The History of

The First Baptist Church of Jefferson, Georgia

CHRONOLOGY

1866 – 2001

1866
In June of this year, nineteen people met to organize the Jefferson Baptist Church of Christ. The founding members met in the Methodist Church, then located atop the hill in Woodbine Cemetery. The group met the third Saturday and Sunday of each month.

The first pastor to the church was Jonathan Billington Sanders Davis, D.D., and L.L.D. He was born January 25, 1833 to Jeptha V. and Temperance D. Davis. Documents record that he was born either in Wilkes or Greene County, Georgia. Davis graduated from the University of Georgia in Athens in the class of 1856. On November 11, 1856, he married Sally Burns, the youngest daughter of General D.M. Burns of Jackson County, Georgia.

During 1857, Davis served as Professor of Belles-Letters at Cherokee Baptist College in Cassville, Georgia. Following his tenure at Cherokee Baptist College, he taught in several high schools and was offered, but declined, professorships at other colleges.

In 1858, Davis studied law with the Honorable Hugh Buchanan of Newnan, Georgia. Davis was admitted to the bar that same year. He was elected Principal of Newnan Male Seminary and served from 1862 to 1863. He continued active practice of law for quite a number of years, even after being ordained to the ministry by the Newnan Baptist Church in 1863. He was held in esteem as Newnan’s "Lawyer-Preacher." Davis then served as minister to the Jefferson Baptist Church of Christ from 1866 to 1867.

Sarah Burns remained her husband’s devoted and faithful companion until his death in December 1913. Together, they produced nine children. Sarah died 10 or 11 years after the death of her husband. Both are buried in the Davis family cemetery, 1¼ miles east of Newnan.

The Children of Jonathan Billington Sanders (J.B.S.) and Sarah (Sallie) Burns Davis are as follows:

Our church’s earliest records provide the roster and signatures of the church’s original nineteen members. Although the numbers by each name have been added for the purposes of this book, this listing appears in the same order as on the original signature list:

In the original record book, the name of Sarah C. Bailey (#19) is marked through. Although the reason is uncertain, it is significant to note that in the alphabetical listing of the original members, which also appears in the record book, the notation "excomm…" has been written next to her name. We feel certain that "excomm…" means excommunicated. Similarly, several other names have the word "dismissed" recorded next to them. We are certain the word "dismissed" has been correctly read and copied, but we are not certain as to its meaning. The consensus is that the notation means "excused" from attendance at that session. The alphabetical listing of the original members, as it appears in the record book, is shown below. The numbers by the names simply correspond to the numbers on the signature list.
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According to the church minutes from August 11 of this same year, the following occurred: "After preaching by Brother Davis, [the members] went into conference – opened doors of the church – no new applicants. Brother W.C. Howard elected church clerk. Brother J.S. Hunter elected church treasurer. Fixed regular monthly meetings at 3rd Sabbath and Saturday before in each month. Brothers Howard and Davis elected messengers to Sarepta. Micha Willson and Gray McLester elected alternates."

The following quotation acknowledges the acceptance of the church by the Sarepta Association. It is copied from the 1866 minutes of the Sarepta Association: "A newly constituted church, from Jefferson, Jackson County, having made application for membership in this body, and her constitution and articles of faith being sound and orthodox, on motion was received as a constituent member of this association." 19 members, meeting 3 times monthly. Delegates were: J.B.S. Davis, Pastor, and W.C. Howard

1867 
According to the Sarepta minutes, the Jefferson Baptist Church of Christ began the year of 1867 with 18 members. From its original 19 members, 5 new members were added, 5 other members left the church and 1 member was dismissed, thus as total of 18 members. Perhaps the dismissal mentioned in the minutes refers to the issue of Sarah C. Bailey, the member whose name was crossed out on the signature list.

One of the primary concerns of the early church was the behavior of its members, thus, strict regulations were adopted and enforced. Conduct had to be "in accord with the Scriptures and the rule of well-ordered Baptist churches." Any report of misbehavior necessitated a response from the member in question. The intention of discipline was redemptive, but there were occasions when "the fellowship of the church" was withdrawn from persons who did not give evidence of changing their behavior. The practice of stern discipline continued until the early 1900’s.

A second concern of the church in this early period was the "fellowship of the church." On occasions of difficulty within the membership, a committee of three was appointed to visit with the parties involved until the members were at peace with each other. In most instances the "call for the fellowship of the church" was responded to as "found the same in peace."

A third concern of the church at this time was the regular attendance of its members. Roll was called at each meeting and absentee excuses had to be acceptable. In 1870, however, the church voted to dispense with this procedure.

1869
After 3 years of alternating Sundays with the Methodists, the church agreed to buy one-half interest in the Jefferson Presbyterian Church in return for half-time usage. The cost was $1000. The church was expected to pay $500 in cash in 1869, with the remaining balance due the following year in 1870. The church passed a resolution of appreciation to the Methodist Church for the previous part-time use of its facilities. Rev. A.J. Kelly, along with J.S. Hunter, S. McCarty, H.R., and W. C. Howard led negotiations for the Presbyterian purchase.

The following is an excerpt from "The Story of the Jefferson Presbyterian Church – 1987" (courtesy of the Jackson County Historical Society):
"The records are not clear, but the impression is given that the Presbyterian group in Jefferson shared a building with the Baptist Congregation in Jefferson. Perhaps the Baptists conducted services two Sundays a month, and the Presbyterians worshipped the other two Sundays, or maybe the two groups worshipped together. Miss Catherine Newton and Miss Charlotte Newton feel certain that their grandfather, Rev. John Newton, whose pastoral work was mainly with New Hope Presbyterian Church (Athens Pres. Hist. Pp. 10-11) also served the Jefferson group prior to its formal organization.

