Probably half of the postcards of churches that I own are of the Baptist Church. I didn't really plan it that way; it's just that there are that many available.

First Baptist Church is my church. It's the church I grew up in. It's the church I was baptized in. I was president of the youth group. I was the Sunday evening organist. And for a while, I was the music director.

Some of my earliest memories of Macon were of walking down Rutherford street from our house to the church only weeks after we moved to Macon to attend Vacation Bible School there.

And what a building it is. I have heard that when people fly over Macon in a small airplane that the church is the most distinctive building in the city and the easiest to pick out. The main building is over one hundred years old and a fine example of German architecture. The blond brick, tall square steeples on three sides, and beautiful stained glass all contribute to its unique beauty.

About 40 years ago, the church added a completely architecturally-inappropriate education building on the south side. It may have been functional, but it looks like it was hung on as an afterthought. Fortunately, when the church decided to expand the building toward the east a couple of years ago, great care was taken to seemlessly extend the fine brickwork of the oldest building into the new addition. Good job!