Stained Glass Dome - Sepia

This ornate stained glass dome illuminates the historic sanctuary of Waco's First Baptist Church.... more

by Stephen Stookey

Title

Stained Glass Dome - Sepia

Artist

Stephen Stookey

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

This ornate stained glass dome illuminates the historic sanctuary of Waco's First Baptist Church.

Waco's First Baptist Church organized 31 May 1851--two years after George Erath laid out the first city block of Waco Village and Shapley Ross built the first log home. The village drew its name from the native Americans who once made their home along the banks of the Brazos River--the Waco tribe (Spanish--Hueco or Huaco).

Noah T. Byars served as FBC's pastor. Byars, a well recognized Texas frontier preacher, arrived in Texas in the 1830s from Georgia and operated a Blacksmith shop in Washington-on-the-Brazos. In 1836, following the declaration of independence from Mexico, Sam Houston appointed Byars the armorer and blacksmith of the Texas Army and the Republic of Texas . It is a building operated by Byars where Texas founders met in Washington-on-the-Brazos to create the Republic of Texas. Byars entered the ministry in Washington-on-the-Brazos under the leadership of legendary Baptist frontier preacher Z. N. "Wildcat" Morrell.

FBC Waco grew as the village emerged as a major center of trade and commerce in Texas. The story of the church is intertwined with the move to Waco and subsequent growth of Baylor University. Former pastors of FBC Waco include some of the most influential leaders in Texas Baptist and Southern Baptist history: Rufus C. Burleson (late 19th c. president of Baylor University); B. H. Carroll (founder of Baylor's Theology department and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary); J. Carroll (influential Texas Baptist leader); and J. M. Dawson (founding director of the Washington DC based Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty--cooperative venture of several Baptist conventions).

FBC's stately 3,000 seat auditorium, with its ornate stained glass and massive pipe organ, opened for services in 1907. Services are still held in the historic sanctuary.

Image captured with a Canon 5D Mark III & Canon 24-105 f/4L IS USM lens.

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November 13th, 2014