Once the Jefferson Presbyterian Church had been organized in 1887*, one of the first acts of the Session was to appoint a committee to secure funds to pay the remaining debt due to their Baptist brethren and sisters who were at that time joint owners of the building. The price was "a sum of four hundred and fifty-seven dollars" to buy out the Baptists’ interest in the building and lot on the west side of Washington Street. The money was raised, and the sale was finalized on January 25, 1890."
(*this apparent misprint)

During the years in which the church struggled to build a permanent home, meetings were also held at the Brock Store building.

1883
The church voted in favor of a resolution to raise $1000 for use by the Sarepta Association towards its $100,000 goal for Mercer University.

1886
According to the minutes from a meeting in the Brock Store, the church was reported as being far short of the $1000 goal for Mercer University. It was also during this year that the congregation voted to purchase one-fourth of an acre from the Martin Institute property on Martin Street on which to build a church building. The arrangement of sharing the Presbyterian Church on a part-time basis would eventually come to a close a few years later.

1887
Progress on the new church building continued to improve during 1887. J.N. Hardy was assigned to a committee responsible for securing a lot for the new building. He was asked to contact a Mr. Whitehead for help in securing the lot.

Records also indicate that the congregation focused on attending Sunday School at this time. Although the formal "Sabbath" School was not organized until 1890, Sarepta Association minutes report Jefferson Church Sunday School "conditions" as follows:

      1887 – "fair"
      1888 – "bad"
      1889 – "improving with 25 members"
      1890 – "fair"

1888
In January of this year, Mr. J.N. Twitty from Gainesville, Georgia was assigned to the building lot committee. In March, the church considered more than one possible lot. One proposed lot was approximately ¼ acre in size and cost $50. The other lot, described as the "Thurmond" lot, cost $200. A vote of 11-2 favored the ¼ acre on Martin Institute property (joining Randolph) on Martin Street. A.H. Brock and J.N. Twitty were authorized to make the purchase. In June 1888, a committee comprised of A.H. Brock, J.N. Hardy and W.C. Howard was appointed to plan for building. Their charge was "to procure material and take such action as necessary to have the house (building) erected." In July 1888, the committee reported that the "bill for lumber [is] in hand and ready to be hauled."

1889
As previously noted, the church had decided to sell their ½ interest in the Presbyterian Church. There was some conflict involved in this sale – we think it had to do with ownership of the pot-bellied stove, but the facts are not known. The resolution of the disagreement eventually was obtained and the sale closed in January 1890. J.N. Twitty and two others negotiated the sale. In March 1889, a committee submitted the statement for expenses on building. The exact amount was not shown in our sources.

1890
In April of this year, the "Sabbath" School was established. The object of Christian education is to offer all persons within the church a planned program of study that will provide understanding of the Bible, the history and the mission of the church. Since the church’s beginning, the Sunday School has always been the focal point of the Christian education program.

During this same year, the church also voted to fix times for communion observances at May, August, November, and February. The earliest mention of communion appears in the records in June 1877. No mention of communion was made between 1877 and 1890.

Improvements were made to the church building this year, as well. The church voted to wait until fall to paint the building. Then, on August 8, the church voted to secure monies to purchase "a better bell."

1891
Church membership exceeded 50 for the first time with a total of 52 members this year. Dr. J.C. Bennett rated the Sunday School condition as "tolerably good."

1893 
Church membership continued to rise with a total of 72 members this year. 18 baptisms were performed and Dr. Bennett rated Sunday School as "tolerably fair."

1894 
The Martin Street building was completed and occupied this year. A dedication service was held on May 20, 1894. One hundred and twenty-six members and friends were named on the conscription list, which totaled $579.00 for the church. Several additions were recorded to this list, as well. Baptismal services were held at a site on Curry Creek. The sermon at the dedication service was preached by Rev. F. C. McConnell from the text Psalms 84:1-2, "The Joy of Worship in the Temple:" 

       "How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints, for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God."

As previously mentioned, the membership wanted a "better bell" for the new church building. The following paragraph is an excerpt from The Jackson Herald, April 6, 1894:
"The new Martin Institute bell has been put in the proper place in the belfry, and the bell for the Baptist Church has arrived and it will hereafter summon the flock of this church together every third Sunday and Saturday before. It will also summon the Baptist Sunday School every Sabbath morning at 9 o’clock."

At this time, the church also changed its name to Jefferson Baptist Church. The front steps to this 1894 edifice are still intact and visible. They face College Avenue. At the time of this publication, an effort was being made to obtain ownership of the steps, thus preserving the physical reference to this point in our history.

At a session on May 18, two members were found guilty of using profanity. On October 19, the two members guilty of profanity admitted publicly to their guilt and asked forgiveness. The church voted to forgive and the gentlemen were reinstated. Also in 1894, one lady and her son were excluded on a heresy charge. As far as we could determine, no further mention was made of this case. The Sunday School during the same year was rated as "good."

1895 
The church performed 11 baptisms this year and the Sunday School continued to be rated as "good."

1896 
The Sunday School was again rated "good" and claimed over 100 members/attendees. The financial condition of the early church received attention this year. A committee was responsible for collecting funds. In February, the church decided to request adults to pay $2.00 a year per capita and $0.50 for children. If members failed to meet this assessment, they were called before the conference.

