First Baptist Church of Palestine

First Baptist Church of Palestine. . First Baptist Church can trace its history to 1851, five years after Palestine was founded as the Anderson County seat. Elders McKane and Zachariah Worley (an ordained minister), John and Sarah Smith, J.E. and Rachel Teague, Thomas V. Smith, Theresa Stevens, and Annie Harris organized the congregation. They met for worship in Bascom Chapel, which they shared with members of other early Palestine churches., The Baptists built their first sanctuary at the corner of Perry and Murchison Streets in 1853. There they became known as Old Town Baptist Church and hosted the Baptist State Convention in 1854. In 1879, the church hosted Palestine's first revival meeting led by Major William Penn. Under Penn's leadership, the congregation raised money through nickel contributions to build a new church on Avenue A. The new building, completed in 1887, became known as Avenue "Nickel" Baptist Church. After a fire destroyed the Avenue Church, a new sanctuary was completed on Sycamore Street under the leadership of the Rev. R.L. Gillon in 1912., Now known as First Baptist Church of Palestine, the congregation continues its commitment to Christian mission and ministry in Palestine, Anderson County and around the world.