After 163 years, First Baptist Church in Iowa Falls will hold its final service Sunday.
“I’m still in a grieving process, for the whole experience.”
That’s Dave Evans, who serves as Deacon of the church. Founded in 1862, services for First Baptist Church began when seven people joined together in a house, now located at 615 College Avenue, about two blocks northwest of where the current building stands.
“They had a pastor, preacher, that came over here on Sunday from Webster City. And that’s how they got started. And they turned that into a God-honoring church that lasted for lot of years. Touched a lot of lives.”
In 1867, the first church building was erected at the current location, the corner of Rocksylvania Avenue and Stevens Street. The building was dedicated in January 1869. After 36 years, the old building was removed to construct the current building, which was completed in 1898.
Evans says declining attendance was a factor in deciding to close the church.
“We’re down to, a handful of people and getting older. None of us are getting younger. All the jobs that need to be done (at the church) and need to be done well, you you don’t want to do a halfway job for the Lord. So we just weren’t able to keep up with what we should do to be an active and living church.”
Evans says discussion about closing the church started a few years ago.
“We had talked about it, I don’t know, five years ago, and then decided at that time we’d push on and seek the Lord’s guidance in what we’re going to do and how we were going to do it. And things did not improve in that time, so, it got to where we had some older members move away and just saw the writing on the wall, I guess you could say.”
Sunday’s service begins at 10:30 a.m.