1899 
Membership continued to increase steadily over the next several years with a greater emphasis on stewardship obligations. On July 15, A.C. Appleby, his wife, and their children, Lottie, Elebie and Meda transferred letters from Harmony Grove Church.

1900 
At the turn of the century, the church was in its 35th year and reported 63 baptisms and 118 members.

1904 
During this year, the church reported over 125 members and the following year the rolls had grown to 148 members. The Sunday School was rated in "fair" condition.

1910 
Membership increased to 191 members and 46 baptisms were held this year. Sunday School showed 199 members and 173 attending. The budget during this banner year was $890.00! 1910 was also the first year in which WMU is mentioned. Mrs. J.W. Richardson was its first president.

1911 
The membership exceeded 200 for the first time with a record number of 218 members. Sunday School boasted 186 members and meetings were held the first and third Sundays. On July 5, 25 new members joined by transfer of letter. On December 31, Mrs. J.S. Hartsfield was listed as the church pianist. This is the first mention of church music. The church elected J.C. Bennett as the chorister.

1912 
Rules of decorum were adopted this year.

1913 
Mrs. M.C. Puckett was selected as the WMU president this year. Outside the church, members witnessed the ratification of the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This Amendment legalized the taxing of incomes.

1914 
With the increased number of members and the availability of a church building, meetings were held on the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Sundays of every month. Membership continued to grow to a total of 226 members.

1915 
The pastor’s salary was raised to $900 this year.

1916 
Meetings were now held on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Sundays of every month.

1917 
During this year, membership increased to 231 members. Sunday School had 172 members with 88 attending, B.Y.P.U. (Baptist Young People Union) had 40 persons attending, and WMU had 39 persons involved. The church called the Rev. E.E. Walker as its first full time minister. The church also elected a nine-member deacon board.

1918 
The Sunday School was rated "A #1 Standard" this year. (We think this was as good as it could get!) The years 1915-1918 recorded 38 baptisms and 38 transfers by letters, totaling 76 new people, but the church also lost 43 members by transfer of letter or death. The net of this was an increase of 33 persons. These were also the World War I years. No mention of that fact is made in any of our source documents. We presume the effect of the war was understood completely by everyone, thus a comment or mention in church documents was not required.

1919 
Rev. Milo H. Massey accepted the call of the church this year. The church continued to grow steadily to over 300 members. With such growth, the church had exceeded its capacity and the need for a new facility was recognized. Appropriate committees were appointed and the present church property on Washington Street was purchased in January. The construction of a new building became a long, difficult, but significant undertaking. Members contributed their time and labor, as well as their money, to the construction project. Money was tight in the years leading up to and during the Great Depression.

1921 
The church negotiated for a loan with the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention in the amount of $10,000. Two thousand dollars were to be paid each year for five years. In borrowing these funds, it was necessary for the church to incorporate itself. This was done and the name of the church was changed to The First Baptist Church of Jefferson, Georgia, Incorporated.

Everyone pitched in to help meet the new financial obligations. The Women’s Missionary Society had moneymaking projects that included chicken stews, oyster stews and the "invention" of chicken mull. Rummage sales and the sale of pansy plants purchased from "Pitzonka Pansy Plants of New Jersey" were divided and sold at $0.50 per dozen. Even with all the money raising projects, the church still had a difficult time paying off its loans.

Help in providing for the new building came from several sources outside the church membership. Assistance with providing and transporting supplies came from five area churches - Oconee, Academy, Cabin Creek, Crooked Creek, and Thyatira. Gainesville First Baptist helped with the Junior Department. Attica gave the front doors and the Baraca class of Hartwell Baptist gave the outside portico lights.

The new building reportedly seated 500 and was built at a cost of $60,000. It included 18 rooms. The first service in the building was held on August 21, 1921. Dr. Milo H. Massey, who led the church during the building process, delivered the sermon. The congregation marched from the older building on Martin Street to the new building. Some recall the congregation sang hymns during the march. Others do not recall this. Therefore, let it suffice that there was joy and celebration over the accomplishment.

Dr. Massey preached a long sermon, as he frequently did. His text was Acts 2:16: "No, this is what* was spoken through the prophet Joel." (*Other translations read "No, this is that…", which was his sermon title. A copy of this sermon is in the archives if there is interest in how he used this text.)

The following except is from The Christian Index of that time:
"FIRST CHURCH, JEFFERSON. Sarepta Association. Present building Erected 1920-21, cost $60,000. Membership has increased from 19 to more than 300. Pledged $15,000 to the Seventy-five Million Fund. Has flourishing Sunday school, Junior and Senior B.Y.P.U., W.M.S., Y.W.A., G.A. and Sunbeam Band. The Seventy-five Million Campaign has greatly stimulated every phase of the church work and the impetus it imparted enabled us to undertake the erection of the new building, an arduous task, which before had seemed impossible. Co-operative and determined spirit has never more clearly prevailed and the work is showing very marked progress."

 The following excerpt was written by Dr. Louie Newton after his visit to the First Baptist Church of Jefferson. It is taken from The Christian Index, March 1, 1923.
"And then the climax – the Baptist Church. I say this without any hesitancy because it is the best building in the town and I believe that the entire community, Methodists and Presbyterians and Christians, would agree with that statement.

"It was Sunday school time and Pastor Massey took me right in to the building and conducted me to his study. There I saw one of the best private libraries that I have found anywhere in Georgia. I knew he was a student but I did not expect to find amongst his books such a range of reading. And over his study fireplace is a sort of key to the story in the picture of his professors at the Seminary. Mr. Massey was a classmate of Dr. DeMent, Dr. Harrison, Dr. C.M. Thompson, Dr. Tralle and other well-known denominational leaders and preachers. He graduated at the Seminary in 1899 and from Mercer in 1896.

