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How We Came to Be...

In July of 1870, Rev. John R. Downer of the Mission Society of Kansas was visiting in Kirkwood, Missouri, home of Dr. Benjamin F. Edwards. In the course of conversation the subject was broached of organizing a Baptist church in the community. The two men prayerfully discussed the prospects of such an endeavor and made a canvas of the known Baptists in the area. “They were happy to find that a number of those interviewed were pleased at the thought of a church of their own denomination.”

“Believing that the time was ripe for a start, invitations were extended to those interested,” asking them to a 3:00 p.m. meeting at the Presbyterian Church Building.

 

On Sunday afternoon, July 31, 1870, fourteen members pledged themselves to become a new church. It was unanimously voted to adopt Articles of Faith as published by the American Baptist Publishing Society and Rev. Downer was invited to pastor the fledgling congregation known as First Baptist Church. “He accepted the call with the proviso that the American Baptist Home Mission Society would augment the small salary of $600.00 a year which the church could afford to pay him, so that he could adequately provide for his wife and four children.  Congregation meetings began in the Presbyterian Church.

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January 1, 1871:  Services moved to a hall on Kirkwood Road, owned by Dr. John Pitman.

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May 1872 :  A deed to a lot near Washington Ave. and Webster Ave. (later called Kirkwood Road) was to given to the church by Mr. W.M. McPherson.

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1874:  The eighteen-member church lead by Rev E.H. Sawyer found the means to erect its first sanctuary and adopted its first constitution.  By 1888 plans began for a larger building at the same location.  A Young People’s Society was organized and concern was raised for a building to house the mission Sunday School.

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1888:  The church was renamed the Wetzel Memorial Baptist Church in honor of Mrs. Mary H. Wetzel of St. Louis who had given liberally toward the completion and furnishing of the church building shortly before her death.

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1917:  Reverend C.S.G. Boone became pastor guiding the church through the Great Depression. While finances were an ever-present worry, under his leadership membership grew.

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1947:   Continued growth spurred the purchased of the property at 212 North Woodlawn, the site of the Woodlawn Inn. Originally known as the Lexington Hotel, the building had been used to accommodate visitors to the 1904 World’s Fair. At this time the church was again renamed becoming Kirkwood Baptist Church. 

 

In 1959 the present sanctuary was completed.

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1991 -1992:  The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship formed and moderate Baptists, who felt uncomfortable with the current activities and decisions of the Southern Baptist Convention, were able to unite and move toward some common goals. Kirkwood Baptist Church voted in 1992 to give to the support of mission endeavors through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

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March 14, 2001:  KBC members unanimously approved a resolution stating that we disaffiliate ourselves from both the Southern Baptist and Missouri Baptist Conventions.

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Today, KBC continues a strong commitment to persons throughout the greater St. Louis communities who hurt and are in need of support. Kirkwood Baptist Church unites in worship to praise God, to pray, to hear God’s Word and to respond with our lives and resources. 

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