First Baptist Church Denison will celebrate 150 years of ministry on Sunday, Sept. 28, with a day of worship, fellowship, and community celebration. The church is preparing to welcome former and current members, along with visitors from across the area.

The celebration will begin with a special worship service at 11 a.m., featuring a look back at the church’s history, stories from church members, and a vision for the church’s future. After worship, there will be a catered lunch of fajitas, sides, and a birthday cake under a big tent on the church lawn.

“God shows us in scripture how important it is to celebrate his faithfulness across generations,” Pastor Stephen Suffron said. “We want to take this opportunity to really magnify all that God has done here over the years, as well as highlight all that he’s still doing.”

Founded in 1875 during Denison’s “wild west” days, the church’s first building stood on Main Street, surrounded by twenty of the city’s thirty-four saloons. After a tornado destroyed that building, the church moved to its current site in 1907. The current sanctuary opened in 1958. First Baptist Church also played a role in starting other local congregations, including Calvary Baptist Church and Parkside Baptist Church.

“The Bible talks about a great cloud of witnesses,” said Carolyn Ramsey, a member of First Baptist for more than twenty-two years. “I think the people that started this church 150 years ago are going to be part of that great cloud of witnesses that we get to talk to when we get to heaven. And I believe that what we still have here today is part of that same foundation.”

Part of the celebration is an effort to restore and update the church’s buildings. Work will begin soon on replacing the exterior plexiglass on the stained-glass windows to make them more visible from the outside. Other projects will follow as funds allow.

But the focus of the church will always be on people. “To me, the church is more than a building,” longtime member Katrina Burden said. “I have dear friends that I have laughed with and cried with through the years, and each one has a special place in my heart. I’m proud to be a part of the legacy of First Baptist Church Denison.”

More details about the event can be found at the Facebook page First Baptist Denison 150th Anniversary Celebration or at fbcdenison.org.