"Mr. A.C. Brown, the superintendent of the Sunday school, showed me the school in action. It is departmental and works easily because the equipment is at hand for everything. The classrooms are well arranged and each department can reach the central auditorium with the leastamount of noise. When the entire school assembled for the closing exercises it was good to see a secretary making up his six-point record and reporting ninety percent of the total attendance was on time! When the Sunday school was dismissed there was little change in the audience—they were all at Sunday school and they all stayed for church!

"That building is a beautiful specimen of modern church architecture. They have spent $60,000 and I believe that they have more to show for their money than any other one church plant I have seen in Georgia. The workmanship is superb. The material is first class. The design is serviceable and artistic. They have a church plant that will be a pioneer in Georgia for another decade. And the fine thing is that they have only about $21,000 indebtedness. By the end of the five year period in which they launched the building project they will have retired the entire amount. That is certainly refreshing."

Thus, in 55 years of "life" prior to the 1921 building, the church had four houses of worship:

Some of the new members that joined the church around this time period are listed below, along with their date of joining the church:
 

With Mabeth Storey’s baptism on May 23, 1925, all of the Storey families were then members of the church. The Storeys, Dicksons and Bennetts were all members of this church. Their service to the church is immeasurable. Without their many contributions and leadership, the church could not have arrived at the high quality position that it is today.

There were lean years after the construction of the new church building, however. At the beginning, the building was heated with a pot-bellied stove and services were held in the unfinished basement (now the fellowship hall). The effect of these lean years, however, did have a positive outcome by drawing the members into close contact through fellowship and uniting them under a common goal.

1926 
In December of this year, two of our church’s most meaningful traditions began - the Christmas Pageant and the White Christmas Tree. Mrs. M. M. Bryan, Sr. directed the first Christmas pageant and since 1946, the "Pageant of the Holy Nativity" has been an annual presentation. The idea of the White Christmas Tree was prompted by the great need of paying off the church’s loans. In the ensuing 75 years, it has been used in many ways to meet financial obligations, to allow for building expansion and renovation, and to help provide for a broader and better program of ministry. There is a more detailed history of the Pageant, as well as The White Christmas Tree, under the section of this volume entitled "Traditions."

During the year of 1926, the church recorded a total of 304 members. Sunday School enrolled 233 members, with an average attendance of 129 persons. B.Y.P.U. had 15 members at the time.

1927 
The years between 1927 and 1941 encompassed fourteen years of slow, hard times with the United States actively involved in World War I. Many current members can recall these years and any one could recite a story about them. It seems that the winters were even colder then! Despite the economic conditions, staff salary was increased from $1000 a year in 1919 to $2000 a year in 1924. The salary stayed at that level until 1933 when it was reduced to $1500. An additional loan was negotiated with the Home Mission Board in 1929 for $17,000, with payments of $1750.37 due each of the following years for 19 years.

The church struggled but survived due to an insurmountable spirit. When one sees the spiritual product of the church teaching during that time, it seems remarkable that it was done in an environment of want, need and limited resources. The spirit and grace of God manifested itself again and again.

We regret the absence of much narrative historical detail during that fourteen-year period. There is statistical data included in the "Appendix" section under "charts and graphs."

1939 
During this year, the Baptist World Alliance met in Atlanta from July 22-29. Over 75,000 people were counted during those days! It was hailed as the "greatest religious meeting ever held on American shores." This church sent delegates and many others attended at least one of the meetings. The event "cleared" $30,000 to the benefit of World Missions as well as local needs.

In 1939, our church recorded 306 members. That same year, the entire area was saddened at the death of Mr. W.W. Dickson ("Uncle" or "Mr. Will," as he was known). He was deacon, lay leader and church clerk for almost 45 years. A volume could be written about all the good he did for this church.

1940 
The budget during this year was $4000 with 10.5% earmarked for missions.

1941 
On May 29, the church suffered the loss of their pastor when Mr. R.M. Rigdon died. Mr. R.M. Rigdon had served the church from 1928 and his tenure was the longest of all our ministers to date. The Sarepta Association adopted the following resolution at its 1941 meeting:

"May 29, 1941 – The death of Rev. R.M. Rigdon, for nearly 13 years pastor of the Jefferson Baptist Church occurred on May 29 this year, after a prolonged illness. Brother Rigdon found a place of distinct usefulness in our section, proving his worth as leader and counselor as well as local pastor. He served acceptably and efficiently several churches in the vicinity of Jefferson during the period of his resident there. Thus a large territory, several churches and many of our people have suffered loss in his going. A native Georgian, he spent his life in loyal support of the Master’s cause amidst the people with whom he was identified both by natural affection and by responsibility as a minister of Jesus Christ. We miss him here, but his works do follow him, and thus shall the memory of him afford us a blessing."

1942 
In the winter of this year, historic Martin Institute was destroyed by a fire set by a disgruntled student. As always, the church "answered the call" and made all facilities available to the school system. Most of the church’s building space was used to house the elementary grades. The church building was used continually for this same purpose until 1946, when a new building was constructed for the school (presently Jefferson High School). During this same year, the first organ was purchased to enhance the music program.

1945 
The years between 1941 and 1945 were World War II years. The comments made earlier about World War I are applicable here, as well. The year of 1945, however, was a great year in that many who had military service began coming home.

