Pittsfield Historical Society’s

History of Pittsfield

First Baptist Church

111 South Main Street, Pittsfield, ME 04967
(207) 487-5075
For more information on the First Baptist Church, please go to www.pittsfieldfbc.org

In 1892 the Free Will Baptist Church was dedicated to the great satisfaction of Jesse Connor and other generous and hard working members who had put in so much time and effort to make this beautiful edifice possible. In 1894 the $3,000 debt incurred in building the church was paid off.

In 1897 the Reverend White moved into the new Baptist parsonage and since this was the thirtieth anniversary year of the founding of the Free Baptist Society, the occasion was observed at a Sunday service, January 3rd. Dr. F. J. Taylor gave an excellent history of the church from June 4, 1855, when eight devoted individuals headed by William C. Stinson petitioned the Exeter Quarterly meeting to choose a council for the purpose of organizing a church. The petition was granted and a council chosen consisting of Rev. J. Cook, William Getchell, N. F. Weymouth, John Towne, and John F. Weymouth. An organization was formed and adopted the name of “Pittsfield and Detroit Church”. The records of this organization are missing and not until Rev. A. L, Gerrish was ordained in 1866 and the first meeting held at Sister Judith Nichols’ residence January 2, 1867, were permanent records kept. At that time only three members were left of the original organization, Susan Farwell, Judith Nichols, and Mrs. Tuttle, and from this little nucleus, Rev. Gerrish molded a Baptist Society that has grown continuously over the years.

Records of Pittsfield’s First Baptist Church date back to 1823. The Church was incorporated according to Free Baptist polity in 1855. Following a fire that destroyed the original building, the current structure was built in 1892. The current congregation is comprised of people of all ages. There are roughly 80-100 people in attendance for Sunday morning services. Numerous in-home study and fellowship groups meet at different times during the week.

The Church is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches of Maine, and is evangelical in demeanor. There is a regular Sunday School program during the school year. Services are traditional in style, with some contemporary praise songs. Although the Church’s identity is Baptist, members come from Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, Reformed, Lutheran and Pentecostal backgrounds, as well as Baptist.