Welcome to First Baptist Church Graymont

The First Baptist Church Graymont was organized 138 years ago in November 1885, in a community of Birmingham called Newton (or Newtown). This community was located in what was then the extreme western section of Birmingham, the largest city in Alabama. Many families living in this community were members of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, where the Reverend W.R. Pettiford was pastor. Many of these families had children and the journey to the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church was too great a distance for the younger children to attend Sunday School.

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A Sunday School was set up for the children of this community. The Sunday School Building was at Murphy's Tan Yard between the Eighth Avenue West edifice and the National Guard Armory.

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The founders of First Baptist Church, Graymont-- as near as remembered-- were Reverend Samuel Berry and his wife, Mrs. Ada Berry, Mrs. Mary Porter, Mr. Joseph Johnson and his wife, Mrs. Ida Johnson, Mrs. Martha Martin, Mr. and Mrs. J.P. Capers, Mrs. Elizabeth Bennifield and a Bradford family.

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The Reverend W.R. Pettiford officiated at the great opening service. There was a small store next door to the building where the opening service was held. This store was owned and operated by Mr. J.P. Capers and his wife. The Capers were leaving Birmingham for the western U.S. and decided to sell the corner lot.

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The lot and the store were bought by the church people. The lots purchased measured 150 x 150 feet. The church was moved from Murphy's Tan yard to the store house. The first pastor of the church was Reverend S. F. Berry. Soon, a small white frame church was built on the corner lot and a school was opened in the store house. Here the church was built on the corner lot and a school was opened in the store house. Here the children of the community attended this school until the opening of the Graymont "Colored" School, which later became Brunetta C. Hill Elementary School. In 2014, Hill and Tuggle Schools were merged, which is now known as Tuggle Elementary School.

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Following our first pastor, Reverend Berry, is the rich lineage of pastors. They were Reverend Washington, Reverend Thrusher, Reverend Davis Magwood, Reverend Gross, Reverend Phillips, Reverend Houston Lanier, Reverend Remause Manly Joseph, and our current and longest serving pastor, Reverend Joseph Washington Croom, Jr.

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Truly, our church has been a place of refuge, strength and service to many souls during these many years.  A significant event occurred in December 2016 when our Minister of Music Sis. Ella Jones retired after more than eighty years of dedicated service to her Church.  Another significant event occurred in 2018 when our current Pastor, Rev. Croom announced his retirement as Pastor of First Baptist Church, Graymont at the end of calendar year 2018. Our hearts were made heavy as we received the news, but our spirits remain high, because we were blessed with a true servant for over 46 wonderful years.  Our Church is now about to start a new chapter in its illustrious history.

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