November 11, 1945 was a significant day in the life of the church. On that date, the church building was dedicated and the notes and mortgage burned. Various improvements to the church property have since been made. The church breathed free of debt until the 1960’s when additional properties were acquired.

1946-1953 
The years between 1946 and 1953 were the post-war years. Baby Boom! The generation currently entering senior status was born in these years. They now lead this church. We are in good hands and, if they continue to "remember who they are," the spiritual life of this church will not suffer. The "Boom" continued through the 1950’s and 1960’s and even continues today.

1954 
The sanctuary was air-conditioned this year. Then, after grappling with a strong resistance to change, the membership voted to change Sunday School. Existing classes were divided so as to make room for more members. With these changes, Sunday School continued in its role as the primary source of church growth.

1955 
Membership increased to over 400 members for the first time in the history of the church.

1957 
This year saw the employment of the church’s first paid staff, other than minister, when Mr. W.F. Robinson was named choir director. Mother’s Day, 1957, was the first celebration in which babies and young children that were "added" during the year since the previous year were dedicated. Brantley Porter, Steven Hix, Fred Gurley, Jim Bailey, Diane Shirley (Ariail), Paige and Alice Morton Bryan were among the first children dedicated.

1960 
The budget exceeded $40,000 for the first time this year. Staff salaries were $4,400 and 9.7% of budget was designated to missions. Sunday School claimed 307 members with 180 attending on average. BTU had 84 members on roll with 54 attending. WMU had 104 people involved.

1961 
The Holder house and grounds (on the corner of Church Street and Washington Street and through the block to College Street) were acquired this year. The house was used primarily for Sunday School classes.

1962 
The church assumed the mortgage on the Hardy home on Westmoreland Drive this year. The pastorium was relocated to this site from the frame house adjacent to the church building. The old pastorium was modified to house the pastor and secretary’s offices, a meeting room, library and Sunday School classes. One room was used by the choir for robe and music storage. This new building created considerable space in the church building proper, thus allowing for the absorption of continued steady growth.

1963 
The property that is currently the church parking lot was acquired during this year. The land was originally part of the site of the old Martin Institute. Through generosity of a local industry, the parking lot was graded, paved and landscaped. The concept was a memorial park. A granite marker and plaque commemorating many church members who had died prior to 1963 was placed in the park. There were approximately 90 names on the initial plaque. At the time of this writing in 2002, there are 172 names. A reading of this list of saints is an experience in humility and appreciation for the leaders – all of whom contributed to the healthy life and growth of this church. The inscription at the head of the plaque is a quotation from I Thessalonians 1:3 - "Remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." The park was dedicated in December 1964. In 1963 the Holder house was razed and the grounds landscaped.

1964 
During this year, every sanctuary pew was removed, hauled to Atlanta, completely dismantled, refinished and reassembled by Trinity Furniture Shops. The congregation sat in chairs on a bare floor since the old carpet was also being replaced. With a few exceptions, the pews have held up well and appear solid enough for another 82 years – their age in 2002! It was a great day when the sanctuary was restored.

1966 
On June 26, the church celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding. Many former pastors, members, and friends returned to Jefferson for the worship service and feasting under the shade trees.

As part of the centennial celebration, the church agreed to help the Saint Paul Baptist Church in the construction of a new facility. Our church gave $7500 in cash and endorsed a note for $20,000. After the commemorative service at First Baptist, the congregation moved to a site on Gordon Street for a groundbreaking program with the Saint Paul Baptist Church. [The St. Paul notes have been paid in full by that church. In the years since, it has built and paid cash for an addition of substantial size. This beginning, which was afforded by our church, has allowed St. Paul magnificent growth and success in all of its endeavors.]

In order to make a fresh start for the next 100 years, considerable redecorating of our own church was undertaken. The sanctuary, vestibule stairways and Sunday School areas were all carpeted. Individual classes contributed time and money toward this work.

In May of 1966, the Rev. Tom George resigned to accept a commission as chaplain in the U.S. Army and had a tour of duty in Vietnam.

1969 
The church held a Valentine Banquet with much success, fun, and fellowship on the part of a large crowd. In December of that year, the first Christmas Banquet was held. The event continues to be well attended and enjoyed as part of the Christmas celebration each year.

1970 
At the beginning of 1970, the record showed 450 members. 327 of these members were local residents. The budget was $38,500 with an approximate 8% designated to missions. Debt at that time was $22,560.

This same year, the church decided to change the end of the financial year from September 30 to December 31. The thinking, which proved correct, was that ending the year so soon after the normally "lean" income months of summer was not commensurate with having total gifts help reach the budgeted amount. The thinking was that, historically, the fall months yielded the best offerings due to the special appeal of holidays and the White Christmas Tree. The change benefited the financial condition of the church and we have consistently met the budget since that time.

In 1970, the Susan B. Baird Memorial Fund, in memory of her son, William Homer Baird, made a substantial gift to the church. This gift was used to redecorate the annex – the house previously used as the pastorium and later as Sunday School rooms. Ladies of the church made drapes and volunteers did the painting. The redecorated annex was dedicated May 24, 1970 and housed church offices, the library, choir robe storage, music storage, and several Sunday School classes.

The year 1970 also marked another pivotal point in the history of the congregation. Renewal and reorganization occurred when the focus of the church became an approach in preparation and ministry. A coordinator system was instituted and the Church Cabinet became a functioning program planning body. The Sunday evening program was changed from traditional services to in-depth seminars. The youth program received major emphasis. Enthusiasm rekindled!

1971 
The 1942 vintage organ had served well during its years of use. In 1971, however, it was replaced with an Allen console model. This instrument was paid for by special offerings.

