Copyright 2003 First Baptist Church, 321 W. Barnard Street, Glennville, Georgia 30427 (912) 654-3961

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~ SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES~

Sunday School

Morning Worship Service

Junior Church (Grades 1 - 6)

Children's Church (Ages 4 - 5)

Handbells

Adult Choir Practice

Evening Worship

9:45am

11:00am

4:00pm

4:50pm

6:00pm

5:15pm

5:30pm

6:00pm

6:15pm

Supper for AWANA Workers & Kids

Family Supper until 6:00

Youth (7-12 grade) Supper & Bible

   Study at Hubbard Park until 8:00

Adult Bible Study

~ WEDNESDAY WORSHIP SERVICES ~

~ HISTORY ~

In 1857, Philadelphia Baptist Church was organized in the Philadelphia Community in south Tattnall County.  Five men and nine women met on June 29th, 1857, and formally constituted the church.  The presbytery consisted of Reverends Hopkin Padgett, Tarlton Knight, J. N. Tatum, and W. L. Geiger.  Hopkin Padgett was elected as pastor for the first year.  A log building was soon erected.  It was located close to the site of the Masonic building.  Services were held once a month on Saturday and the following Sunday.  Growth of the church slowed during the Civil War, but by 1870 the membership had increased to 50.

Rules of membership were strict at this time.  Male members could not miss two consecutive conferences without a good excuse, and many were expelled for not having one.

Through the 1870's membership increased, although many members joined Ebenezer Baptist Church when it was organized in 1875.  By 1880 membership had grown to 75.  In 1882 a new church building was erected.  It was located next to the current sanctuary.  The log building was sold and used for a school for several years.

Pastors who served during this period were Aquilla Weathers, W. J. Griffin, J. J. Miller and G. W. Smith.  The pastor's salary for 1889 was $100.  By 1899 the membership was 134.   G. W. Smith became pastor in 1891.  At this time a high school did not exist in Tattnall County. Reverend Smith along with others conceived the idea of building and operating a high school under the control of the church.  Five acres of land was purchased and the school was organized as Union Baptist Institute. Years later, the original building burned and was replaced by a larger brick building.  In 1912 the land was deeded to the City of Glennville and the Board of Education began to operate the school. The school was last used as Glennville Middle School and is now a campus of Brewton-Parker College and Southeastern Technical College.

In 1904 the church ordained O. B. Rustin as a minister.  During this period a movement was started for a larger and better church building which led to the erection in 1914 of the present sanctuary.  This building also housed several Sunday school rooms.  On June 27, 1914 the name of the church was changed from Philadelphia to Glennville Baptist Church.  For many years the church was a member of the Union Baptist Association, but in 1919 a letter of dismission was requested, and the church joined the Tattnall-Evans Association. 

In 1948 plans were made to build a Sunday school building. The contract was let in August 1949 at the approximate cost of $40,000 and the new building was dedicated on November 18, 1951.  In September 1953, a contract was let to remodel the sanctuary.  The work was completed in the summer of 1954 for approximately $54,000. Air conditioning was added at this time. The name of the church was changed to First Baptist Church on October 3, 1954.

In 1993 a new fellowship hall complex was completed.  In recent years our church has grown in membership and ministry.  We currently have a staff of two pastors: Chris Rainey, Associate Pastor for Youth and Children and Jeff Brazell, Associate Pastor for Music and Senior Adults.  Our ministries have spread as far as Mexico where we have engaged in two mission trips. Our members have also gone as far as Khabarovsk, Russia on a mission trip. Our church has supported a local migrant ministry, and the Association Hispanic Mission.  We have a growing Sunday school program with 25 classes.  We give God the glory for all the blessings bestowed upon our church.  The following quote, which was made during the groundbreaking ceremony for the fellowship hall, sums up our history and our vision for the future.  

"Progress is not achieved by walking in the footsteps of our forefathers but rather by seeking what they sought."