[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 21284-21285]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF 
                           BOLIVAR, MISSOURI

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. ROY BLUNT

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 9, 2009

  Mr. BLUNT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the First Baptist 
Church in Bolivar, Missouri, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary 
of serving its community guided by the teachings of Jesus Christ. 
Starting with a charter group of seven believers in early September, 
1859, today the First Baptist Church in Bolivar includes more than 
1,500 members.
  Its 150 year history has been marked by steady growth and renewed 
commitments of service to the community and members of its 
congregation. Today, First Baptist in Bolivar provides more than 
spiritual richness; it offers recreation, child care, educational and 
family support through an array of missions, programs and services all 
geared to serve God.
  It started as a small charter group organized as the ``United Baptist 
Church of Jesus Christ at Bolivar'' and at its second meeting voted to 
build a house of worship--the first of what would be five structures. 
With unrest in the nation caused by events that would lead to civil 
war, the church treasury was empty in January, 1861. Three months later 
with the start of the Civil War, construction of the new church for its 
17 worshipers was halted. The building was left unfinished and in debt.
  The conclusion of the war left only four members of the original 
congregation living in Bolivar. It was 1866 when D.R. Murphy stepped 
into the leadership role at the struggling church. As pastor, Murphy 
took up the call to resume construction of the church building and 
mount a donated church bell in the new tower.
  Two years later the church was still under construction, but the 
congregation decided to move their worship services from the courthouse 
to the new church in August, even before the walls were plastered. The 
building was painted with pews and kerosene lamps in place by the end 
of the year, and the Bolivar church began to grow.
  The first organized choir could be heard in 1869 accompanied by organ 
music. And the size of the congregation underwent a dramatic increase 
when Southwest Baptist College was moved from Lebanon to Bolivar in 
1880. A month-long revival in January saw the congregation more than 
double, including the baptism of 28 people on February 8, 1880.
  By 1888, the church's name had been changed to the First Baptist 
Church, and membership continued to increase as the town and nearby 
college grew in population. In 1897 an entirely new building, complete 
with baptistery and gravity furnace, was in place. It was wired for 
electricity in 1901. It was replaced in 1926 with larger quarters on 
the northern half of Block #32 as Sunday school enrollments and 
congregational growth demanded expanded educational quarters. Other 
expansions came in 1959 and in the early 1980s.
  The character of the First Baptist Church in Bolivar has been shaped 
over the decades by its location in the bedrock center of the nation 
and its close relationship with Southwest Baptist University, where I 
had the privilege of serving as President before my tenure in Congress. 
Education and leadership have given the church a unique outlook on the 
world, its community and the good works it does in the Lord's name.
  First Baptist is making plans for their 150th anniversary celebration 
events throughout the month of September. The anniversary theme is 
Celebrate God's Faithfulness--Yesterday, Today, Forever. As my former 
house of worship, I know the people of this congregation, their work 
ethic, their love of God and the strength of their faith as they serve 
their community and the world.

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