About Us

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#006633" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="03ed6c00ddvuru.jpg"> <div> Building for today. Building for Eternity.</div> <bR> <div> Pastor James A. Legg</div> <bR> <div> 632 Grand Avenue</div> <div> Silt, CO 81652</div> <div> 970 876-2930</div> <bR> <div> Where everyone is an honored guest!</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> We worship a Lord who has unquenchable love.</div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#0066FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>First Baptist Church of Garfield County</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" >    </FONT> |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="First Baptist Church of Garfield County"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <B>About Us</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ministries"><U>Ministries</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="More Information"><U>More Information</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A></div> <div> About Us</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Our Church History</div> <div>      The foundation for what was to eventually become the First Baptist Church of Garfield County was laid in January of 1928 when a community sing was organized in the Silt Community under the leadership of Rev. J. D. Hargis. The community sing continued under a variety of different names in the years that followed until the organization of the church in June 1937. The purpose of the community sing evidently was to put on various musical programs at Easter and Christmas time and to provide fellowship.</div> <div>      The church was organized on June 27, 1937 with eight charter members. Others were added  to the charter list in the ensuing months and years.</div> <div>      On the first Sunday of its existence as a church the Rev. J. D. Hargis was elected as the first pastor and in its first business session that night the church chose the name, First Baptist Church of Garfield County, undoubtedly because it was in fact the First Baptist Church in all of Garfield County.</div> <div>      The first Sunday School Superintendent was </div> <div> Ernest Brown. He also served as Assistant Pastor under Rev. Hargis.</div> <div>      The first baptismal service was held on July 11, 1937 when Mrs. Vulgamott, Robert and Roland Vulgamott were baptized in the Colorado River.  On August 1, 1937, Mrs. Arendell and Mrs. Roe were baptized in the Colorado River.</div> <div>      Reverend Hargis remained as pastor of the church from 1937 to 1942.  Upon his departure the church called Rev. Boyd Eldridge to be pastor as he had been serving as the Assistant Pastor.  Brother Eldridge remained until the fall of 1943 and upon his departure the church called Rev. Kenton Arnold who came to be the pastor on November 28, 1943.</div> <div>      This was to be the first of two terms of service as pastor of this church for Brother Arnold as he served again as pastor from October, 1952 through June, 1955 which speaks well of the relationship between pastor and people.</div> <div>      It was during the ministry of Brother Kenton Arnold that the church experienced one of its greatest revival meetings in January and February of 1946 with Dr. Mosier.  There were 23 professions of faith and 13 of them were baptized on February 10, 1946.</div> <div>      In the late 1940's the church began to make plans for expansion.  The church had outgrown the store that had served for a good number of years as a church building.  The old church is the house just east of the present church building. Construction of the new church building began in 1949 and continued for several years as almost all of the work was donated and done by the church members themselves.</div> <div>      It was during these years under the leadership of such men of God as Rev. Bud Johnson and Rev. Kenton Arnold that the church continued to grow spiritually and numerically.</div> <div>      Those who served on the building Committee to name a few were Joe Conto, Bud Johnson, Bob Walters, Bob McPherson, and Paul Miller.</div> <div>      At the October 5, 1949 Business Meeting it was hoped that the basement of the church could be started the week of October 10 and finished by Thanksgiving.  In later minutes, we learn that the church was to hold revival meetings in the new building and it was hoped to be completed by April 22, 1951.</div> <div>      We thank God for the beautiful building in which we worship God. We thank everyone of those faithful members who gave of their time, their substance, their money, so that it Could be built.  We do thank you each and everyone.</div> <div>      <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >During the ministry of Brother Ray Wing new cushioned pews were purchased and installed in the church auditorium. Under the ministry of Bob Meyer other physical improvements were made on the building both inside and out.</FONT></div> <div>      <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Through the years a number of different houses both rented and owned by the church have served as parsonages for the pastors who have served this church. The present parsonage was purchased by the church in November 1968 during the ministry of Brother Jim Crawshaw.  This lovely home is located at 302 Home Avenue  in Silt.</FONT></div> <div>      We have had a good Sunday School throughout the years with Mr. Ernest Brown as the first Superintendent.  Our Sunday School has grown through the years. As we studied and learned the teaching in the Sunday School improved.</div> <div>      Other superintendents included to name a few, Bob Walters, Dale Keithley, Dwight Addy, Dolly Gordon, Glen Jaspers, Vern Hollen, Dan Kidd and Trigger Myers each followed doing a good work in our Sunday School.  Steve Runia is the present Superintendent filling this important office.</div> <div>      In past  years the church has rejoiced in the special meetings held here in the church with such men of God as Emil Elbe, Dr. Bryce Augsburger, Evangelist Bruce Foster, Dr. Art Wilson, Al Wells, Dr. Floyd Hatfield, Dr Earle Matteson, Dr. David Cummons and Dr. E. Wayne Thompson. We have rejoiced to see precious souls saved in these meetings, in the regular meetings of the church and in the homes of our community.</div> <div>      <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Through the years, we have enjoyed special musical programs by the choir of this church at Christmas and Easter. There has been special musical programs performed by the groups from Pillsbury Baptist Bible College and Baptist Bible College of Denver, Maranatha Baptist Bible College, Pensacola Christian College, Ambassador Baptist College, and West Coast Baptist College.</FONT></div> <div>      Through the years the church has support local church planting efforts. The church helped support Eagle Baptist Church in Eagle and Bethel Baptist Church in Rifle. In 2001, the church started Glenwood Springs Baptist Church in Glenwood Springs.</div> <div>      In 1991 the church purchased the property to west of the church building. Preparations to build began in 2002 when the old house was torn down. Building of phase one began in 2003. The first phase of 3,000 sq. ft. was finished in December 2005. Phase two was started in Spring of 2007. The policy of building is one of building only if we have the money on hand. God has provided thus far. When phase three is completed, the new complex will be 7,360 sq. ft.     </div> <div>      <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >The Lord has blessed our church greatly during these 70 years. Through the faithful ministry of our Pastors and their assistants, the endless work of our many church officers and their committees, the Sunday School teachers and all other workers. God gave the increase.  We give Him the praise for that which has been done and thank Him for it all.</FONT></div> <div>      We would like to have mentioned many more in this historical sketch, for so many others have came before us while writing.  We have tried to make this just a sketch of our 70 years.  We may have forgotten or omitted some that should have been mentioned but how glad we are that the Lord Jesus Christ remembers <U>ALL</U> of His own and though we have not included them, they will be included before Him.</div> <div>      <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >We rejoice in God's saving and keeping power and what He has done for us and through us these 70 years.  Our prayer is that He will continue to bless and keep us faithful in serving Him until that Great Day when we shall see Him face to face and thus ever be with the Lord".</FONT></div> <bR> <div> We preach Christ crucified, risen, and coming again"</div> <bR> <div> God....will prosper us;  therefore . . . build.</div> <div> Nehemiah 2:20</div> </td> </tr></table></body>