First Baptist Church of Sudan celebrating 100th Anniversary

It began in a two-room schoolhouse in February of 1921 when a group of Christians met and organized the First Baptist Church of Sudan.

The Articles of Faith and The Church Covenant by Pendleton were read and adopted by 17 charter members.

The first revival was held in August, 1921 at a stock tank on the C.C. Preston Farm south of Sudan, when the membership grew by 26 members during that revival.

A treasured photograph shows that the First Baptismal Service was conducted at the aforementioned stocktank.

The first youth training program, which is now known as Discipleship Training, was organized in September, 1921.

By 1925, the membership had grown to 144, and the two-room schoolhouse had by then, been converted into a nice brick building. The Union Sunday School which was organized prior to the organization of the church was reorganized as the Baptist Sunday School in 1926. The church began having Wednesday night services that same year.

In 1928, the church built the first parsonage, a four-room frame house on the church property. In December of 1929, Rev. Cal McGahey was called as the first full-time pastor, and his family moved into the new parsonage. At some point, during those years, the school house building was destroyed by fire.

The first new church building was constructed while Rev. McGahey was pastor. It was a beige brick building with a full basement, built at a cost of $20,000 for the building and furniture. For several months prior to moving into the new building, the church held services in the movie theater.

It is important to note that the congregation was in the throes of the Great Depression during 1931. Three men of the church had signed the note to build the church building. The daughter of one of those men remembers that in the fall, when the crops were harvested, her dad did not alllow them to buy anything until the church note, which was a bit less than a thousand dollars, was paid.

A quote from the minutes of the church conference dated May 5, 1932, describes the hardship of the time: “Owing to the depression and the many people who feel they do not have clothes to wear to church, we take this method of making it possible for every one to go to church. The church voted all men and boys would wear overalls, and all women and girls would wear cotton dresses. Men will leave their coats and women will leave their hats at home.”

The highlight of the summers during the depression was the August revivals which lasted two weeks. It was a time when the plowing was done and harvest had not begun. Farmers did not irrigate their crops and had more free time.

It was the social life for the young and old, as well as the strength affirming, faith building, and Bible learning fellowship that sustained people during hard times. The first R. A. and G.A. organizations were also started in the mid 30’s.

The first Brotherhood was organized in 1942 during World War II. Seventy men and boys from the church were in the Armed Forces of the United States. In March of 1944, the building was finally paid for, and the church had a note-burning service.

During the late 40’s and early 50’s, the church continued to support mission work and make improvements to the parsonage and the church. They purchased the first organ for the church in 1953, and a 25- by 80-foot Sunday School building was built north of the Sanctuary.

Early on Sunday morning, Dec. 14, 1958, the church building tragically burned.

Members committed to the future of the church, broke ground on the present Sanctuary on May 24, 1959. The project was completed in December of that year. Since that year, the church has consistently grown and moved forward. Projects have included a new parsonage in 1960, a mission project, a youth center in downtown Sudan, a new educational building and fellowship hall in April, 1970 and various improvements since then.

As quoted from the celebration history: “As we look to the future, we will faithfully continue to serve our neighbors, our community, and our world.”