Roots on the East Side
First Baptist Church of South Euclid sits on Trebisky Road in South Euclid, Ohio, a quiet residential stretch on Cleveland's east side. The church's tagline, "Where Diversity meets Divinity through Faith," reflects a congregation shaped by the neighborhoods around it. Senior Pastor Bruce McLaurin leads a body that welcomes visitors exploring church for the first time, returning to faith, or simply looking for a place to belong.
The story began in October 1964, when a handful of parishioners from Southwest Baptist Church of Bedford Heights began gathering in homes for Sunday worship, hoping to plant a new church in the Cleveland Heights area. Within a year they had purchased three acres in South Euclid. In March 1966, Southwest Baptist granted approval to constitute the new work as Height Baptist, and on Easter Sunday 1969, after more than four and a half years of meeting at the YMCA of Cleveland Heights, the congregation celebrated its inaugural worship service in its own sanctuary. A fellowship room, kitchen, and classroom wing followed over the next two decades. In 1984, Height Baptist and Mt. Calvary Church of Euclid merged and took the name First Baptist Church of South Euclid.
Worship and Sunday School
Sunday mornings center on two rhythms. Sunday School classes meet from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. for older adults, adults, women, youth, and children. Worship services follow. The church body shares a purpose statement of bringing people to the saving grace of Christ Jesus, developing them toward Christian maturity, and equipping them for their particular ministry in the body of Christ.
Visitors who wish to make the church their own are invited into a five-week Church Basics class, also held Sundays from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. Each week covers a lesson on what membership entails, both in God's eyes and within the church body. At the end of the class, new members complete a profile and are presented to the congregation during morning worship, receiving the right hand of fellowship and, for those following Christ in baptism, scheduling a date for that step.
Children, Youth, and Arts
Children ages 5 through 18 take part in AWANA, a weekly program that introduces young people to the Bible in a structured, game-based format. The program runs during the school year and recesses in the summer, when families are pointed to Vacation Bible School instead. VBS is held in the evenings for one week each July, welcoming students from kindergarten through twelfth grade to register and explore a theme centered on Jesus as the Light of the World.
Youth in middle and high school gather once a month for Saturday Night Live, held the first Saturday of each month from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The evening fills the church with ping pong, air hockey, chess, checkers, crafts, and snacks, giving young people a regular place to meet friends and try new things. Alongside these programs, a small group called Instruments of Praise uses artistic gifts (performance, song, and dance) to lead worship and minister to the congregation.
Missions and Community Outreach
First Baptist partners with several local and global ministries. Locally, the church connects with Cleveland Hope and the North East Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, and each Thanksgiving members distribute Thanksgiving baskets to families in the surrounding area. Globally, the congregation supports the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American missions and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions through the Southern Baptist Convention.
The FaithWalk Center Vision
One of the most distinctive projects on the church's horizon is the FaithWalk Center, an inter-generational community center envisioned for the current Trebisky Road property. The church shares preliminary conceptual designs by Bialosky Cleveland. The plans sketch out a place built around three audiences.
For young people, the center would include a gymnasium with two full-court basketball courts, a weight room, locker rooms, and an exercise room. For older adults and residents looking for a place to gather, the vision includes a Senior Citizens Center, multipurpose program rooms, a walking track, and kitchen facilities. For learners of all ages, the center would offer computer training rooms, a corporate training facility, a learning center, educational classrooms, and Wi-Fi. The project is a partnership with local businesses, sports organizations, and ecumenical endeavors, dedicated to ministering to "whosoever will, let them come."
Giving and Staying Connected
Tithes and offerings can be made online, and checks may be sent to the church office addressed to the Treasurer. The staff team includes Pastor Bruce McLaurin as Senior Pastor, Rev. Johnson as Associate Pastor, and Harry Harris as Minister and Teacher. Visitors with questions or a desire to connect can reach the church at (216) 381-1164 or by email, and the Facebook group keeps members in touch between Sundays. A weekly Verse of the Week, drawn from passages like Revelation 3:20, is shared as a small anchor for the days between gatherings.