Wednesday, March 10, 2004
|
Wednesday, March 10, 2004 |
| Fayetteville 1st Baptist gears up for gala 175th anniversary celebration Members of Fayetteville First Baptist Church are readying for a week-long celebration of their 175th anniversary of service in the Fayette community with recognition of past members and pastors, an old-fashioned supper and hymn sing, pony rides, tractor rides, tours of the buildings, a picnic, and even an antique car show. The celebration begins Sunday, March 21 and concludes the following Sunday, March 28. With missions as its primary focus since the beginning, the church’s roots go deep into the community — all the way back to March 31, 1828, when a small group gathered on about two acres of Georgia cotton land and formed Shiloh Baptist Church. The church was then located about five miles down Redwine Road. But in 1842, the strong missions doctrine caused a split in the church, with the anti-mission group forming a new church called Ramah Baptist. This church later ceased to exist. But the mother church has survived over the years and, in 1968, formed a chapel in Peachtree City which later became the present day Peachtree City First Baptist Church. That church, in turn, became the mother church for North Fayette Baptist. Other mission churches started by Fayetteville First Baptist are Harp’s Crossing Baptist and Rolling Hills Baptist. Frank Ellis was called to pastor the church in August, 1993, and has shepherded the church in its most recent outreach efforts, both at home and nationally. The entire Fayette community is encouraged to join in this historical, 175th anniversary celebration. — Information contributed by Jeanette Ballard
|
