A Story of God’s Faithfulness

Our story at First Baptist Church is, above all, a story of God’s faithfulness. From planting and growth, through fire, and storm, vacant pulpits and changing seasons, His grace has sustained this congregation for over 150 years. First Baptist church is a living testimony that it is God alone who builds and sustains His church.

On October 16, 1859 — eighteen months before the Civil War began — a small group of believers gathered in the district school of New Richmond, a village of fewer than 200 people with a grist mill, a blacksmith shop, and no railroad, to organize a Baptist church. A month and a half later, on December 3, the covenant was formally read and adopted, an event affirmed by a Home Mission Society agent and pastors from four neighboring towns.

Reverend Rodgers, the first pastor, served for $300 a year, and the young congregation met in members' homes for a decade until the Congregational Church offered to share its building in 1869. It wasn't until 1876 that FBC built its own place of worship — a lamplit building on the corner of Fourth Street West and South Washington Ave. It was dedicated that October by a congregation of 46. The ministry and building grew steadily: Sunday School was instituted in 1886, a twenty-foot expansion and a baptistery added in 1887.

Then came the disasters. The devastating New Richmond tornado of June 12, 1899 destroyed the building entirely. A new one rose in its place, dedicated in 1900 — only to burn down on January 3, 1903. With faithful endurance, the congregation built again, dedicating a third building in 1904 under Reverend H. E. Hoare, with pledges from the membership covering nearly every outstanding bill. By this point the church had already planted two daughter congregations, in Aitkin, Minnesota, and Puyallup, Washington.

The twentieth century brought a season of steady change. A parsonage was purchased in 1935, and by 1965 the church had built a new one. In 1968, Reverend Sam Bell arrived and formed a committee to chart the church's future, leading to a building fund in 1971. Under Reverend Robert Lindstrom, called in 1972, that future took shape the next year: the old building was sold to New Richmond's Child Care Center, and three acres were purchased on North Shore Drive — the church's present site. Ground was broken that Palm Sunday of 1973, with members contributing countless hours of labor. The congregation held its first service in the new building that December.

The church sent its first commissioned missionary, Paul Setter, to Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1976, and the next year voted to affiliate with the Conservative Baptist Association of Wisconsin (now Venture Church Network). A succession of pastors followed — Raymond Katuin, August Post, Russ Paulson, and interim Dan Rotach — until Dr. Kevin Morris accepted the call in 1998, leading a season of growth in ministry and a facility expansion.

After Pastor Morris’ retirement, the church underwent numerous hardships until God was pleased to send Pastor Jerry Birkholz who was installed in 2019. Pastor Birkholz led a time of renewal and refreshment until his retirement in 2025. Pastor Alex Metras was installed as pastor in 2025 and is, by God’s grace, continuing to shepherd His flock.