About Us : History

Seventeen people gathered at a Saturday meeting in the Community House 134 years ago, and, because they were "gathered together in His name," great things were accomplished. On that day, May 17, 1872, The Baptist Church of Christ in Norcross, later to be known as First Baptist Church of Norcross, was organized.

The Community House was built when Norcross was very young, the town having received its charter two years earlier in 1870. The Community House served as a meeting place for all town meetings, with the Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterians alternating Sundays. There is no record of any lack of harmony between the three denominations who worshipped in the Community House, but each was soon planning a building of its own.

In 1880, only eight years it was organized, The Baptist Church begun plans for a building. A building committee, consisting entirely of women, was appointed, and four other women were appointed to raise funds in 1882. This building on Jones and Peachtree still stands and was the home of Norcross First Baptist for many years, but not without many alterations. Norcross First Baptist completed a new brick educational building in 1957 to fulfill expanding Sunday School needs. The Church plant then consisted of four buildings, including an old barracks building bought and moved from Lawson General Hospital.

These facilities, however, rapidly became inadequate, and the Church realized that a larger building and more parking space was necessary. Soon plans were under way for a new church. These plans were not hastily made, for there were several years of study, committee and subcommittee meetings, trips to study other church buildings, meetings with contractors, architects and bankers and much prayer for guidance.

Finally, the new Church in its new location on North Peachtree was completed. On September 29, 1963, the last services were held in the old church building. The following Sunday, October 6, 1963, the first services were held in the new location. The pastor, Rev. Emmett Henderson, preached to a capacity crowd.

In the 1970's the booming growth in Gwinnett County was reflected in the life of the church. Rapid Sunday School growth led to a vote to build more educational and office space and provide a larger fellowship hall and kitchen. The Church voted to build the building in April, 1974, and first used the new space on December 15, 1975 for Sunday school.

Again, because of growth, the Church voted in 1983 to construct a new sanctuary, more educational space, and a family life center. The Church completed construction of a new sactuary and education space in 2005.

One hundred and thirty four years after seventeen people "gathered in His name," Norcross First Baptist Church looks forward to reaching and ministering to one of the fastest growing communities in Georgia and the United States.