1974 
The kitchen was rebuilt along with some remodeling of the fellowship hall. Again, the improvements were paid for with special offerings. On the evening of the facilities first use, when it was to be announced the project was completely debt free, it was discovered that we were almost $3,000 short of the goal. The "hat was passed" and the money was raised – another time when our church rose to the occasion and did what was needed.

A strong youth choir participated in worship services and toured other area churches. The youth choir was even invited to sing in Greenwood, South Carolina and Mobile, Alabama. The church was very proud of the enthusiastic youth group.

During this same year, Storey Ellington was recognized for 25 years service as church clerk. Upon Ellington’s retirement, Elmo Waller took over as church clerk. Todd Wilson Appreciation Week was also observed from May 25 through June 2.

1975 
The tradition of Wednesday Night suppers started in October of this year.

1977 
After 56 years of classes, the T.E.L. Sunday School class was discontinued. The inability of its members to attend forced the move. A plaque dedicated to the "loyal and faithful" was placed in the room that had been used by the ladies since 1921. Members at that time included Mrs. Mamie Townes, Mrs. Alex Blackstock, Mrs. Brazeale, Mrs. Ed Wright, Mrs. Pearl Purcell and Mrs. Bertie Roberts.

1978 
Mrs. Suzanne Johnson began the church’s first preschool during this year. The idea was first discussed in 1974 and came to fruition in 1978. Enrollment was open to church members and the general public. More information on the preschool can be found in the Appendix.

During this same year, the church voted to update the heating and cooling system at a cost of $8500. Repairs to the gutters, roof and windows were also made for $15,000. On January 14, the last installment on previous debt was paid and the note was burned in ceremony.

1981 
By adopting a housing allowance policy, the pastor now was made responsible for his own housing. The church-owned pastorium was made available for rent. The next three pastors, however, chose to live in the church-owned building and to pay the rental fee. A new system of deacon nomination/selection was also instituted and the church began a food "closet" to supply food for needy families.

During this same year, the church received a sizable endowment from Mr. & Mrs. L.H. Isbell. An Endowment Committee was formed which subsequently recommended that the gift of L.H. and Ruby Isbell be recognized by a memorial plaque on the north side of the church. This area was also renovated in honor of the Isbell family. The committee recommended that the money be invested as a permanent endowment. The interest of half of the fund would be used for special church projects. As a result of this fund, money has gone toward a piano, partial payment of pew cushions, an office copier, and a special fuel fund to help the underprivileged with fuel costs. The other half of the money was placed in a scholarship fund, the interest of which was used to fund the annual Isbell Scholarship. Scholarships were available to high school applicants, and awards were made in the spring on Awards Night at Jefferson High School. Scholarships were awarded for the first time in 1982.

In early 1988, the church voted to have an endowment committee re-examine the use of the fund and recommend changes. In September 1988, the church voted to invest the total balance in the Endowment Fund into a Building Fund for new construction.

1982 
The Dorcas Ladies Sunday School class purchased and donated cushions for the sanctuary pews this year. Mabeth Storey enjoyed an appreciation day in recognition of her 40 years as church organist. Over 250 people attended to show love for Mabeth and her untiring service.

1983 
In April, a survey for insurance purposes valued the sanctuary windows at $200,000. Scott Kinney, Gayle Pritchett and Sarah Hamm all served as interim organists. The church youth also made a missions trip to Lake Placid, New York to assist in building a church.

1985 
Mrs. Glenda Tolbert was selected as the permanent church organist. Then, in response to the insurance survey performed in 1983, "Lexon," a form of insulation and protection against breakage, was placed on the windows. Repairs were also made to the pastorium. The total cost for these updates amounted to $8,700.

1986 
A survey of Arcade, Georgia was performed by the youth in order to determine the possibility of establishing a mission there. As a result of the survey, the church voted to join with other churches in the Sarepta Association as a sponsor of the Arcade Baptist Mission. First Baptist Church served as the mother church of the mission. Several church members helped with the program at the mission. The First Baptist Church voted to help with payment for the land, the digging of a well for water, and the development of a sewage system. The mission functioned for several years, but in 1990 the association closed the mission doors.

Also in 1986, the church held simultaneous revival meetings as part of a nationwide effort by the Southern Baptist Convention. The membership of the church participated in a visitation program and distribution of Bibles to all residents of Jefferson. Weekly visitation was instituted to reach the unchurched and to follow-up on Sunday School and worship service visitors.

1987 
Senior Adult Day was observed for the first time in a Sunday morning worship service this year. The work and contribution of the older members of the church family were recognized and a special speaker was invited. A Senior Adult luncheon also was held at which various aspects of Senior Adult ministry were explored. These events followed a trip in April 1987 in which 13 Senior Adults piled into the new church van for a day trip to Callaway Gardens. Senior Adult Day was observed again in May 1991 as part of the beginning of an ongoing ministry for Senior Adults. In the summer of 1991, the Senior Adult Council was formed to plan and coordinate the social and spiritual ministries for Senior Adults.

The M & M Group was created in 1987 and continues to provide outlet and fellowship for those who participate. More information on this group is available in the Traditions Section of this book.

1988 
The church joined with other churches in the Sarepta Association to participate in Challenge 10/90, a program that involved a people census/Scripture distribution in our community. As a result of this program, a new Sunday School class was started for young married couples. Beginning with three people in October 1988, the class has grown tremendously in recent years and now calls itself the Open Door class.

