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FFWB History
... working in the vineyard of the Lord ...
FFWB Pastors
100th Anniversary in 2003
Oct 4th (Saturday) ...........
Oct 5th (Sunday) .............
Golf outing, Games for all, Visit with old/new members & visitors, Dinner to eat, Evening Praise Service, Reminisce, etc ...
Morning Worship & Praise Service with Guest Speakers, Visit & Reminisce after service, etc ...
2003
(Jump to) Our 100th Anniversary
2005
On our First Annual Founder's Day (April 24th), our Educational Building was officially renamed the Malone Educational Building - in Bro. Tom Malone's honor as the founder of F.C.A.
(A vital part of our Christian Education Ministry).
Where there is no vision, the people perish ...
- Proverbs 29:18
For the LORD is good, His mercy is everlasting and His truth endureth to all generations.
- Psalms 100:5
Remember His marvelous works that He hath done ...
- Psalms 105:5
From its beginning, the LORD has graciously blessed First Free Will Baptist Church of Florence, Alabama. Since its early years to even now, many names and souls have been added to member lists at FFWB and in heaven. The preaching and teaching of His Word is at the very center of what FFWB is all about. From the pulpit and through its ministries, and in missionary fields, the LORD has been faithful to bless and change lives.
Bro. G.W. Mitchell called together a congregation for the purpose of temporarily organizing a Free Will Baptist Church which 12 parties gave their names and appointed W.C. Dowdy as church clerk. They also appointed W.C. Dowdy, Bro. G.W. Mitchell and Bro. Green Kilburn on a committee to raise funds and rent a house and seat it for services. They selected the 3rd Sunday in January, 1904, to permanently organize a Free Will Baptist Church.
The church purchased property at the corner of Mill Avenue and Sweetwater Avenue (now known as Sweetwater Avenue and Branch Street). This is where it all began. The history of First Free Will Baptist Church is a story of growth and progress.
FFWB which temporarily began in 1903 with 12 members and no building of its own, now includes its own permnanent sanctuary, a christian school/educational building, a gymnasium converted into class rooms, a second gymnasium and additional property.
© Design Copyright First Church
FFWB History
We, the Free Will Baptist of East Florence, State of Alabama, seeing a necessity of our organization in order to enable us to do more work in the vineyard of the LORD and in order to help us in the propagation of the gospel truth, did on the 17th day of January, 1904, call a presbytery consisting of G.N. Roberts, G.W. Mitchell and W.G. Watson, when under the rules and usages of Free Will Baptists, did organize us into a church. We, therefore, petition your honorable body to receive us into your union. Hoping that we may share in your wise counsels and deliberations.
After having built a church on Sweetwater Avenue in East Florence, in the year 1944, the church steadily grew as it reached many souls for Christ. A second location was purchased and constructed for the church (at the opposite end of Sweetwater Avenue onto Stevenson Avenue). During this time, the city of Florence was a main center of trade.
In 1964, under the divine leadership of the LORD and with hearts full of faith, the church family voted to buy the property at our present location on Highway 72 (Florence Boulevard). A church was built on this site and the first service was held on May 1, 1966.
In the late 1960's, a bus ministry was started. In the mid-to-later 1970's, outreach ministries to area nursing homes and high-rise apartments were started. With more blessings from GOD, a christian school (Florence Christian Academy), was established in 1974. An educational building and gymnasium were also built. We soon outgrew these facilities and built an additional gymnasium and class rooms in the early 1980's. These ministries of FFWB continue to be blessed by the LORD even today.
Rev. G.W. Mitchell ........ September 1903 - September 1906
(Grandfather of Sister Oline Calvert)
Rev. Sam Perry ............ September 1906 - August 1908
Rev. G.W. Mitchell ........ September 1906 - July 1907
(Served together)
Rev. H.B. Foster ............ August 1908 - September 1912
Rev. T.L. Lowery ............ September 1912 - August 1913
Rev. J.L. Arnold ............. August 1913 - September 1916
Rev. Luther B. Royal ...... September 1916 - February 1917
(Father of Sister Millie Suggs)
Rev. W.M. Cofield ........... March 1917 - September 1918
Rev. Charley Smith ......... September 1918 - June 1919
Rev. A. Stafford .............. September 1919 - August 1922
Rev. J.B. Bloss .............. August 1922 - June 1931
(Father of Sisters Thelma Lindsey and Clara Bloss)
Rev. A.L. Bowling ........... June 1931 - January 1932
Rev. Ed Caperton ........... May 1932 - September 1932
Rev. George Tingle ......... September 1932 - March 1933
Rev. Cliff Kimbrough ....... April 1933 - September 1933
Rev. George Tingle ......... September 1933 - September 1934
Rev. H.C. Killen ............. September 1934 - August 1936
Rev. W.A. Cummings ..... August 1936 - December 1937
Rev. Luther B. Royal ....... December 1937 - July 1940
Rev. E.P. Rowden ........... August 1940 - July 1952
Rev. A.J. Lambert ........... July 1952 - ___ 1955
Rev. Eustace Riggs ........ ___ 1955 - ___ 1957
Rev. A.J. Lambert ........... ___ 1957 - ___ October 1960
Rev. Willie Justice .......... October 1960 - December 1970
Rev. Dr. Tom Malone ...... January 1971 - June 1990
Rev. Dr. J.D. Norris ......... August 1990 - December 1995
Rev. Clifford Holland ........ December 1995 - December 1996
(Interim Pastor)
Rev. Dr. Danny Dwyer ..... December 1996 - July 2004
Rev. Michael Waddell ...... August 2004
Florence, AL
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