History:

Edmond’s First Baptist Church was organized May 11, 1890 in a public school building on the corner of Second and Boulevard. A pastor was not called at the time but Brother Horner, who had assisted in the organization of the Church, was selected to preach.

The Church was incorporated in 1893. The three trustees were: Dr. J.W. Howard, Thomas N. Horner, and William J. Moody, a charter member.

The first building was constructed at a cost of $1,500 on lots at the comer of Main and Littler in 1892. It seated 200 and was the largest church building in Edmond. Many changes occurred on that corner.

From 1905 to 1920 many organizations were organized such as the BYPU, WMS later the WMU, Sunbeams, which were first known as Pansy, a mission group of young children. Falls Creek property was purchased. During Dr. Ramay’s pastorate, a cabin was built of lumber from the first parsonage and volunteer help.

The flu epidemic in 1918 caused the postponement of a Church Homecoming and no services were held at the church from October 2, through November 7, 1918.

The work of the deacons was organized under Rev. McLaughlin’s pastorate 1933-35. They were to be head of a committee responsible for one of these specific duties; 1) Sunday School; 2) Baptist Training Union; 3) Brotherhood; 4) Ordinances; 5) Prospective members; 6) Visits to new members; 7) General Visitation; 8) Evangelism and Missions. They still hold these responsible places of service along with the Deacon Family Ministry program.

Also during Rev. McLaughlin’s short pastorate, a new church-financing plan was adopted. It was voted to follow the single budget plan. With the new plan, members were encouraged to give chiefly through the Sunday school, from which the needs of all organizations were supplied. This plan is known as the Cooperative Program.

Rev. McLaughlin’s two years as pastor saw many good changes but his untimely death in March, 1935 brought about a change in pastors. In May 1935, the Church called Brother M.E. Ramay.

Some of the local missions started when Dr. M. E. Ramay was pastor were the Rock Mound and Eastside missions. Ground was broken for the Henderson Hills mission on December 16, 1962 and opened for services on May 3, 1964.

In October 1967 Dr. Ramay submitted his letter of resignation after more than 32 years of service to our church. During Dr. Ramay’s ministry, the church received into membership 6,233 persons, 1,935 by baptism and received 1,849 members in revivals away from home. He preached 2,860 sermons, held 27 revivals in his church home, performed 474 weddings and 637 funerals. He also wrote 13 books during this time, most of them on doctrine.

Dr. Ramay preached his last sermon as pastor on October 29, 1967. His subject was “Let the Church be the Church.”

On November 29, 1967, the church voted unanimously to invite Eugene Stockwell to serve as interim pastor. Brother Stockwell had previously served as interim pastor of the Henderson Hills mission. Brother Stockwell’s wife, Ruby was a secretary in the church office as well as the church pianist.

Three months later on February 28, 1968, the church voted to call him as pastor.

The church voted in February 1974, to buy a mission site north of Edmond on Waterloo Road, a short distance east of Coltrane on the south side of the road. The mission project was launched with a Brotherhood-sponsored tent revival in June 1974. By November, Richard Wagnon became the supply preacher.

As our church grew, the church voted on October 22, 1975, to purchase the Nazarene Church building, on the corner of Boulevard and Littler, to lessen the space problem. The newly renamed Ramay Chapel opened the first Sunday in August; it housed four Sunday School departments.

But mission work was not ignored. The church borrowed $115,000 for a new building for the Waterloo Baptist Mission. Groundbreaking happened on October 12, 1975.

The biggest step of the 1980’s came on December 1984, when the church purchased 29 acres of land on the corner of 33rd Street and Bryant, as the future site for our new church building.

In April of 1984, Rev. Stockwell announced his plans to retire on April 15, after sixteen years as pastor and forty years as a minister. Church members voted to keep him on the payroll for the few remaining years until he could retire at age 65. This was to allow him to follow a home missionary ministry to small churches, mainly in northwest Oklahoma.
The long search for a minister ended in May 1985. Dr. R. Alan Day came May 9 with his wife, Alice and four children: Charis, Cheyne, Richard and Aaron in response to a call as pastor.

Dr. Day has emphasized and encouraged the church in special mission efforts. The missions committee of our church, chaired by Dr. Ron Paddack led in the establishment of a mission in Denver, Colorado. The Morning Star Baptist Mission had 126 in attendance with 7 baptisms on March 11, 1990.

The young people of the Edmonds First Baptist continue to serve as missionaries in the summer. They have gone to Colorado, California, Georgia, Seattle and have gone two years to Indiana to help churches. We continue to expand the Mission Program under the leadership of Dr. Alan Day with increased giving program and going on mission trips to Brazil, Mexico, China, Malawi and Russia.

In July 1986, church members voted to relocate the church to the land on 33rd and Bryant. They kicked off a long campaign to raise money to make the change, while remaining in the top ten in the state in giving through the Cooperative Program and number one in per capita giving to missions.

The biggest step in easing the space shortage came in November 1989 when the church voted to start construction on a 6.76 million dollar building complex. Groundbreaking was scheduled for the 100th anniversary of the church. The new church at 33rd and Bryant under the leadership of Dr. Alan Day and Jack Kimbler, Building Chairman, was dedicated on May 5, 1993. We are here to win souls to Christ.