In the small town of Vincent in Shelby County, First Baptist Church Vincent gathers each week on Waite Street under a steeple that has stood in the same spot since 1895. The congregation that meets there has lived through nearly nine generations of Alabama history, and its identity is shaped as much by its heritage as by its current rhythm of Sunday School, midweek Bible study, and a steady flow of children's and youth ministries. Visitors arriving for the first time will find a church family that describes itself as committed to God's glory, to loving neighbors, and to growing in faith by love and prayer.
From Spring Creek to Waite Street
The story of First Baptist Church Vincent begins in 1845, when a small group of believers gathered as Spring Creek Baptist Church on the Blue Spring Road, a quarter mile upstream from the present bridge on County Road 81. They built their first house of worship in 1849 on a shady knoll near a bubbling spring and two streams that provided pools for baptismal services. The original building was hewn from logs, with slab shutters over the windows and a great fireplace at one end.
In 1859 the congregation moved to a more spacious building near Bailey Spring, and in those early years it built a reputation for supporting education and missions. The most significant chapter came in 1895, when members voted to relocate "to town," and the present worship center was constructed. Some timbers from the old Spring Creek building were reused in the new structure, and the church took the name Vincent Baptist Church before settling on First Baptist Church Vincent.
Major building campaigns followed across the twentieth century. A brick veneer and north wing were added in 1952, the south wing and air conditioning arrived in 1958, and a children's building housing the nursery and elementary classes was constructed in 1962. A new steeple was erected in 1964, a new education building followed in 1967, and in 1968 the Vincent First Baptist Kindergarten was organized. Between 2005 and 2010, the church purchased neighboring properties, built a playground and park, and renovated the Gorman house into what is now called the Youth House. The 2010 Challenge to Build program restored the Worship Center and renovated the Fellowship Hall, kitchen, and other spaces.
Sunday Morning at the Sanctuary
Sunday School for all ages meets at 9:45 AM, followed by Morning Worship at 11 AM in the Sanctuary at 15 Waite Street. The worship service follows a traditional order of service that mixes hymns, scripture reading, congregational praise, an offertory, an expository message, an invitation hymn, and a closing prayer. Recent orders of service have featured calls to worship, fellowship choruses, and a children's moment before the sermon, with congregational singing led from the piano.
Children can remain in the service or, after the opening portion, head to children's church classrooms. A nursery is available for children from birth through one year old, and a toddler room serves two and three year olds. An Unlimited Ministry volunteer team welcomes families whose children have special needs, and a buddy system is being developed so that children can be included with their peers in Sunday School and Children's Church when possible.
The sermon series has walked through Romans 8 over the summer and early fall, with messages titled "The Great Invitation," "How Do You Spell Relief?," "God's Whisper," "The Grand Weaver," "Why Me, What Now?," "What Does God Want from Me?," "What Can Separate Us from God's Best?," and "What Is God Looking For?," before moving into Hebrews 11. Sermon notes are posted each week and the morning service is livestreamed on YouTube, with a service archive of past messages also available.
Sunday School and the 5 PM Studies
Sunday School at 9:45 AM is offered for every age group. Adult classes include the Becomers (taught by Mary Lee Reynolds), the Uniques (taught by Diane Conwill), and the Young Adults (taught by Chris and Ashley Barber). Children's classes run from nursery through sixth grade, with a seventh through twelfth grade class for youth. Unlimited classes are also available for members and guests with special needs.
At 5 PM on Sunday evenings, two parallel Bible studies meet in the Fellowship Hall and on the church campus. The Men's Bible Study gathers in the Fellowship Hall, and the Women's Bible Study meets in the main building. Both are open to anyone who wants to attend.
Wednesday Nights Around the Table
Wednesday is the second backbone of the church's weekly rhythm. At 6 PM, dinner is served and three age-grouped Bible studies launch at the same time. Adults gather in the Sanctuary for Bible study, children meet in the Fellowship Hall for a program called Kids 4 Truth, and youth move to the Youth House for their own study. The shared mealtime gives the church a family feel that runs through all three groups.
At 7 PM, the adult choir reconvenes in the Choir Room for rehearsal, which is open to anyone who would like to join. At the same hour, Kids Choir gathers in the Fellowship Hall for children ages four through twelve, with two divisions covering Babies through Pre-K and K through fifth grade alongside a class for the Unlimited Ministry. The Wednesday night lineup closes out at 8 PM.
Children's Ministry and the Unlimited Ministry
Children's Ministry at First Baptist Vincent runs from infancy through sixth grade. The Sunday School at 9:45 AM covers nursery (0 to 2 years), preschool (3 to 5 years), elementary (first through fifth grade), and the Unlimited class. Wednesday evenings bring Kids 4 Truth in the Fellowship Hall, where dinner is served before the Bible lesson. On Sunday afternoons from 5 to 6 PM, Children's Choir meets for K through fifth grade, with parallel classes for younger children and Unlimited participants.