In the spring of this year, the church voted to have a Long Range Planning Committee established. The committee’s task would be to define the mission of our church, to identify our strengths and weaknesses, and then, using this information, to develop a realistic plan for our future in the community. Our church followed the manual published by Home Mission Board entitled Shaping a Future for the Church in the Changing Community. One of the first tasks was the development of a mission statement. (The mission statement can be read in the "Introduction". Soon after the mission statement was accepted, the committee began studying the church and its community. Reverend Ed Olney, at that time employed by the Georgia Baptist Convention, was enlisted to serve as a consultant through the rest of the study. With the assistance of Reverend Tom Lang, Director of Missions for the Sarepta Baptist Association, Reverend Ed Olney conducted interviews of church members chosen randomly from a cross section of the membership. Based on these interviews and the data collected from the church and the community, Reverend Olney submitted recommendations concerning the future course of the church.

In October 1988, a Long Range Planning Retreat was held in the fellowship hall on a Friday night and Saturday morning. Reverend Ed Olney provided guidance and leadership to help the membership see the needs of the church and of the community, as well as to develop plans to meet the challenges that were presented. It was during these meetings that the church’s mission statement was developed and approved.

One of the recommendations from the Long Range Planning Report was that the church construct a new educational building. In November 1988, the church elected the members of the Planning and Construction Committee.

1989 
After several visits to churches within a 60-mile radius of Jefferson during the winter and spring of this year, the Planning and Construction Committee began to interview architects. In May, the committee recommended that the church enlist the services of Fant & Fant Architects of Anderson, South Carolina. The church voted for preliminary plans to be drawn and for a topographical survey of the church property to be completed. In July, the church voted to use the "Together We Build" program of the Southern Baptist Convention to aid the church in raising capital funds for the new building.

1990 
In February of this year, the Planning and Construction Committee presented the preliminary drawings and a color rendering to the church. A short history of the church and explanation of the floor plans were presented to the congregation. The church also voted to have the architects proceed with construction drawings and to receive bids from contractors.

In March, the church began the active phase of the "Together We Build" (T.W.B.) program. Every church family was visited by church members in order to enlist every person in prayer for the church. The pastor preached a series of special sermons and there were special lessons in Sunday School. Church members even gave testimonies in church.

Mrs. Joyce Storey Ethridge spoke to the congregation about the "Together We Build" program and the new educational building being planned. She noted in her talk that the last time the church had held a celebration about the spending of money on structural dollars was in 1921. Part of her talk is as follows:

"In 1921, I walked with my Grandmother Dickson in the procession from that church to the new church. I sensed the excitement of the celebration, but perhaps I was too young to really understand the significance of the occasion. I know people worked hard. I was allowed to watch some of the members (who were farmers) who brought their mules and big pans or scoops (forerunner of backhoes and bulldozers). The basement was excavated by manual labor. First Baptist Church has had a great influence on my life and the life of my family. I was baptized here, married here, and the church has supported us on many happy as well as sad occasions. To tell the truth, at one time with my grandparents, parents, brother, sister, aunts, uncles and cousins, we almost had a majority vote!!"

On March 18, the members of the church attended the T.W.B. banquet at Jackson E.M.C. At that time it was announced that $369,220 had already been committed. In the two weeks following the banquet, each church family was visited again and asked to consider making a three-year pledge to the building fund over and above their regular tithes and offerings. The theme of the T.W.B. program was stressed to everyone: Not equal gifts, but equal sacrifices.

On April 1, the church gathered for Victory Sunday of the T.W.B. program. There was much rejoicing when Commitment Director, Tom Wilbanks, announced that total pledges amounted to $503,220 – one of the greatest highlights in the history of the church! More information on this program can be found in the Appendix Section of this book.

1991 
In February of this year, the W.M.U. led the church in the observance of the Sarepta Association’s World Mission Conference with guest missionaries. In addition, the church acquired a van for church group trips.

On June 30, the church observed its 125th anniversary. Introductions were given by the pastor, Dr. Larry Eubanks. Greetings were brought by Rev. Dan Graham, pastor of the Jefferson Presbyterian Church, in whose building our church had a half interest from 1869-1888. Rev. Graham presented the church with a beaker of soil from the Presbyterian Church property. Afterwards, church members boarded buses to go to Woodbine Cemetery, the site of the first meetings of the Jefferson Baptist Church in the old Jefferson Methodist Church. "Amazing Grace" was sung and Jim Hix, Chairman of Deacons, spoke of the church’s history on that site.

From the Woodbine Cemetery, the group was bused to the Staton house on Martin Street, the site of the first building solely owned by the church. With many members standing on the original steps of the church, the congregation sang "Rock of Ages" and listened as a former pastor, the Reverend Bill Treadwell, gave a devotional.

At each of the former sites of the church, soil was collected. After walking from the Martin Street site to the present church property, church members gathered and watched as this soil was combined and used in the planting of a white oak. The white oak is a sturdy, deep-rooted, long-living tree that normally grows to approximately seventy or eighty feet tall and has a wide spreading cover. The tree is a symbol, and an ever-present reminder, of who we are historically and what we can and must become in the future. Each member was asked to put in a handful of soil into the tree planting.

Refreshments were served under the trees of the parking lot before members returned to the church sanctuary for the final festivities. "The Church’s One Foundation" was sung and the closing remarks were given by another former pastor, Dr. Todd Wilson. The congregation concluded the program by singing "Blest Be The Tie."

1992 
The church held an ordination service for the Reverend Jeff Greer. Rev. Greer wore many hats from minor maintenance to choir/music director and many other duties in between, including his central responsibilities in youth and education ministry.

