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History
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Rev. Joseph Elliot, a Baptist minister from Ohio, held religious services in Moline during
the winter of 1850 which resulted in the formation of a church. The organization failed to
obtain recognition as a regular Baptist Church. However, on May 28th,1852, a number of
members were granted letters of dismissal from the Rock Island Baptist Church to assist in
forming a church in Moline, and the records of the First Baptist Church of Moline give the
date of its organization as June 1st, 1852. The church was admitted into the Rock Island
Association with thirty-five members in August, 1852.
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The first regular meeting place of the
Moline Church was a public hall located on Third Avenue. In 1856, the church building on
the left was erected at a cost of $3000 that served the congregation for a period of
thirty years. It was a frame building - 34 by 48 feet. In April, 1857, a church bell
weighing 750 pounds was installed. |
The original structure was replaced by a new church building in 1865 at a cost of $10,000,
and Rev. J.C. Read served as pastor during the construction. In 1872 it was necessary to
add a lecture room to the building because of the growing Sunday School. Pastor Read was
followed by Rev. Gilman Parker, under whose leadership the first union revival services
with other denominations of the city were conducted. In 1877, the first young people's
group in the nation was established by the Moline Church.
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| As Early as 1879 there was discussion
regarding the need for a new building. In May of 1886 the building committee presented
plans for a new church. Work was begun in July and on December 12th,1886 the new building
was dedicated. The facility on the right served the Church until 1956. |
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Dr. Marsh served as pastor from 1934 - 1945 and the church grew spiritually and in
numbers. World War II broke out during his tenure, and an honor roll showed the names of
fifty young men and women in the service of their country with a number of them overseas.Rev.
Brink served First Baptist Church from 1945 - 1952. Under his leadership, a successful
evangelistic program was adopted, and the young people's society was reorganized. A lot
located at 1901 - 29th Street was purchased for a new church site, and a drive was
initiated in 1950 for the funds for a new building.
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Ground
breaking services for our present church building were held on April 8th, 1956, and the
first worship service was held on January 17th, 1957. Mr. Frank A. Nelson, a former
president of the American Baptist Convention, delivered the dedication message on May
19th, 1957. |
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