Wasilla
Alaska
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First Baptist Church of Wasilla
History:
First Baptist Church became a reality on Fathers Day June 18, 1978. First Baptist Church of Birchwood under the direction of their mission-minded Pastor, Bob Chadwick had voted in March of 1978 to begin a mission in a little community called Wasilla, Alaska. Officially it began when Paul Carter from Louisiana arrived on the scene to begin the first worship service on Father's Day 1978.
They began meeting in a music store owned by a member of First Baptist Church of Birchwood. Meetings were held there for a couple of months and soon the mission outgrew this space. The church then met in a hangar at Chuck Jackson's on Fairview Loop Road. These services were held there until December when services were moved to the AIC building on Lake Lucille. Those were good days, happy days, and growing days.
Early in the summer of 1979, ground breaking services were held on the Bogard Road property. The Alaska Baptist Convention had purchased the land in anticipation of starting a mission and First Baptist Church, Birchwood, assumed the loan. With the help of members from Birchwood, the foundation for the first building was laid. Then in October of 1979, a work crew of 10 men from Alabama and North Carolina arrived to erect the building. In just four and one half days the small building at the rear of the present auditorium was closed in and under roof. However, there were still a lot of workdays and work nights. The first Sunday in January 1980, the first service was held in the basement. The building was completely paid for. The only debt was the note on the land, but there were not funds to complete the upstairs until March of 1982. Then on June 1982, Father's Day, the church was constituted. Father's Day will always be special for First Baptist Church of Wasilla, since it was begun on Father's Day and also constituted as a church on Father's Day.
The small building was finally bulging at the seams and in 1985, a step of faith was taken and a building program was launched to construct the present sanctuary. The sanctuary was completed in 1986. However, the fellowship hall and classrooms were not completed until 1994. The first service held in the new sanctuary was on Easter Sunday 1986. This church, like all churches has had growing pains and has become stronger and larger for it. The first Vacation Bible School was held in the summer of 1979 and has become an annual event for the church.
First Baptist Church became a reality on Fathers Day June 18, 1978. First Baptist Church of Birchwood under the direction of their mission-minded Pastor, Bob Chadwick had voted in March of 1978 to begin a mission in a little community called Wasilla, Alaska. Officially it began when Paul Carter from Louisiana arrived on the scene to begin the first worship service on Father's Day 1978.
They began meeting in a music store owned by a member of First Baptist Church of Birchwood. Meetings were held there for a couple of months and soon the mission outgrew this space. The church then met in a hangar at Chuck Jackson's on Fairview Loop Road. These services were held there until December when services were moved to the AIC building on Lake Lucille. Those were good days, happy days, and growing days.
Early in the summer of 1979, ground breaking services were held on the Bogard Road property. The Alaska Baptist Convention had purchased the land in anticipation of starting a mission and First Baptist Church, Birchwood, assumed the loan. With the help of members from Birchwood, the foundation for the first building was laid. Then in October of 1979, a work crew of 10 men from Alabama and North Carolina arrived to erect the building. In just four and one half days the small building at the rear of the present auditorium was closed in and under roof. However, there were still a lot of workdays and work nights. The first Sunday in January 1980, the first service was held in the basement. The building was completely paid for. The only debt was the note on the land, but there were not funds to complete the upstairs until March of 1982. Then on June 1982, Father's Day, the church was constituted. Father's Day will always be special for First Baptist Church of Wasilla, since it was begun on Father's Day and also constituted as a church on Father's Day.
The small building was finally bulging at the seams and in 1985, a step of faith was taken and a building program was launched to construct the present sanctuary. The sanctuary was completed in 1986. However, the fellowship hall and classrooms were not completed until 1994. The first service held in the new sanctuary was on Easter Sunday 1986. This church, like all churches has had growing pains and has become stronger and larger for it. The first Vacation Bible School was held in the summer of 1979 and has become an annual event for the church.