The Vision
During one cold northeast Missouri winter, Pastor Ralph M. G. Smith of First Baptist Church of Kirksville noticed that some members of his congregation were not making it to church.  After checking in with a few of these families the reason was clear.  These individuals and families lived in the neighborhoods surrounding the shoe factory.  Every Sunday morning they would get up early and walk all the way downtown in order to attend church services.  During the winter it just got too cold, making walking to church unbearable, sometimes even dangerous.  Pastor Smith saw a need and led his congregation to meet that need.  Together they decided that this neighborhood needed a church of its own.

The Birth
Through the work of a visionary pastor and a giving congregation, Hamilton Street Baptist church was born.  Beginning as a mission of First Baptist Church of Kirksville in 1954, the members held their first meetings in a house located on the same site as our present building.  A variety of young men filled the pulpit at that time.  Many of them were members of the Baptist Student Union.  The church called its first full-time pastor, Rev. Ernest Deatrick, in 1957.

The first sanctuary was constructed in 1956 while Don Evans was serving as interim pastor.  It was a 28 ft by 60 ft structure with Sunday School rooms in the basement.  However, this infant church continued to grow.  Therefore, this structure was enlarged in 1965.  Later the basement under the present sanctuary was built.  This added twenty more classrooms, but there was still a need for worship space.  The current sanctuary was built on top of that basement in 1968.  Finally, a multipurpose building was added late in 1978.  This building included a gym/fellowship hall, kitchen, and more classrooms and allowed for many activities for the whole church family.  Unfortunately, this structure collapsed in August of 1996. 

The Sacrifice
Yes, we were born through sacrifice, but it has not stopped there.  Throughout the history of the church God has continued to share His vision and has challenged us to sacrifice in order to make His dream a reality.  We have never been a congregation of wealth.  Yet through every phase of building and growing, we were able to make it happen financially.  How did we do it?  Through sacrificial giving in obedience to God.  We have a history of which we can be proud.  We have a heritage of sacrifice. 

(Taken from the HSBC Upon This Rock faith-raising campaign brochure)

Copyright 2003, Hamilton Street Baptist Church