Century Baptist Celebrating 115 Years, Highland Baptist Marking 100 Years On Sunday

October 26, 2019

Two Baptist churches in North Escambia are celebrating a combined 215 years on Sunday.

The First Baptist Church of Century will celebrate 115 years at their homecoming on Sunday at 11 a.m.

Highland Baptist Church in Molino will celebrate 100 years at their homecoming on Sunday at 10:45 a.m.

Histories of both churches are below (scroll down below photos).

First Baptist Church Century est. 1904

First Baptist Church Century was founded with 25 charter members in 1904 on land donated by the Alger Sullivan Lumber Company, which sold the church lumber at a discounted price for their first building. The church joined the Pensacola Bay Baptist Association in September, 1914.

In the beginning, services were held just twice per month on the second and fourth Sundays of each month. In 1947, under the leadership of Rev. B.A. Hawkins, the church went full time.

The First Baptist Church Century building on Church Street received minor damage when a devastating EF-3 tornado severely  damaged much of the surrounding area.

Since 1905, the church has been led by 33 pastors, including currently by Pastor David Boyd.

Highland Baptist Church est. 1919

Highland Baptist Church was organized in 1919 after Miss Ruth Riddle, a local school teacher, began a Sunday School at Highland School on Molino Road, west of Highway 29.  With a gift of $200 from the State Mission Board and the donation of some land by Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Hastings, a building was erected in 1922 across the road from the school. The Molino Baptist Church, constituted in 1908 with twenty members, voted to join the fellowship of Highland. “Molino-Highland Day” was set aside as the two churches combined their congregations.  The building materials from the Molino Church were used to enlarge the educational building.

In 1942, Highland, striving to be more centrally located in the community, purchased land with a gift of $75 from the Pensacola Bay Baptist Association.  Under the leadership of Rev. E. E. Roberts, a lay pastor, the church began to grow; and on April 30, 1950, a new block building consisting of an auditorium and six classrooms was dedicated.

In 1953, the same year Rev. C. D. Fant became pastor, the church built a pastorium. This pastorium served as “home” for the next six pastors.  After Bro. Tim Patrick was called as pastor of Highland, and living in the pastorium for a period of time, the church purchased and renovated a home on Firehouse Road that Bro. Tim and his family lived in.  The pastorium was then turned into the church office, as it still is today.

On September 30, 1973, the two-story interim sanctuary and educational space was dedicated.  So different from the past, of baptisms being held in rivers, swimming pools, creeks, or a baptistry in a sister church, for the first time, baptisms were held in the baptistry that was built in this interim sanctuary. The mortgage on this building was paid off several years early, with a note burning on April 25, 1982.

Started by Highland Baptist as a home bible study in 1983 under the leadership of Rev. J. W. Dubose, the Dogwood Park Mission was established. With ground breaking in 1985, during the time Bro. Rick Wolfe was pastor, and a sanctuary with classrooms being built, the mission was constituted as Dogwood Park Baptist Church in 1986.

The current sanctuary has a seating capacity of 500 and was dedicated on November 18, 1990.

For a more complete Highland Baptist Church History, including a list of pastors, click here.

Comments

3 Responses to “Century Baptist Celebrating 115 Years, Highland Baptist Marking 100 Years On Sunday”

  1. Mike on October 29th, 2019 2:38 pm

    People of Escambia County FL have been serving Jesus for 3 million years! (combined) :)

  2. Doris Smith on October 27th, 2019 8:53 pm

    During my days with the WMU and Acteens your church was on top of my list.
    You have some great workers who have gone on with the Lord, especially Ms. Tucker and other, Please free free to contact me if you were an Acteen or WMU lady in the
    lat 70’s and 1980’s I would like to hear from you. In fact I spoke at your church several times, and taught the Mission Study for Foreign Missions

  3. Beegee Ryals on October 26th, 2019 12:36 pm

    WOW!!!!!!!!!!! Serving God Almighty for a combined 215 years!!!!!!!!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News