History

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History of the First General Baptist Church

The First General Baptist Church came into existence on August 18th, 1946, at the home of O.F. McEuen with a large delegation of members from Pleasant Hope General Baptist Church in McLean County.  The membership of the First General Baptist Church in Owensboro, Ky. was eighteen at this time.

Rev. Rodney Holder was elected the first pastor of the newly developed church.  The pastor and congregation quickly realized if they were to grow and fulfill the Great Commission, the newly formed church would need to move from holding services in member's homes to holding services in the community.  Arrangements were made in 1946 to meet at Owensboro High School.  The congregation moved to its permanent location at 620 Maple Ave. in 1947.

1950 - Reverend Carmen Albright became the second pastor of the church and served in that capacity until December 1957.  During his tenure as pastor an educational building was erected, the Brotherhood was organized, a Christian endeavor was started and the youth group was organized.

1958 - Reverend Gaylon Price became the third pastor of the church and continued in this position until 1965.  During his tenure as pastor, our current sanctuary was built.

1965 - Reverend Leland Duncan became the fourth pastor of our church.  He served as pastor until 1969.  During his tenure, the church became incorporated, a church constitution was drawn up and adopted, and Dennis Morgan became the Minster of Music, a position he fills to the present date.

1969 - Reverend Edward Carver was elected the fifth pastor of our church and served in this capacity until 1979.  During his tenure as pastor, the WMS Day Circle was organized, the church celebrated it 25th anniversary and the church library was established.

1979 - Rev. Pete Coble was elected as the sixth pastor of our church.  He served in this capacity until 1991.  During his tenure, the cassette ministry for shut-ins was established, support for the Help Office began and the Young at Heart Seniors Ministry was established.

1992 - Rev. Ora Johnson became the seventh pastor of our church.  He served in that capacity until 1994 at which time he left the church to become the vice president of Oakland City University.  During his tenure, property adjacent to the church was purchased with hopes of one day building a parking lot and later, a Christian Life Center.

1993 - Rev. Bob Kennedy was elected the eighth pastor of the church.  During his tenure, the parking lot was built, and in 2000, the Family Life Center was constructed.  Also during his tenure, the church became active in the foreign missions in Honduras where members of our church helped to build a children's home, provided Bible School services and as an outreach, worked to establish a new church in this third world country.  Rev. Kennedy left our church in December 2002.

2003 - Rev. Dwight Bland served as our interim pastor through June 2006 when a new pastor was called.

2006 - Rev. Dale Hartlein became our ninth pastor after serving for 2 1/2 years as a missionary at Faith Home in Honduras.  Rev. Hartlein left our Church in October 2014.

2014 - Rev. Larry Shadowen became 0ur tenth pastor in November 2014.  Rev. Shadowen left our church in October 2017.

2018 - Rev. Matt Moore became 0ur eleventh pastor in January 2018.  Rev. Moore left our church in August 2018.

2019 - Rev. Bob Kennedy became 0ur twelfth pastor in January 2019.  Rev. Kennedy left our church in August 2022.

2022 - Rev. John Swain  became our interim Pastor in September 2022.

                                                      620 Maple Ave.
                                                      Owensboro, Ky.  42301
                                                      Phone  270-683-8383

Pastors


1946

Songs --- Zip-a-Dee-D0-Dah

               There is no business like show business

St. Louis Cardinals defeat Boston Red Sox four games to three in World Series

Beginning of musical careers of Dean Martin, Chet Atkins and B B King

Gasoline $.21

House $12,500

Bread $.10

Milk $.70

Annual Salary $3,150

Min. Wage $.40

Jan 17 UN Security Council holds if first meeting

March 2 Ho Chi Minh eleceted President of North Vietman

April 1 earth quake in Alaska produces tsuami in Hilo Hawaii

May 7 Tokyo Telecommunication Engineering if founded with 20 employees and would later change its name to Sony

July 5 Bikinis go on sale in Paris

First drive in window at a bank in Chicago

Dec UNICEF founded

Postage stamps are .03

UN passed resolution asking Iran to seek peace with Soviet Union

ON Feb 14 John Mauchly and John Echert demonstrate a computer developed secretly during WWII.  Its vacuum tubes are arranged to display decimal numerals but it draws so much electricity that is causes the lights in a nearby town to dim each time it is used.

The first Soviet nuclear reactor goes into operation

The Tucker Torpedo Automobile with its rear engine and three headlights is introduced.  The company produces 51 cars and closes in 1947.

Irvin Berlin produces Annie Get Your Gun on Broadway.

Jan 10 is first meeting of UN

Jan 10 radar waves bounce of the moon for the first times measuring the distance to the moon --- this is consider the beginning of the space age

UN establishes a commission to deal with problems raised by the discovery of Atomic Energy

Martin Ryle uses two simple antennas to improve the resolution of radio signals from space --- the beginning of radio telescopes

James Sumner, John Northrop, and Wendell Stanley of the United States share Nobel Prize in chemistry for the first crystallization of an enzyme.

Maurice Wilkes developes a simplified language for the programming of computers.

The first mobile telephones are introduced in St. Louis

The first zoom lens

The first Tupperware is sold

Dow Jones high for the year 212

1946 Chev. 4 door sport sedan $1,205

1946 Ford super deluxe 4 door sedan  $1,273

Best Picture --- is a story of three returning WWII vets --- Fredic March, Dana Andrews and Harold Russell --- The Best Years of Our Lifes

Others --- The Big Sleep, a Phillip Marlowe detective movie with Humprey Bogart and Lauen BeCall

Brief Encounter

Duel in the Sun with Jennifer Jones, Greogrey Peck, Joseph Cotton

It’s a Wonderful Life with James Stewart and Donna Reed

The Postman always rings twice with Lana Turner and John Garfield

The Spiral Staircase

The Yearling

 

Land before FLC

 

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