First Baptist Church of Marble Falls to recapture youthful ‘zeal’ after 125 years

DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR

MARBLE FALLS — When members of First Baptist Church of Marble Falls gather at Johnson Park on Oct. 6 as part of the church’s 125th anniversary, the Rev. Ross Chandler will challenge the congregation to not think of themselves as the oldest organized church in Marble Falls, but as a new one.

“I’m going to challenge our church to look at us as a church plant,” Chandler said. “We want to have that excitement, that zeal, that those who met for that first time in Johnson Park and started this church had. The reason it worked for them is they looked at it as a church plant.”

About 26 people gathered in 1888, sat on railroad ties and started First Baptist Church of Marble Falls. At the time, about six homes sat within the city limits.

Despite the humble beginnings and constant challenges (the Great Depression and a fire that destroyed the church), First Baptist grew and prospered. Chandler said the reason for the church staying relevant and vibrant was, and is, simple.

“God had a hand it in,” the pastor said.

The church is celebrating its 125th anniversary over a three-week period. On Sept. 29, the congregation held History Day, when people viewed historic memorabilia and other items.

On Oct. 6 at 11 a.m., the congregation will gather at Johnson Park, 230 Ave. J South, for Revival in the Park.

“That’s where it all started,” said Gary Stone of the church. “First Baptist was the first organized church in Marble Falls.”

Church and city grew up together. Marble Falls formed in 1887 with the church a year behind. Stone said the Methodists actually had a church building in Marble Falls prior to First Baptist organizing, but it was part of the local circuit preacher’s path and not an organized congregation.

“They met when the minister was in town,” Stone said. “But the Methodists allowed us to use the church when they weren’t meeting in it.”

Eventually, First Baptist found its only facility in then-downtown Marble Falls. The congregation continued to grow. The Great Depression presented challenges, but Chandler said the members always kept God and a servant’s heart at the forefront, which helped sustain them.

In 1958, the Rev. Max Copeland came to Marble Falls from Briggs along with his wife, Glenna, to First Baptist of Marble Falls. He served as the pastor until a little more than a decade ago, when he stepped aside. Though, “retirement” does not describe Copeland’s role in the community and the church since stepping down from the pulpit. He continues to teach a Sunday school class and minister to residents across the Highland Lakes.

On Oct. 12, the church and the community will honor Copeland and his wife with a homecoming and a reception at the Worship Center of the church, 501 Twelfth St., at 5 p.m.

“We’re going to celebrate his 55 years in ministry,” Chandler said. “He and Glenna mean so much, not just to this church but this entire community.”

Copeland led the church through one of its most trying times. In March 1962, a fire destroyed the church building.

“Only two things were saved,” Stone said. “It was a very tough time for the church. They said if we could have captured all the tears when the building burned, it would have extinguished the flames.”

The congregation had a choice: fold or rebuild.

God led them to a little pasture northeast of town that ranchers used as part of a cattle trail to move livestock to the railyards. It wasn’t even within the city, Stone said, but that’s where the congregation chose to rebuild.

That 12th Street location is where First Baptist currently sits.

“It was out in the country back then,” Stone said. “The town kind of grew up around it.”

Now, the church prepares to make another move. In 2003, the church purchased property in the La Venta area located just south of Lake Marble Falls on the west side of U.S. 281. On Oct. 13, after a celebration worship service at 10:20 a.m. at the current location, the congregation will travel to the La Venta site for an all-church homecoming and a groundbreaking.

“We’re inviting anybody who ever had any connection to First Baptist to come out and join us,” Chandler said. “It’s a pretty exciting three weeks.”

Though First Baptist Church of Marble Falls has grown over the years, Chandler said he wants the community to know the congregation still holds on to the truth the initial members clung to when sitting on those railroad ties under the pecan trees Sept. 9, 1888.

“We went them to know we believe the story of Jesus Christ is true and that story is transformative in people’s lives,” Chandler said. “And we want them to know our mission, which is ‘Helping people find life in Jesus Christ by following him.'”

Go to www.fbcmf.org for more information.

daniel@thepicayune.com