History of Early FBC Through the leadership of the Lord a group of people met on October 25, 1942 to organize a church. Forty members from Steeps Creek Baptist Church decided to establish a new church close to the Early School and named it Early Baptist Church. The seats were boards set on barrels. They met in a couple of homes until Easter Sunday, April 25, 1943 when the first service was held in an unfinished auditorium. It was a building made from green lumber by the members. Lumber was scarce because of World War II. It resembled a long barracks, not a church. There were multiple problems when the lumber started to dry out. Repairs were made and in 1946 a baptistery was added. In August, 1947 the church bought a chapel from Camp Bowie when the camp closed and moved it onto the foundation of the old auditorium. The first service in this auditorium was a memorial service and was held on December 12, 1947. The old baptistery became part of the chapel. The building was dedicated on December 14, 1947. As the church grew a new auditorium was needed and built. It was dedicated on September 27, 1959 and the old one became educational space for children. Prior to 1959 there were 4 buildings on the church property that were used--the long barracks, the educational building, the old church and the chapel auditorium. They were all separate from each other. The Deacons recommended that a new educational wing be built on the west side of the auditorium. The members voted against this proposal and on March 13, 1968 a revised floor plan was voted on and the west wing educational building became the children's department and the nursery was moved. The old barracks building was sold. It had been used for the fellowship hall, nursery & class rooms. The fourth & present Auditorium was completed in January, 1987 and dedicated February 12, 1987. A new Christian Activity Center was built behind the church and dedicated November 18, 2002. A remodeling project was completed in 2004. The halls and classrooms were painted and new tile was laid in the halls. The nursery & preschool rooms were moved from the Sunday School wing close to the auditorium. The offices were remodeled from the old Adult 4 assembly and classrooms (formerly part of the old auditorium). |