History

Historical Summary of First Baptist Church of Scott City, MO

On November 24, 1888, members of the Missionary Baptist Denomination of Kelso and vicinity met at the Ranney School house for the purpose of organizing a Church. The Kelso Baptist Church with a membership of twenty-two thus began with the covenant and declarations of faith being read and adopted by the church body. The church then entered into covenant by extending to one another the right hand of fellowship.

The church met near Kelso on one-half acre of ground deeded from August Margrabe and Margaret, his wife, to Abner McFerron and John T. Harris and their successors in trust. As a result of work done in this vicinity by Rev. J. H. Summers who was employed by the Charleston Baptist Association, a church was organized in Edna on April, 1906. In the organization of this church, the Articles of Faith were read and adopted. The need for a church in Edna was great. According to records from July 1905, Edna had completed construction of its 5th saloon with land purchased to begin work on its 6th. 

On May 20, 1906, the first Sunday School was organized and the first pastor of the church was chosen, Rev. J.H. Summers.  The church had one-quarter time preaching service. On August 30, 1906, the church prepared her first letter to the Charleston Baptist Association which had convened at New Bethel Baptist Church.

Evidently for some time the church met in the home of L.F. Farris.  Of course, the need for a building was felt and concern was given to it.  The church met on December 13, 1906, for the purpose of seeking out a site for a church building.

During the month of August 1907, Evangelist I.H. Jenkins was with the church for a revival meeting.  The church was called together during the meeting to further seek for a church site.  A new committee was appointed for this purpose.  The committee was immediately successful.  The church heard the report of the committee on August 19, 1907.  Their report was that Col. Wells had offered to the church as a donation lots 19 and 20 in block 10 located on the corner of Keeley Avenue and Second Street.  His offer was accepted and plans were immediately made to raise money so that a new building might be erected.

On August 24, 1907, the Kelso Baptist Church met to dispose of the Church property with the proceeds of this sale being donated to the use of the Baptist Church in Edna and the church building at Kelso was moved intact to Edna and located on the site of the present church. The church building from Kelso was a frame building and was placed facing east.

In April of 2016, the First Baptist Church of Scott City celebrated its 110th Anniversary. We are honored and blessed to be a Great Commission Church in the greater Scott City area for 110 years. We pray for many more until our Savior returns.

Historical Note: The town of Enda, MO was started in 1904 with the construction of the Thebes, IL bridge but soon changed its name to Fornelt, MO because of the confusion between it and another town with a similar name. In 1960, the towns of Fornfelt and Ancell merged to become Scott City with Illmo, MO joining in 1980.

First Baptist Church Pastors

Rev. J. H. Summers	May 1906 – August 1907
Rev. J. L. Howie	No Record
Rev. J. F. Mills	May 1906 – September 1911
Rev. McDonald	April 1912 –
Rev. B. F. Baty	August 1914 – May 1918
Rev. J. A. Sakevar	January 1919 – March 1919
Rev. F. D. Baugh	May 1919 – March 1920
Rev. Phillip Nelms	June 1920 –
Rev. W. M. Wigger	1922 – 1924
Rev. Gaines Lynch	1925 – 1926
Rev. A. B. Sadler	1926 – 1927
Rev. Wade Freeman	1927 – 1929
Rev. Whitely	1929 – 1930
Rev. R. E. Stevens	1930 – 1931
Rev. McElmurry	1931 – 1932
Rev. Dallas Kilmer	1932 – 1933
Rev. Wade Freeman	1933 – 1934
Floyd Rolfe	1934 – 1935
Rev. E. C. Polk	1935 -1937
Rev. Lester F. Bain	January 1941 – 1960
Rev. Calvin K. Tate	June 1960 – 1964
Rev. Thomas Bray	February 6, 1965 – 1967
Rev. Don Rogers Jr.	December 1967 – September 1969
Rev. Calvin K. Tate	August 1970 – November 1971
Rev. Howard English	February 1972 – August 1977
Rev. Dale Prince	July 1978 – January 1980
Rev. Ron Gross	June 1980 – August 1986
Rev. Johnny Lemmons	February 1987 – September 1989
Rev. Terry Eades	July 1990 – January 2006
Rev. Gregg Fina	January 2007 – June 2010
Rev. Jeremy Sells	September 2011 – Present