In the continuing celebration of its 150th year, the First Baptist Church, at the corner of Walpole and Bond streets in Norwood, recently dedicated a new sign. The sign was a gift from several donors and it is lit every night from 8 to 10 p.m. during the summer.
The present site on which the church is built was purchased from the Shattuck Estate in December of 1948 for $25,000, which included the carriage house. This would become the Parish House for the new church. In March 1950, the church membership voted to sell the old church in the center of town on Washington Street. All properties of value were moved to the Bond Street Parish House and, that following summer, the building was razed.
While the new church was being built, all activities, including worship services, were held in the newly remodeled Parish House. On Jan. 27, 1951, the new church building was dedicated at its morning worship service. The Rev. Oscar W. Olsen Jr. tendered his resignation as pastor of the church in January 1953.
An interim pastor, the Rev. Percy Black, served the church until a new permanent pastor was found. The Rev. Jerome J. Hevey Jr. began his ministry at First Baptist on Feb. 24, 1954.
Several pastors have served the church since that time up until the current pastor, the Rev. Cynthia A. Correia. First Baptist will have maintained an active presence in Norwood for 150 years in Nov. 2008.
For many years, the congregations of First Baptist, First Congregational, and United Church held worship services together during the summer. This ended a few years ago, but the congregants of First Baptist and their neighboring church, First Congregational, decided to celebrate Sunday services together this year during the month of July with the first two weeks at First Baptist and the second two weeks at First Congregational.
In the month of August and Labor Day Sunday, First Baptist will hold services in its air-conditioned Parish Hall at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome.
