The first organized effort to maintain a Baptist church in Anthony began in 1912, under the leadership of C.I. Walker, mission and colporteur for the Baptist Convention of New Mexico. Walker pastored the church for a time. The church requested to be part of the Southwestern Baptist Association in 1912. Reports say that La Tuna Baptist Church, the church’s original name, began with nine charter members. Shortly after this time, the membership list was lost. Later that year, a record, from memory, was prepared and became the official record of the church. This list was also lost during the following years.

     During 1914, the church purchased lots (on the Texas side) to erect a house of worship. The following years saw little advancement, with only an occasional preaching service by a state missionary or itinerant preacher. During these years, a faithful Women’s Missionary Society of four members continued to hold on, accumulating $300, which was later used for the present church property.

Having ceased to function, the church organization disbanded on Sept. 11, 1919. But, on May 8, 1921, R.L. Pearce was asked to pastor a “proposed” church. He accepted the call. Pearce acted as moderator at a meeting on Jun. 5, 1921, along with ten other people, to constitute the new church. Those ten people became the charter members of the newly established First Baptist Church.

     At a meeting on Mar. 25, 1923, the church traded their lots on the Texas side as partial payment of the church’s present location. Groundbreaking on the new property was held on Feb. 8, 1924, which was debt-free by Mar. 29, 1925. An annex building followed in April 1930. A Spanish work began around 1938. In 1945, the church erected a building for the Spanish Mission and Sunday school rooms for the adult department of the Anglo School. They called the building “the rock building.” Construction of the church auditorium began May 25, 1949, and the first service in the new auditorium was on Sept. 4, 1949.

Bio by: Joy Pittman