History

Mississippi Avenue Baptist Chapel was established on January 2, 1972, under the sponsorship of the First Baptist Church of Aurora, Colorado. Services were held in the Seventh Day Adventist Church building at 11400 E. Mississippi Avenue.

The Chapel was constituted into Mississippi Avenue Baptist Church on October 15, 1972 with 62 charter members transferring from First Baptist Church. Meetings continued at the Seventh Day Adventist building until the new church sanctuary and education facilities were completed at 13231 E. Mississippi Ave.

The building was ready for occupancy in November, 1974. The seating capacity of the auditorium was approximately 350 with equivalent education space. The church held title to four acres of land where the building is now located, at the corner of East Mississippi and South Victor Way.

Don Murray was called as Pastor on November 15, 1972 and served until February 1977 at which time he accepted a position with the Colorado Baptist General Convention as State Director of Missions. James F. Brannon was called as Pastor in May of 1977.

Mississippi Avenue Baptist Church entered into a building expansion program in the fall of 1982 adding 30,000 square feet of education space and a fellowship hall / gymnasium. The facility was completed in January of 1984.

James F. Brannon resigned in November of 1987 at which time he accepted the position as Pastor to the Highland Baptist Church in Meridian, Mississippi. Mike Story was called as Pastor in July 1988. He resigned in October of 1990 to become Pastor of another church in Aurora.

Carl Rider was called as pastor in November of 1991. He began his ministry on Sunday, December 8, 1991. Bill Ingram was called as Minister of Youth and Recreation in July of 1993. Riley Albertson was called as Minister of Education and Administration in August of 1994.

The final payment on the church property and the 1982 education space and fellowship hall / gymnasium was made in December of 1996. The church adopted "Vision 2000" in March of 1999. Part of the vision was to purchase two adjacent acres to the west and begin construction of a new worship center.

Mitch Hamilton was called as Pastor in September of 2000 and Scott Duffer was called as Minister of Music in June of 2003.

The Ground Breaking Ceremony for the new Worship Center was held on August 3, 2003.

The first service in the new Worship Center was held on June 20, 2004. Since that time we have experienced remarkable growth. God has used our new facility and our fellowship to continue to make an impact upon the Denver Metropolitan Area. In 2006, Riley Albertson surrendered his education responsibilities and fully assumed an administrative role. Allie McNider joined our staff in September of 2006 as full time Minister of Education. We are looking forward to the years ahead as God guides and uses Mississippi Avenue Baptist Church.