First Baptist Church Festus/Crystal City

Established 1890

Timeline of events

1890 – April 9, Festus Baptist Church was organized with twenty-eight charter members. Started the first Baptist Sunday School. Services were held once a month.
1893 – Purchased lot at Moore and Grey Streets for $325.00
1896 – Accepted and adopted the Constitution of the Baptist Young Peoples Union, sponsored and developed by the Southern Baptist Convention
1906 – Started having services two Sundays each month instead of one.
1912 – Called first full time pastor, Reverend J. M. Pepper. Built the first parsonage.
1915 – Affiliated with the St. Louis Baptist Association. Stayed with them until 1925.
1916 – Established first mission at Pevely, MO
1923 – Changed name from Festus Baptist Church to First Baptist Church Festus-Crystal City. Changed location to present site. Started construction of basement of second church building.
1937 – Debts of over $60,000 on building.
1943 – Flood Year. Started second mission in South Crystal City, and the third mission in Bluff City.
1948 – Dr. George Hammon became pastor. Purchased a new parsonage at 817 West Main Street for $21,500. Hired a fulltime church secretary.
1949 – Hired a fulltime educational director.
1950 – Hosted the first Appleman Tent Revival.
1951 – Dedication of building for Bluff City Mission. Building cost: $27,000.
1953 – Lettered out 100 members to start Second Baptist Church of Festus.
1954 – Cornerstone Laying Service for New Sanctuary. Dedicated cabin at Bates Creek Camp.
1956 – Dedication for our present sanctuary – cost $220,000 plus $14,500 for air conditioning. Total debt incurred: $86,000.
1959 – We received 70 new members by baptism, and 39 new members by letter. Total gifts for all causes during the year were $84,258.06. Total church debt was about $17,000.
1960 – Purchased six lots for Emmanuel Baptist Mission. Celebrated church’s 70th Anniversary. Total membership was 1,349.
1962 – Debt on sanctuary paid, burned notes in May. Voted to build new educational building.
1964 – A new organ was installed in the sanctuary, a gift of Gene Philips. Church published its first picture directory.
1966 – New educational building completed – cost $330,000. Debts on church retired 10 years early. Interest amount saved: $65,065. Held dedication services for the new educational building in August. August 14 was “Move in Day” – group picture taken of the 600 present in Sunday School.
1967 – Established building fund for Alpine Mission. Re-started Crystal City Mission.
1969 – Broke ground for the new Alpine Chapel Building. First service held in the new building was December 7.
1970 – Started the bus ministry.
1973 – “Flood Year.” The church held services at the Crystal City High School on April 29 and May 6. 30,000 sand bags protected the church from water that was three feet deep on parking lot. Pumps were manned by church members for two weeks.
1974 – Replaced church roof. New roof was paid for in full by gifts, above the regular tithe amount, made by the people of the church.
1975 – Established the Christian Child Care Center with 12 children. Weekly fees in 1975 were $17.50 per week per child and in 1990 fees were 50.00 per week per child. Alpine Mission was organized as Alpine Baptist Church.
1976 – Debt of $60,000 on Educational Building paid in full by December.
1977 – Dr. George Hammon retired and Dr. Richard Adams became pastor.
1979 – Albano property purchased by Child Care.
1984 – Church started video taping services for a 30 minute edited version of the morning worship service on a local St. Louis Christian television station. The broadcast time was midnight. We now run three cameras and our broadcast time is 9:30pm on channel 24 in St. Louis and 10:00pm on 25, New Bloomfield.
1985 – Long Range Planning committee explores building needs.
1986 – During the late 80’s the church started a personal involvement with missions. Mission trips have been taken to various locations in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana to help sister churches with the building or remodeling of their facilities.
1987 – Hammon Building Fund established. Harter lot purchased. Building committee formed.
1988 – “Share Your Vision” meetings result in framework for proposed building plan. World Video and Balloon factory properties purchased for future parking.
1989 – Building Committee presents plan for additional space and remodeling. Church votes to proceed with “Together We Build.” Lottie Moon Christmas offering topped $10,000 for the first time.
1990 – Church celebrates “A Century for Christ” with a centennial celebration.
1993 – Flood Year.

more timeline to come

Photo Gallery

The following is a collection of post cards picturing the church buildings at many stages through the years. They were purchased on ebay.com by the webmaster.

The following are a collection of flood photos of this property owned by the church. The years are 1903, 1943, 1973, and 1993.

Timeline of Pastors