Gardendale First Baptist Church
Gardendale First Baptist Church is a Southern Baptist church located at 316 Mountain Crest Boulevard adjacent to I-65 between Fieldstown Road (Exit 271) and Mount Olive Road (Exit 272). The senior pastor is Kevin Hamm, who has held that position since April 2006.
The church traces its history to the 1876 founding of what was then called Chalybeate Baptist Church on a 1-acre plot donated for the purpose by James Kimmons.
Gardendale First Baptist Church hosted a community-wide Easter service at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in 2005. Over 10,000 people attended.
In 1960 eight acres were purchased at 940 Main Street in downtown Gardendale for $36,000.
In 1963 a bond issue was sold and a new building (now Marler Hall) was erected with educational space, temporary auditorium, and office space for a total of $250,000.
In 1968 another bond issue led to the construction of an additional two-story educational wing and transepts to the temporary auditorium.
In 1976 construction began on a new sanctuary.
In 1978 the new sanctuary opened it's doors for the first time on Easter Sunday.
In 2002 the church purchased 145 acres along I-65 in Gardendale for their North Campus.
In 2004 Upward Park was completed with 3 baseball fields and 1 soccer field.
In 2010 the church completed its present sanctuary and youth/adult education space on the North campus. The $19.7 million, 104,000 square-foot worship center seats 2,700, but is designed for a future expansion to seat as many as 4,200. The first services were held there on August 8, 2010. A 125-foot steel cross serves as a landmark for the site, visible from I-65.
In 2013 the church completed its Kidz Kingdom building, a two-story, 36,600-square-foot structure that connects to the main church building and houses all the children's ministries at the church.
Pastors
- Steve Gaines (c. 1991 – 2005)
- Kevin Hamm (2006 – present)
See also
References
- Martin, Wayne. (January 23, 2007). "First Baptist to resume work on new campus." The Birmingham News.
- Ruisi, Anne (March 10, 2009) "Gardendale, Alabama First Baptist Church gets loan for new church." Birmingham News
- Songer, Joe (March 3, 2010) "Towering cross nearly ready beside Interstate 65 at Gardendale." Birmingham News
- Garrison, Greg (March 6, 2010) "Gardendale First Baptist nears completion on megachurch complex." Birmingham News
- Garrison, Greg (August 7, 2010) "Gardendale First Baptist opens new campus Sunday." Birmingham News
- Garrison, Greg (September 17, 2012) "Gardendale's First Baptist Church plans $6 million children's building" Birmingham News
- Jones, Pauline Parker. (1976) "This is Gardendale". p. 25
External links
- Gardendale First Baptist Church website