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First Baptist Church
The first congregation met at the home of Myron T. Baldwin on South Fifth Avenue. Reverend J. O. Metcalf, a station agent who held services at the railroad depot, and M. Shirk organized the First Baptist Church on April 29, 1884. Reverend Joshua E. Ambrose served as first pastor. The members held Sunday school in Craigmile Hall, on the northwest corner of Fifth and Calendar. They built their first church in 1886 on the south side of Bell at Ashland.
The building was enlarged in 1893, and again in 1906.
A church reorganization took place in 1919 with 54 members. They adopted the name La Grange Baptist Church.
An English Gothic structure on the corner of Ashland and Bell Avenues replaced the first church in 1924. Over the entrance to the $60,000 building, the congregation placed a representation of the Cross, Star of Hope, and Ship of the Church.
An important year in the church's history, 1950, saw completion of Fellowship Hall, plus construction and modernization of classrooms. The work cost $125,000.
The congregation approved a name change back to The First Baptist Church in 1956. Three years later, membership reached its historic peak of 957. The same year, 20 families left to form a new church, which eventually became the Grace Baptist Church in Downers Grove.
A third addition to the church, in 1964, expanded the complex to encompass all the land from Ashland to Catherine Avenues along Bell.
In 1976, the congregation totaled 387.
| 10:00 | Children and Adult Sunday School |
| 11:00 | Morning Worship |
| 12:00 | Coffee Hour |
Childcare provided during worship
Handicapped accessible
"An American Baptist Church"
Several sources were used in the compilation of these entries including but not limited to:
Photograph from La Grange Centennial History 1879-1979
Last Modified: 11/24/2003