme Baptist Church south of Columbia who granted letters of dismiss after a dispute involving William Jewell. The church continued to meet in homes or outside in fair weather until September 1826 when the church met regularly in the Boone County Courthouse. In 1824 the first dedicated church building was constructed as a union church between the Methodist and the Baptist. Two wealthy men—William Jewell, a Baptist, and Moses Payne, a Methodist—funded the construction. This building was used for twenty years. A Baptist church building was erected on the Court House square after this. In 1891 the church moved to its present location, purchasing a lot next to Stephens College, at the time a Baptist Women's College. On this lot was erected a beautiful Victorian Neo-Gothic structure, complete with pipe organ and stained glass. In 1927 the addition of the extant educational building was added. Limited seating capacity and poor upkeep lead to the destruction of the sanctuary and its replacement In 1957 with the current sanctuary. This new sanctuary was connected to the educational building in the 1960s.
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