Aransas Pass
First Baptist Church
S
A N P A T R I C I O C O U N T Y |
Marker Text: The Reverend J. D. Hall guided the sixteen original members of Aransas Pass Missionary Baptist Church in the congregation's organization on October 17, 1909, almost six months before the city's founding. The church's earliest meetings were held in a house on the corner of McCampbell and Yoakum Streets. By early 1910 the congregation had grown to 84 members and a permanent church structure was constructed on the corner of Houston Street and Greenwood Avenue. Although the building was severely damaged by a 1916 hurricane, members repaired the building and continued to use it until the late 1930s.
As the congregation continued to grow, plans were made to construct an education building at the church site. However, the arrival of World War II brought with it new obligations, and the congregation chose to convert the building funds into war bonds. In addition, fifty-eight church members served in the armed forces during the war. The education building was finally constructed in 1948. Through the years, outreach activities have been important to the congregation. The church began to sponsor the Mexican Baptist Church of Aransas Pass as a mission in 1954. Later mission sponsorships included Port Aransas Baptist Church (now Salt Lake Baptist Church of Rockport) and Salt Lake Baptist Mission). The church has also sponsored a vacation bible school, a food pantry, mission work in Tanque Nuevo, Mexico, and hurricane disaster relief in Mississippi and Texas, and continues today as a spritual leader in the Aransas Pass community. (2009) |
Marker No: 15982
Aluminum 27 x 42 Subject Marker
Geographic: 27.900303, -97.148911
Location: 627 South Houston Street, Aransas Pass
|