First Southern Baptist Church of Buckeye to mark 100-year anniversary

First Southern Baptist Church of Buckeye will celebrate its 100-year anniversary with a weekend of events scheduled for Oct. 24-26, 2025.

The church was founded in 1925 by six women, Mrs. Sam Hill and her daughter Clistie, Mrs. Ed Shepard and her daughter Gladys, and Mrs. Rose Jones and her daughter Lora Nell, as the eighth Southern Baptist congregation in Arizona, according to its website.

The first services were held in the Buckeye City Hall and Jail before moving to a tent provided by First Southern Baptist Church of Phoenix. In 1929, the congregation acquired property at Third Street and Eason Avenue, where the “Old Rock Church” was built the following year. By 1930, membership had grown to 68.

Nearly a century later, the congregation continues to gather at the same location, reflecting on its growth from a small desert mission to a lasting part of Buckeye’s faith community.
Celebration Weekend Events

Friday, Oct. 24
• 5 p.m.: History displays and fellowship.
• 6 p.m.: Celebration Dinner in The Well, featuring a catered meal and program. Tickets are $25, available until Oct. 10.

Saturday, Oct. 25
• 9 a.m.: Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study in The Well.
• 9 a.m.: Ladies Brunch and program in the Fellowship Hall.
• 6 p.m.: Musical concert in the sanctuary, followed by a dessert fellowship.

Sunday, Oct. 26
• 9 a.m.: Coffee with the Pastors in the Fellowship Hall and patio area.
• 10:30 a.m.: Worship service.
• 12 p.m.: Luncheon in The Well, closing out the centennial weekend with a BBQ meal and message about the church’s vision for the next 100 years.

Church leaders said the anniversary weekend will be dedicated to honoring the past while celebrating the ongoing mission of “preaching Jesus and loving people.”