Church History

Finding Inspiration in Every Turn

The involvement of Baptists in the Pittsfield area traces back to its beginning. Soloman Deming, the first white man to come to the frontier “outpost” of Pontoosuck, was a Baptist. Pontoosuck received the new name of Pittsfield when incorporated on April 26, 1761.

The formal beginning of the Baptist Church in Pittsfield soon followed. The year was 1772, four years before the colonies gained their freedom from Britain.

A Church was born!

Valentine Rathburn served from 1772 to 1798. In 1798 the majority of its members joined the Shakers.
October 1800, 15 members met to revitalize the Church. It was reorganized on March 23, 1801. Membership slowly increased. In 1827 the Church was granted land on the corner of School and North Streets. A meeting house was erected and in 1830 a baptistery was built in the Church.
In 1835, 106 of the Church’s members emigrated to the West. So reducing the body of the Church to leave but three male members. Growth resumed.
In 1849, the congregation became a regular incorporated body under the name of “The First Baptist Church of Pittsfield”. The existing meeting house became to small for the congregation and was torn down. One twice as large was built and dedicated on January 10, 1850. Membership stood at 3358.
In 1896, Morningside Baptist Church was formed. 116 members of First Baptist became the nucleus for the new church. The city of Pittsfield now had two Baptist Churches, one in the South end of Pittsfield and the other serving the Northern portion.
In 1909 a Church sponsored chapel was begun in the Elm Street area. For many years a Sunday School and prayer meeting program had been conducted in rented rooms in the district. A chapel was built on the corner of Elm Street and Northumberland Road. This was dedicated on October 5, 1913 to the glory of God.
On May 25, 1921 the Church unanimously voted to take immediate steps toward the erection of a much needed new church building. It was decided to build on the corner of South and Church Street. In 1926 the Parish Hall was dedicated. Ground was broken for the new sanctuary on May 22, 1929. The cornerstone was laid on September 15, 1929 and the new structure was dedicated on October 19, 1930.
In 1950, a passageway was dug under the Sanctuary, making in unnecessary for the choirs to go into the streets in their robes to reach the Narthex.
In 1996, “Restore the Splendor” was begun. This was a major task of renovation of the Sanctuary, Narthex, Chapel and Assembly Hall.
In 2015, the roof over the Sanctuary was replaced.
In 2016, we have begun the restoration of our Cupola.

THE PASTORATES OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

Following is a list of pastors for First Baptist Church from 1772 to present time, each shown with the years served. Gaps in chronology indicate periods when the Church was without a formal pastor.

The Rev. Valentine Rathburn 1772 – 1798
The Rev. John Francis 1806 – 1813
The Rev. August Beach 1822 – 1834
The Rev. Edwin Sandys 1838 – 1841
The Rev. George W. Harris 1843 (3 months)
The Rev. Arnold Kingsbury 1843 – 1845
The Rev. Bradley Miner 1846 – 1850
The Rev. Lemuel Porter 1851 – 1862
The Rev. Wayland Hoyt 1863 – 1864
The Rev. William C. Richards 1865 – 1867
The Rev. D. S. Watson 1867 – 1871
The Rev. Charles Spaulding 1871 – 1875
The Rev. Orin P. Gifford 1877 – 1879
The Rev. George W. Gile 1879 – 1884
The Rev. Edward Holyoke 1884 – 1887
The Rev. Orville Coats 1887 – 1893
The Rev. H. S. Johnson 1893 – 1899
The Rev. Gove G. Johnson 1900 – 1902
The Rev. F. W. Lockwood 1902 – 1908
The Rev. Charles MacGregor 1908 – 1918
The Rev. Maurice A. Levy 1919 – 1932
The Rev. Paul L. Sturgis 1933 – 1943
The Rev. Christian B. Jensen 1943 – 1957
The Rev. Ellis J. Holt 1957 – 1963
The Rev. R. Perry Bartlett 1964 – 1966
The Rev. George L. Middleton 1966 – 1973
The Rev. Dale Lock 1974 – 1992
The Rev. Dr. David J. Rowe 1993 – 1997
The Rev. Dr. Robert Renne 1998 – 2011
The Rev. Sheila Sholes-Ross 2013 – present

ASSOCIATE PASTORS

Rev. James Grant 1895 – 1896
Rev. Arthur Cole 1897 – 1899
Rev. Henry S. Mullowney no date
Rev. Harold Curtis no date – Ordained 7/27/1916 at Elm Street Chapel
Rev. Harold Campbell 1919 – 1922
Rev. Harold Stoddard 1922 – 1923
Rev. Clifford Peaslee 1923 – 1924
Rev. George Holt 1926 – ?
Rev. Albert Derbyshire 1928 -1931
Rev. Phillips B. Henderson 1947 – 1949
Rev. Hebert J. Murray 1950 – 1957
Rev. J. Vance Williams 1958 – 1963
Rev. Vernon F. Price 1963 – 1968
Rev. Dale Lock 1968 – 1974
Rev. Eric B. Nelson 1974 – 1982
Rev. Craig Davis-Johnson 1982 – 1985
Rev. Peter Carmen 1985 – 1989
Rev. Karen Gygax Rodriguez 1989 – 1996
Rev. Ashley Smith 1996 – 2009

88 South Street

Pittsfield, MA 01201

Rev. Sheila Sholes-Ross

Church History

THE PASTORATES OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

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ASSOCIATE PASTORS