First Baptist Church of Irving - Irving, TX
Posted by: 
gparkes
N 32° 48.627 W 096° 56.779
14S E 692272 N 3632141
The plot of land here, was donated for the First Baptist Church of Irving, in 1903.
Waymark Code: WM8NQG
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 04/24/2010
Views: 6
The city of Irving, Texas has an historical marker as well as the Texas Historical Commission. Both markers are posted below for the history of the church in this community:
State of Texas marker:
First Baptist Church of Irving
When the town of Irving was founded in 1903, developers Julius Otto Schulze and Otis Brown set aside parcels of land for the Baptist, Church of Christ, and Catholic denominations. The new town grew steadily, and by January 1904 the Irving Baptist Church was organized. Led by the Rev. Dr. J. B. Gambrell, the congregation began with eighteen charter members. The Rev. W. J. Shipman was called as First Pastor, and he conducted worship services once a month.
Early worship services were held in a local schoolhouse, in rented quarters, and in a temporary tabernacle on this site until a permanent structure was completed in 1911. The Rev. W. T. Newsom became the congregation's first full-time pastor in 1920. The name was changed from Irving Baptist Church to First Baptist Church of Irving in 1940. A new sanctuary was completed in 1951, and by 1964 the church's facilities had expanded to include an entire city block.
The First Baptist Church has grown with the City of Irving. Since its humble beginnings in 1904, the church's services to the community have grown to include a variety of worship, educational, missionary, and outreach programs. (1991)
A second marker put up during the city's 100 year anniversary states:
Irving * Texas
1903 * 2003
Centennial
First Baptist Church of Irving
The Irving Baptist Church first held services in the Lively School. north of today's downtown Irving. In 1907, Irving's founders donated a lot at the southwest corner of Fourth and Main Streets for construction of a Baptist Church. The congregation built a temporary structure on its lot in 1909 and a frame church there in 1911. They added a Sunday School annex in 1927. After buying adjacent property, the church built other structures, as well. First Baptist dedicated the present brick sanctuary in 1951.