FBCM History

A Brief History of First Baptist Church Moreland, GA

Holly Springs Church, now First Baptist Church, Moreland, GA was constituted May 1, 1829, with eight members and two ministers present. Rev. John G. Fry, the newly elected pastor, and Rev. Jon Gillcoat. The group, along with fifteen other constituted churches, met in LaGrange on November 7, 1829, and formed the Western Baptist Association.

Holly Springs Church was located three miles south of what is now Moreland on the old state road, now known as Roosevelt Highway, (Alt US 27). Property consisted of four acres of land deeded to the church by James Shaddix on April 23, 1836. The first meeting house was built. Nearby, just across the road, a crystal-clear spring furnished water to quench the physical thirst of man while his soul was refreshed in the nearby meeting house. Near the spring was a pool where candidates were baptized.

On May 12, 1888, the church conference took a final vote to move to Moreland, then called Puckett’s Station. The present property was purchased from the Moreland Methodist Church, which was then called Mt. Zion Methodist Church. The old building was repaired and used for many years. The first service held in Moreland was on February 23, 1889. The church did not abandon possession and rights of the four acres deeded to her but retained the right to use it for burials and other such things. A number of our former members and deacons are buried there and others expect to be buried there with their families.

In 1898, the members began to discuss plans for a new house of worship. The male members were asked to pledge themselves to plant a cotton patch and give the proceeds to the building fund. The first Women’s Missionary Society was organized in 1899. When the time came to begin work, many willing hands worked, planned, and kept on working until the building was completed. It is said that a train of wagons, forty-two in number, went to Haralson, about fifteen miles away, on the same day to haul lumber to build the new church. The first service held in the new church was on March 24, 1900. In August of 1950 the church building was moved from the corner to the middle of the lot.

Mrs. Nancy Cotton was the last member of the original Holly Springs Church. She died in February 1958. The first electric organ was purchased with money from the Cotton Estate and dedicated in memory of Miss Myrtice Cotton, who served as pianist for a long number of years.

In 1958, the church bought the lot on which the present pastorium is built. The pastorium was built in 1967. During this same period, the auditorium was renovated, and new light fixtures were installed. The pastorium note was burned at Homecoming Services in August of 1970. In 1972 new pews and carpet were installed, as well as central heating and air conditioning. In 1975 a new Allen Computer Organ was installed. In 1984 the name was changed from Moreland Baptist Church to First Baptist Church.

Many of our active members are descendants of the early Christians who organized the old historic church more than one hundred and ninety-five years ago. Some of our early Christians are at rest in old Holly Springs Cemetery – still maintained by First Baptist Church, Moreland, GA.

A church rich in history, prayerfully anticipating what God has in store for the future - for us, the Moreland community, Coweta County, and to the ends of the earth.