Cookeville’s First Baptist Church Celebrates 150th Anniversary

City, county and state leaders will join Cookeville’s First Baptist Church Sunday for its 150th anniversary celebration.

The church established in 1873 with 34 charter members. Senior Pastor Scott McKinney said the church has been celebrating for the last three weeks, highlighting longtime church members. McKinney said the church has been highlighting the histories of its buildings and how they have grown.

‘It’s really good to be able to celebrate anything that’s this monumental,” McKinney said. “150 years is a long time for any group of people to be together. Whether it’s in a business or a church, there are churches in our community that have exceeded 150 years but it’s just great to be able to celebrate 150 years.”

McKinney said when the church was first founded, there were touch times. He said the congregation was able to get through it.

“Looking at the past has given us this clear vision of what has been accomplished and some of the great and mighty things the church has done in the history,” McKinney said.

McKinney said he expects several hundred people in attendance, as he feels the church is a celebrated part of the Cookeville community.

“You can see 150 years is a long time to be in a community and to be a part of developing that community,” McKinney said. “So, we’ve been involved in a lot throughout the years.”