One of the community’s oldest churches will celebrate nearly two centuries of supporting the spiritual needs of thousands.

July 30 through Aug. 1, First Baptist Church of Athens will welcome speakers and a lineup of activities to commemorate homecoming and its founding as Elim Baptist Church in 1820.

Elim was founded by a committee of Round Island Baptist Church, which according to an online history, had been planning the new church since 1819. By the end of the first year, 11 new members joined the church, meeting in what was little more than a log cabin.

Because of continuing growth, the congregation purchased a half-acre lot at the northwest corner of Clinton and Hobbs streets and built a one-room frame church building. Elim Church was reorganized in 1827 as Athens Baptist Church and soon thereafter pooled resources with the Presbyterians to replace the frame church with a brick church, called Union Church, which was used on alternating Sabbaths.

As the century wore on and because of financial deprivations, largely resulting from the Civil War, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church could not maintain its support and for a time were allowed to worship in the building without obligation. Minutes show the church disbanded in 1892 and was reorganized in 1900.

The 20th Century marked unending progress in the growth of the church and in 1949, a new church was built across the street on the northeast corner of the intersection, with the old church being sold to the Apostolic Church in 1951.

First Baptist Church campus is now comprised of eight buildings. The church purchased back the original building from the Apostolic Church and that is now the site of the Family Life Center.

The present pastor, Dr. Edwin F. Jenkins, came to First Baptist in May 2006.

“Our anniversary theme was carefully and prayerfully chosen by the membership and leaders in our church,” said Jenkins. “Honoring God –– Past, Present and Future serves as more than a title for First Baptist. Those words express our aim and desire, our purpose and focus. We are here to glorify God and to follow His leadership in our lives and the lives of all we are able to reach for Jesus’ sake.”

Schedule of events

Events will kick off Friday at 5 p.m. with an old-fashioned hot dog roast and a Celebration Choir mini-concert, after which former pastor, Dr. Fred Lackey will speak.

Lackey, now assistant to the president of the University of Mobile and director in the School of Christian Studies as well as being in charge of financial aide scholarships for all church-related vocations, was pastor from November 1972 to December 1996.

Lackey came to Athens from Westside Baptist Church in Jasper, where he had served from 1964 to 1972. For his first eight years in the ministry Lackey was a “bi-vocational” pastor, working as a cost accountant and pastor of Calvary Baptist in Prattville.

Lackey returned to Westside in Jasper 12 years ago, where he remains as pastor today.

“One thing I will never forget about Athens is how blessed we were that the people took such good care of their pastor and his staff,” said Lackey on Friday. “Most of the things we were able to do as a family we would not have been able to do if not for the people of First Baptist Church and their generosity.

“I will never forget how they loved and supported us. We had some difficult health issues with our eldest daughter, Lisa, and my wife, Sue. They always supported us in prayer and in personal generosity. If I live to be 1,000, I will never forget those precious people.”

Saturday & Sunday

July 31 activities will begin at 4:30 p.m. with a historical walking tour and reception, followed by a Celebration Choir mini-concert and guest speaker and former pastor Dr. Aaron Johnson.

Sunday begins with 9 a.m. Sunday school and at 10 a.m. Dr. Rick Lance will be the speaker. Lance is executive director and treasurer of the state Board of Missions of the Alabama Baptist Convention.

There will be no evening services.