Each summer, Vacation Bible School takes over the church for a full week in June, with Bible lessons, missions education, music, recreation, crafts, and games. Children entering third through sixth grade can also attend Student Life Kids Camp at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in July, and the church hosts a Fall Festival on the last Sunday in October as a family friendly alternative to Halloween, complete with candy, hay rides, and games.
The Unlimited Ministry is one of the distinguishing features of the church. Built on the conviction that every person is made in God's image and belongs in the life of a local congregation, the program includes a self-contained children's classroom with a calming area and space for sensory activities, an accessible bathroom with a standard changing table next door, and a private area for diapering older children. Shortened pews at the front of the sanctuary leave room for wheelchairs and similar equipment, and the church invites families to call ahead so a Special Needs volunteer can give a tour and complete an intake interview before a first visit.
Youth Ministry
Jessica Bearden leads the youth ministry, which serves students in sixth through twelfth grade. Youth meet for Sunday School at 9:45 AM in the Youth House, gather there again for Wednesday Bible study at 6 PM (with dinner provided), and travel together to conferences such as Strength to Stand in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee in the winter and in Gulf Shores, Alabama in the summer. Mission opportunities include helping members of the church and community with tasks such as yard work and serving at church events. The youth also participate in Vacation Bible School, the Fall Festival, and Fifth Quarter, a late night gathering after local football games.
The Weekday Preschool
First Baptist Church Vincent Weekday Preschool is a long standing ministry of the church, operating on the public school schedule and offering K-3 and K-4 classes. The preschool is led by Preschool Director Holly Hoyle and is staffed by Cathy Greene (4K teacher), Erin Eggler (3K teacher), and Miranda Cook (teacher's helper). The preschool is designed to provide a Christian environment where children experience a safe and happy learning experience grounded in verses such as Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6.
Missions and Partnerships
First Baptist Vincent supports a wide circle of mission partnerships. Locally, it works with the Shelby Baptist Association, including the association's Christmas Gift Shop, which provides gifts for children and shares the story of Christ with families during the holiday season.
Statewide, the church cooperates with the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions and gives through the Cooperative Program and the Myers-Mallory State Missions Offering, which supports Alabama WMU, disaster relief, church planting, partnership missions, and church revitalization. The church also partners with Alabama Baptist Children's Homes and Family Ministries, an organization that provides homes for children, professional counseling, educational services, and family assistance.
Nationally and internationally, the congregation supports the Southern Baptist Convention, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions through the International Mission Board, the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American missions, and ministries including the Gideons International, Kaleo International, News of Life Ministries, and Friends of the Great Commission. Friends of the Great Commission, which the church has hosted in person, provides administrative and accounting support to missionaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond.
A Church of Prayer
A prayer team prays every day in three shifts: morning, afternoon, and night, and the church invites prayer requests through a Prayer Wall in the Sanctuary foyer, an online form, the church's Facebook page, or by calling the church office at 205-672-2512. Requests can be marked public, staff-only, or confidential, and can be submitted anonymously. The current prayer list is posted in PDF form, and printed copies are available in the foyer.
Beliefs in Their Own Words
First Baptist Vincent holds to the Baptist Faith and Message. The church teaches that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to humanity, totally true and trustworthy, with Christ as the focus of divine revelation. There is one living and true God, infinite in holiness and all other perfections, who reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, distinct in person but one in essence and being. Christian baptism is understood as the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, symbolizing faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, while the Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience that memorializes the death of the Redeemer and anticipates His second coming. The Kingdom of God is described as both the Lord's general sovereignty over the universe and His particular kingship over those who acknowledge Jesus as King, with its full consummation awaiting the return of Christ.
Giving, Giving Online, and a Little Library
The church teaches that God is generous and calls His people to be as well, and it provides several ways to give. Secure online giving is available through the church's online platform, with options for one time or recurring contributions and the ability to choose a specific fund. Text to give is available by texting FBCV to 205-707-2512, or by texting a keyword such as "Childrens," "Youth," "Unlimited," "Memorial," "VBS," or "Missions" to the same number. Checks may be mailed to PO Box 43, Vincent, AL 35178.
Out front, near the parking lot beside the Fellowship Hall, a Little Library offers free adult and children's books to anyone in the community who wants to borrow one.
Pastoral Staff and Leadership
Pastor Robbie Weems, often addressed as "Bro. Robbie," provides overall leadership and preaches each Sunday. Creed McDaniel serves as Minister of Music and oversees congregational singing, while Kyle Culver is the church's pianist. Jessica Bearden is the Youth Minister, and the children's ministry team includes both Ashley Barber and Donna Newman as Children's Ministers. Holly Hoyle directs the Weekday Preschool, and Chelsea Latimer serves as the church's Administrative Assistant.
Visiting First Baptist Vincent
The church office at 15 Waite Street is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 2 PM, and the phone number for questions or to schedule a visit with the Unlimited Ministry is 205-672-2512. Sunday School begins at 9:45 AM and Morning Worship follows at 11 AM. The morning worship service is livestreamed on YouTube for those who cannot attend in person.