1993 
On January 31, the church celebrated the completion and dedication of the new building. Some renovation work had occurred the previous year in the fellowship hall, kitchen, and pantry. This work was completely accomplished through volunteer labor by church members. The only cost to the church was for materials. This project also included the complete rewiring of the entire 1921 building – yet another service performed by church member volunteers. With all the renovations, the church property was re-evaluated at $1,900,000.

1995 
According to the records from this year, the church had more than 500 members and the budget exceeded $250,000. Debt at that time was approximately $500,000.

1999 
The property immediately to the rear of the main building (Westmoreland property) was acquired. The house was razed and the area converted into additional parking. The sanctuary was completely redecorated, as well. The sanctuary, balcony and narthex were repainted and re-carpeted. The rostrum was extended to allow for more choir space.

Between the resignation of our pastor in September 1999 and the calling of our new pastor in February 2000, Dr. Jon Appleton, retired pastor of First Baptist Church of Athens, GA, served as pulpit supply, advisor, and teacher to the church during the interim. His sermons, wisdom, lessons, and quiet leadership were cohesive and the church continued to grow stronger. In May 2000, Dr. Appleton was elected Honorary Pastor of First Baptist Church of Jefferson.

2000 
The years of 2000 and 2001, in addition to being a new millennium and a new century with their attendant challenges, brought more changes to our church. The most prominent changes are listed below:

• Changed the staff secretary’s job specification to full-time instead of the previous part-time hours. Pat Shirley currently fills the position and is a tremendous asset to our church.
• Mrs. Becky Gilbert, Director of the Preschool, was called to the part-time position of Director of Children’s Ministries.
• Sold the church-owned parsonage on Westmoreland Drive.
• Sold the 1991 van and replaced it with a new, 25-passenger bus. The price of the bus was $52,000. The entire price was paid by special offerings through an addition to the budget.
• New bus funds were raised in four months, without any new debt.
• Updated and modified the church constitution and by-laws.
• Acquired the former Jackson Funeral Home – approximately 8000 square feet of space for Sunday School classes and other uses.
• In 2001, more than 80 people volunteered to build a Habitat for Humanity home.
• Members of the youth group traveled to Savannah, Georgia to assist in VBS for a local church.
• Several members of the youth group and other adult church members traveled to Buffalo, New York to partner with a church involved in community mission work.

Our membership is growing quickly as new families move to the Jefferson area. Their presence is welcome and their giving spirit is appreciated, as many new members have proven to be free and faithful in contributing of their resources and time.

2001 
The current church membership is 439. Although statistics show that the church had over 500 members in the 1990’s, many of these members were non-residents or inactive members that had not been heard from in years. In the past two years, through contact and inquiry by an appointed church committee, many members were removed from the rolls. This has given the church a more accurate count of its total active members. Presently, estimates demonstrate that the resident membership is approximately 383, which is over 85% of the total membership roll. In comparison, the records in 1995 revealed a total of 503 members with only 325 of these being residents, or only 65% of the membership roll. Purging the membership roll was a good exercise for our church.

The average attendance of our Sunday School has jumped from 150 to 215 persons since the beginning of the year 2000. Currently, we average 278 attendees during Sunday morning worship services. Our budget has increased from $325,000 to nearly $400,000, as well. In the past two years, the church has exceeded the budget and has used the White Christmas Tree Offering to retire debt. In 2001, our members made a record donation of $25,200 to the White Christmas Tree Offering. The current church debt is approximately $435,000.

In the past two years, the church has restored the level of missions giving to 10% of the total budget. The church voted in 2000 to give half of its budgeted foreign mission dollars to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, while the other half continues to go toward the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program. Each year, budgeted amounts designated for the Sarepta Baptist Association and "local" missions have been increased. The church has raised approximately $75,000 outside budget to aid mission efforts such as Habitat For Humanity, The American Red Cross, The American Cancer Society, and the World Hunger Fund. The church has always responded to the needs of those in the local and global community.

The First Baptist Church preschool currently enrolls 70 children from three to five years of age. Nine staff members currently work in the preschool. Without argument, the preschool ranks among the highest in quality. Some have even referred to the preschool as the best in Northeast Georgia. The preschool is an incredible outreach for the church, as over 90% of the students are from outside the church membership. The leadership has continued to produce in the preschool a quality ministry and a wonderful mission of the church.

The following statistics indicate the recent growth of our church membership:

These additions total 118 members. 36 members were lost by transfer of letter, thus resulting in net growth of 82! This is approximately 23% of our overall membership!

The First Baptist Church of Jefferson has engaged in a four-year vision emphasis, which was presented to the church by the Reverend Cary Hilliard. The four-year emphasis falls under the slogan, "The First Baptist Church: A Church On Mission and A Church Growing Together." The emphasis seeks to enhance mission support and participation, encourage spiritual growth and relational growth in the church fellowship, and enrich the worship in the church. These are the ingredients of a healthy growing church.

Through the internal ministry, the church seeks to do many things: to strengthen, uplift, sustain, comfort, challenge, counsel, console, and inspire others. The church also desires to share one another’s burdens and to share one another’s joys. The ultimate purpose, however, is Christian growth and development. The First Baptist Church of Jefferson seeks to prepare believers for service within and beyond the community. It seeks to demonstrate this through internal testimony and external witness. In doing so, the First Baptist Church, unified in this effort, seeks to fulfill the mission of Christ and live responsibly as a People of God.

June 1866 through December 2001 covers 135 ½ years of church history. We trust we have presented the statistics, stories and statements in an understandable, informative and interesting way.