First Baptist Church of Silverhill, Alabama

First Baptist Church Silverhill Alabama

   Sometime during 1896, the Svea Land Company, a small Swedish group living in Chicago, was organized and charged  with finding jobs as well as better living conditions for a new settlement of people who had come to America.   

 Following God's direction, they decided to move South as a way to live and protect their heritage. A few families came and others prayed for the strength to endure the unknown. Silverhill, as we know it today, was founded in 1897 by Oscar Johnson, C. O. Carlson and C. A. Valentin, of Chicago, Illinois. It was the intention of the founders to establish a purely Scandinavian colony in Alabama, and, after investigating the Gulf Coast region thoroughly, these gentlemen decided upon the present location of Silverhill, in Baldwin County. Land was acquired by purchase from a Mr. Harford, the first block of land being 1,500 acres, which was added to from time to time as the colonization work progressed. The first members of Silverhill arrived here in Baldwin County, Alabama.

 

   One of the most important tasks was beginning a church. With commitment to one another and trusting God, 12 members of the Silverhill community met together on November 6, 1899, to charter a church. Established first was the Baptist Church on November 5, 1899 in the Olander Hotel.

 

 The First Baptist Church of Silverhill, Alabama secretary's report stated that the meeting was called to order by Rev. E. Wingren, with Charles J. Olander acting as secretary. Brother J. A. Edfelt offered a prayer, and Acts 2: 22-47 was read. There were twelve members at this meeting, eight bringing letters from their previous churches and four awaiting theirs:

    The Church acknowledged the Swedish Baptist Faith and Confession as their rule, supported by the Bible. The small congregation continued to meet in the hotel until 1900 when they began meeting in the Land Company Office (later known as the Silverhill Library). The first church building erected by the congregation was dedicated December 6, 1903. The total cost of the building was $911. Later the sanctuary, found to have been built into the street's right of way, was moved 18 feet to the east in 1930. That first building still stands and is used as education space for the church.

   The early church belonged to the Swedish General Conference but was nutured by the Mobile Baptist Association. The Swedish Conference was supported by the congregation forover 50 years. Swedish was spoken during the services until 1930 when English became the language of all the services.

   In 1954, the church joined the Southern Baptist Convention when FBC Silverhill called its first Southern Baptist pastor, Rev. Richard Reedy. Since that time First Baptist Church Silverhill has supported the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) through gifts to the Cooperative Program and the other mission agencies of the SBC.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             Ladies Sewing Circle around 1900                                 Olander Hotel around 1905

 

   Today First Baptist Church Silverhill, Alabama meets for Worship and Bible Study in the complex of buildings shown at the top of the Home page.