Home
Pastor's Greeting
News and Info
About ESBC
Staff
History of ESBC
Children
Youth
Adults
history :: the beginning (1874-1899) | the middle years (1900-1979) | the modern times (1980-present)
The Beginning (1874-1899)
In 1874 East Sedalia was a small yet thriving community, separate from the town of Sedalia. It was noted for being the home of the Missouri Pacific and K&T Railroads, a railroad hospital, Union Depot, a saw mill, and many other businesses. There was, however, no church to serve the area.
The same year, Edwin T. (E.T.) Brown returned to the Sedalia area for the second time. E.T. was born in Pennsylvania in 1818, and at the age of 12 he came to faith in Jesus and was baptized. Nine years later he was ordained to the gospel ministry. After the Civil War, E.T. was appointed as a missionary for the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York. In 1865 E.T. and his wife purchased some land in Sedalia and organized the First Baptist Church. Once First Church was firmly established, they moved to Clinton, MO, and started the First Baptist Church of Clinton. Then in 1874-75 they returned to Sedalia. Seeing a need for a church to help serve the railroad men and their families, they built a building on the corner of 5th and Summit Streets and organized the East Sedalia Baptist Church.
Within the first few months the Church’s Sunday School grew rapidly and soon had over 200 members. As the town grew so did the church, and in 1893 the question of a new building was considered, though this was not accomplished until 1910.
The Middle Years (1900-1979)
The new brick building was completed and then dedicated on January 2, 1910 during the pastorate of R.C. Miller. In 1925 another house on the block was purchased and used as a parsonage and the original parsonage was used for additional Sunday School space.
Even with this early success, the East Sedalia congregation did not escape the difficult years of the Great Depression, but by the grace of God it survived this period and continued to serve the Lord.
In the decade of the 1960’s the church placed a strong emphasis on local missions by organizing and establishing two church plants. Emmett Avenue Baptist Church was established in January of 1960, and then the Broadway Baptist Church seven years later.
Then in the late 1970’s, after a century of service in the eastern part of Sedalia, plans were made to expand the church once more. A new sanctuary and office complex was constructed and connected to the existing educational building and original sanctuary. The dedication service was held on November 12, 1978.
The Modern Times (1980-Present)
The 1980’s proved to be a time of turbulence for the church that saw the shortest tenure of any of the church’s 30 different pastors (seven months), and a major church split. Though this was a difficult period, the church remained resilient. Like most congregations, however, the average church age was growing higher. In 1995 a young pastor, Jeff Stott, who was just 26 years old was called to try and bring young couples into the mix of the church. During this time the church experienced a resurgence of growth and plans began for a multi-purpose building that is presently nearing completion.
Though pastor Stott left in 2003, the church continues on having established a successful AWANA children’s ministry and recently ordaining two men into the gospel ministry. Presently, Ray McDonald is the pastor of the church, the 30th man since the start of the church to hold that position.
History compiled with modifications from: "Remembering the Past... 125 Years of Memories" by Betty Williams; and "ESBC History Update" by Maudell Bowers, Mary Hart, and Don Morton