“First Baptist Church on the Rock,” at 555 West Rock Road, Radford, will celebrate its 154th church anniversary this Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at the 11 a.m. morning worship.
FBC was organized in 1871 as Lovely Mount Church in Henry Mitchell’s Storehouse, South Radford. The church later moved to the Old Federal Post Office on then-Norwood Street (now law offices). In 1897, the Lutheran Church was purchased on Fairfax Street on the Radford College campus and the name was changed from Lovely Mount to First Baptist Church. Four churches were organized from FBC. They were Zion Hill Baptist, First Missionary Baptist, New Hope Baptist Church and Slate Hill Baptist. In 1961, Radford College purchased the Baptist Church on Fairfax Street. Also in 1961, a groundbreaking for the church at 1730 West St. was held. In May of 2011, FBC built a new edifice at 555 West Rock Rd. On June 22, 2025 David Gittings, Jr. was installed as the Pastor of FBC after the retirement of Rev. C. Coles Casey.
The theme for this year’s anniversary worship is “Celebrating God’s Unfailing Love” Lamentations 3:22-23 – “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
First Baptist Church
