A historic church in Franklin is moving from its downtown home where the congregation has worshiped for more than 130 years.
The church building on Jefferson Street will get new life — a developer plans to build condominiums inside the First Baptist Church.
No plans have been formalized for the construction, but the church has invited the public to a final celebration in the sanctuary on Aug. 26. The following week, the congregation will begin worshiping at the Franklin College chapel, the Rev. Homer Ford said.
The First Baptist Church was founded in Franklin in 1832, and the present sanctuary at Home Avenue and Jefferson Street was built in 1885. The congregation included up to 200 people at one time and the sanctuary seats more than 300 people, but membership has shrunk to about 50 to 60 active parishioners, Ford said.
The building needs updated to be accessible, but regardless, is much too large for the members’ needs, Ford said. For example, the upkeep of the building takes money that instead could be spent on specific missions.
“We’re leaving the building, but the church continues,” Ford said.
The property has been sold to a developer, Jeff Stratton, who has indicated that he wants to leave the structure intact but build 15 to 17 condominiums inside. Stratton is a southside pastor, Ford said. He could not be reached.
The initial plan calls for preserving the exterior windows and the stained glass, Ford said.
The zoning of the property allows for residential units on upper floors, so adding condos or apartments on the first floor would require a special exception from the city, said Joanna Myers, senior planner for the city.
The developer would also be required to provide on private property a certain number of parking spaces, depending on the number of housing units added, Myers said. Exceptions can be sought for that as well.
Through the years, church members have mentioned whether the large downtown church was the right fit for the direction of the ministry, and church leaders started the process to sell it about 18 months ago, Ford said.
In the meantime, the church could conduct services at Franklin College for up to a year, Ford said. The goal is to reinvent the church and see how its membership can grow and attract new families. Eventually, the church could buy or build a new home.
The temporary move to Franklin College was due to convenience and accessibility, but also was strategic. The First Baptist Church and other local congregations helped form Franklin College, Ford said.
The church’s offices will be housed at the Second Baptist Church in Franklin temporarily.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Final worship celebration at First Baptist Church
When: 10 a.m. Aug. 26
Where: First Baptist Church, 201 E. Jefferson St.
Who: The public is invited to the final worship at the church
New home
The congregation of the church invites the public to join in worship at its temporary home.
When: Starting 10 a.m. Sept. 2
Where: Franklin College Chapel, 101 Branigin Blvd.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
