First Baptist announces Sunday festivities
First Baptist Church, 17 N. Morgantown St., Fairchance, will celebrate Heritage Day and dedicate the newly completed Robert Bailey Archive Room on Sunday. The Rev. Scott C. Hoppe, pastor, announced the celebration will begin at 9 a.m. with graded Sunday school classes, followed by morning worship. The Rev. Carl R. Finley will deliver the message at 10 a.m. worship. The chancel choir will provide special music.
A dedication service of the new archive room will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the all-purpose room, located in the educational section of the church. Ron Palo will provide special music.
First Baptist began in 1898 when 77 people from Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Smithfield made plans to build a mission chapel in Fairchance. By Jan. 8, 1899, a white-frame church building complete with memorial windows became a reality.
The building was located across Morgantown Street from the present location of the church. By June 1916, the mission church became the First Baptist Church of Fairchance.
Today, First Baptist continues to be affiliated with the 322 American Baptist Churches in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
The church members participate in the Monongahela American Baptist Association, a group of 14 southwest Pennsylvania American Baptist churches, and in the Fairchance-Smithfield ministerium as well as in the newly formed Fairchance Community Alliance of Christian Women.
The congregation is involved in a variety of ministries. The week begins with Sunday school classes for adults and children, followed by the morning worship service. FBC also has a regularly scheduled Sunday evening worship service.
The weekly schedule includes Women’s Bible study, Wednesday evening prayer meeting, Good News Club, Baptist Youth Fellowship and Bible study, and chancel choir rehearsal as well as various classes and board meetings. During the summer, the church sponsors a week of Vacation Bible School as well as several weeks of camping at Camp Carmel.
Church history has been preserved in the newly completed history room, located in the educational section. The display includes historic photographs, documents, artifacts and furniture.
The Archive Room was assembled under the direction of Robert Bailey and the board of deacons. Many members and friends of the church have provided assistance in collecting the items displayed in the room.
For more information about the Heritage Day services or any FBC services and activities, call the church office at 724-564-2080.