Members of the First Baptist Church will be opening their doors this Sunday to celebrate the church’s 130-year anniversary, to show off renovations and to commemorate the 400th year of the Baptist denomination.

The open house will take place this Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the church at 714 N. Main St.

“The event is for members to rediscover all the ways our church is at work for itself and its community,” said Dr. Roger Gilbert, the pastor of the church. “We also want to welcome guests to see the ways God is at work through First Baptist Church and find out how to get connected.”

Gilbert wants to encourage members of other churches to participate as well.

Tours will begin in the sanctuary that will highlight the church’s recent renovations. Displays from 14 different groups within the church will be set up in the fellowship hall and cake and refreshments will be served to celebrate the church’s birthday.

Some of the aspects of the past five years of renovations include updates to the sanctuary, office, education building and the old sanctuary.

“Our goal was to make our church safe and accessible to all including ramps and handrails inside and out,” Gilbert said.

The sanctuary now has handicapped restrooms, vestibule lighting, new ceilings and a floor, refinished pews, new carpet, new lighting, new roof, and repair and update to the heating and cooling systems.

The office was completely renovated for more space and efficiency.

An elevator, a new roof, larger classrooms, larger handicapped restrooms, all new windows and new heat pumps were added to the education building at the church.

In the old sanctuary building, the youth area was remolded, a new children’s choir room was added, the nursery and children’s areas have been repainted and members say the church has the “best kitchen in town.”

Some of the displays that will be on hand in the fellowship hall will be prepared by the Baptist Men, the Prayer Shawl ministry, the Feeding Friends program, Boy Scouts, missions, sound and taping, pictures of the church, a history of the church, the nominating committee, senior adults, the recreation ministry, the music program and information will be available about the church’s new Web site, www.fbcmountairy.org.

Contact Mondee Tilley at mtilley@mtairynews.com or at 719-1930.