To celebrate 150 years of service to God, there will be special events during the months leading up to the church anniversary date of October 9, 2016
UPDATED JUNE 30, 2016
June Activities
June 5 - Unveiling of the "War Room" for prayer
June — Bessie Smith Hall Historical Tour and First Baptist Church Tour - Group tour dates are determined by the Bessie Smith Hall staff. The tour starts at the African American Museum and end at First Baptist. Our church tour features "Pastors of the Past" - a short live production. Attendees are encouraged to see the sanctuary built by former slaves and to feel the bricks in the sanctuary placed there by their hands - their fingerprints still visible.
June — Recording of a CD by a choir comprised of First Baptist Church choir members and accomplished vocalists from the city. The music will feature songs representative of the 150 years of history.
This will be a complementary CD given the those in attendance at a special event (to be announced later).
July Activities
July — Bessie Smith Hall Historical Tour and First Baptist Church Tour - Group tour dates are determined by the Bessie Smith Hall staff. The tour starts at the African American Museum and ends at First Baptist. Our church tour features "Pastors of the Past" - a short live production. Attendees are encouraged to see the sanctuary built by former slaves and to feel the bricks of the sanctuary placed there by their hands - their fingerprints still visible on a few bricks.
July 13-17— Vacation Bible School
- 13th, 14th, 15th (Wednesday through Friday) — 5:30pm to 8:00pm
- 16th (Saturday) — 12 noon to 3pm - swimming at the Kenneth Buchanan Red Bank swimming pool (church provides transportation - meet at the church) - The pool was renamed this year in honor of a First Baptist member - Kenneth Buchanan for his 30 years of dedicated service as a swimming coach.
- 17th (Sunday) — 9:30am to 10:30am - Closing ceremony and breakfast.
July 23 — 10:00am to 2:00pm. Church-wide community service project: Washeteria "Laundry Love." Location: Maytag Laundry, 4011 Brainerd Road. Complementary laundry detergent and other aids for the patrons will be given out. (Church T-shirt event).
August Activities
August 7 — 11:00AM - Church in the Park & Picnic - Vulcan recreation facility - located on the left of the FEDEX complex on Shallowford Road (near the Moore Road intersection). This substitutes for the worship service normally held in the church building. (Church T-shirt event).
August 13 — Ladies Guild bus trip: "Fun with Friends Shopping Trip." This is a charter bus trip from the church to "The Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta" Outlet Mall. Contribution for the roundtrip is $40. The bus will leave the church at 8:00am and return to the church around 6:00pm.
August 18 — 10:00am to 2:00pm - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga "Back to School" Food and Fun Event in partnership with First Tennessee Bank and First Baptist Church Golden Gateway. This event will be held in the east parking lot. (Church T-shirt event).
September Activities
September 7 — Bible study, praise and dinner celebrating the 150th Anniversary. There will be a free health and wellness check by the Health Department and Chattanooga College. (Church T-shirt event).
Our special guests will be First Baptist Church Golden Gateway.
- 3:00pm - Health and wellness check begins
- 5:00pm - Dinner
- 5:30PM - Bible study begins
September 11 — 11:00am - Boys Day Celebration
October Activities
October 2 — 4:00PM - Combined worship service with First Baptist Church Golden Gateway at our church (506 East 8th Street). Dinner will be served at 2:00PM before the service. There will be no 11:00AM worship at First Baptist Church East Eighth Street.
October 7 — 6:00PM - 150th Anniversary Banquet at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Imperial Ballroom (Black Tie Optional). Call the church office to arrange for tickets - 423.265.3229 - 10:00am - 2:00pm Monday through Friday.
October 9 — 11AM - 150th Anniversary worship service with reception following.