A half-century ago, a group at First Baptist Church in Jefferson City formed what would become Concord Baptist Church as a mission project, starting the small church amid mostly wilderness.
At its first Sunday morning service March 21, 1971, 225 attended the service and Sunday school attendance was 115.
In those 50 years, Concord has grown into a bustling congregation of about 1,750 members and the physical church has grown through additions and remodeling. The church is at the same location where it started, and the community has grown around it. Now, the church rests beside businesses, residential neighborhoods and Capital Mall.
Concord celebrated its 50th anniversary Sunday, with special services, an illusion show for children, a 50th annual music CD and the sale of a church history book that was three years in the making.
Since it started, the church has baptized more than 1,650 people and the church has been able to donate $7.5 million to church mission causes.
The first pastor of the church was the Rev. Don Baker, who died three years ago. His wife, Pat, who now lives in Bolivar, returned for Sunday's celebration.
"It's very emotional for me," she said. "He (Don) would say it's just amazing" if he were here.
She remembers the two double-wide trailers that were used for administration offices and Sunday school at the beginning.
When she and her husband left five years later, the church had 400 members, she said.
"It's just always been a family," she said. "The same spirit has remained."
The Rev. Monte Shinkle, who has pastored the church for nearly 30 years, said the anniversary is a testament to God's faithfulness to the people whom he called to start the church.
"There's been a constant witness on this side of town for 50 years, and that's been a blessing," he said. "It's just an ongoing work of the Lord."
At the 10:30 a.m. service, Shinkle asked for people who were with the church since its first service to stand. More than a dozen people did, amid applause.
Current and former musical leaders of the church led the congregation in song, singing songs that were sung in each decade of the church's existence. The congregation started with the very first song sang at the church: "To God be the Glory."
Roy Dameron, a 30-year member of the church, wrote a history of the church. Hardback versions of the book were being sold for $30, while smaller, softcover versions were given out free to members.
While many churches have struggled to keep their membership, Concord has thrived. Dameron said living out the church slogan, "Loving God. Loving people," draws people into the church.
He said the anniversary is "overwhelming."
"For me, it's a privilege to honor these people who started this church, these charter members. They gave so much, they did so much, they worked so hard," he said. "To be blessed by their lives through these years, it's just amazing."