Our Church History

The First Baptist Church of Wood River was organized on Sunday afternoon, June 10, 1916 in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Herr, who lived on Lorena Avenue in the same block as our present church.  Following the reading of the Articles of Faith and the Church Covenant, a motion was made for their acceptance and that a church be organized which would be named "The First Baptist Church of Wood River."  The meeting adjourned with a motion that the next meeting be held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Matt Freeman on Penning Avenue on Thursday evening, June 15, 1916.  It was at the close of this meeting that "the doors of the church were thrown open and a hearty welcome was extended to all present."  

For about five months the church held regular meetings over Max Nissenholtz's Shoe Store on Ferguson Avenue.  During this time, the first church building known as the Tabernacle, was erectred on Second and Acton where the Driver's License Bureau was located.  It was a one-frame building constructed by the men of the church who represented fewer than fifteen families.  This building was dedicated on November 26, 1916.  In 1917, Roy Thompson, Kathyrn Williams, and R.C. Smith, three of our outstanding members who are noted for their long-time service in our church, were baptized.  Two years later, when the church itself was only two and one-half years old, it sponsored a mission in South Wood River, which later became the First Baptist Chuch of Hartford.

Work on the church where we now worship was started in 1921.  The basement was finished and used for services until the building was completed in 1922 by the contractor, Mr. John Sullivan, at a cost of $20,000.  Much work remained to be done by the men themselves, which they did as time and money became available.  Approximately 20 years later, on September 4, 1942, the mortgage on this building was burned and a dedication service was held. 

One of the charter members, Mr. Joe Eckman, who labored so hard to complete the building, did not live long enough to enjoy its use.  His funeral, the first to be conducted in the new church, took place in March of 1923.  Among the other notable "firsts"was the wedding of Kathyrn and Don Williams on December 23, 1922, and our first Vacation Bible School in 1924 under the direction of Mrs. A.W. Judd, the wife of one of our early pastors.

On April 10, 1958, plans were made for the construction of the new Educational Building which was completed in 1961.  Dedication services were held on October 29 of that year.  At that time there was also some work done on the older structure.  This included re-decorating, new lights and a public address system.  The final mortgage on the Educational Building was paid off in February, 1971 and burned on June 14, 1971.

Immediately upon final payment on the Educational Building, the church went into debt again to air condition and tuck-point the Sanctuary Building as well as repair the art glass windows and paint the Sanctuary.   The mortgage was burned in April of 1973.

In December, 1975, our church established a scholarship at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary for the purpose of training Ministers of the Gospel.  Billy Joe Jackson of Arkansas was the first recipient of the scholarship in January, 1977.

In this brief history, we have place much emphasis upon the buildings and their dedications.  A church, in its truest sense, consists not of buildings, but of the dedicated people who make up its membership.  Down through the years, our church has been blessed with devoted servants of Christ.  We salute those who have finished their task, those who have carefully laid the groundwork on which we must build.  May we accept the challenge of continuing to increase the spiritual growth and wholesome influence of the First Baptist Church of Wood River.  May we do our work as thoroughly and well as those who have preceded us.

Pastors of the First Baptist Church of Wood River

   Rev. D.C. Blunt 1916 -1917

   Rev. M.T. Webb 1917 -1918

   Rev. C.W. Webb 1919 -1923

   Rev. A.W. Judd 1923 -1926

   Rev. John Patterson 1926 - 1929

   Rev. Milo Moore 1929 - 1930

   Rev. J.B. Hyde 1931 - 1932

   Rev. J.W. Moffatt 1932 - 1934

   Rev. Ray C. Johnson 1934 -1942

   Rev. Herbert P. Rumford 1942 -1945

   Rev. Earl C. White 1945 - 1954

   Rev. Walter C. Burk 1954 - 1966

   Rev. Donald K. Herrick 1966 - 1969

   Rev. Jerry Belden 1969 - 1978

   Rev. Leonard A. Harmon 1978 - 1987

   Rev. Steven Van Ostran 1988 - 1995

   Rev. Stephen L. Disney 1996 - 1998

   Rev. Ivan E. Greuter 1999 - 2006

   Rev. Joel W. Lohr 2007 - 2010

   Rev. Robert K. Kirbach 2011 - present