First Baptist Church of Nederland

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, seven is not a number that sounds like much when you're talkin' about building something meant to last. Seven people.

But in Nederland, Texas, in March of 1907, seven charter members sat down together and organized what would become the First Baptist Church of Nederland, and they were not playin' around. The whole thing grew out of a revival, the kind that gets people fired up and lookin' for somewhere to put that fire. A Baptist minister held that revival right inside the local Dutch Reformed Church, and something took root.

Those seven souls called the Reverend George Montgomery to serve as their first pastor, and the work began. Now, in the early days, there was no grand baptistery, no polished tile or stained glass. When new members were welcomed into the faith, they walked down to the Neches River to be baptized.

The river itself was the font. There's a kind of poetry in that, the current runnin' past while something permanent was bein' made. For a good while, the congregation carried a different name entirely.

Until 1925, this was known as Peveto Baptist Church, named after a faithful member by the name of Gille Peveto. Then came the name that would stick. First Baptist Church of Nederland.

The congregation grew in numbers over the years and provided significant service to the community, which is the quiet way a marker says: these people showed up, again and again, for a long time. And this particular marker, it was given by the 1982 Silvertones Senior Adult Choir. Seven charter members who met by a river.

Look what they started.

What the marker says

This congregation grew out of a revival held by a Baptist minister in the local Dutch Reformed Church. Seven charter members met in March 1907 to organize the First Baptist Church in Nederland, and the Rev. George Montgomery was called to serve as their first pastor. In the early days of the church, new members were baptized in the Neches River. Known until 1925 as Peveto Baptist Church, after faithful member Gille Peveto, First Baptist Church of Nederland has grown in numbers, and over the years has provided significant service to the community. Incise in base: Given by 1982 Silvertones Senior Adult Choir