Construction of First Baptist Church in Savannah, Ga., was completed in 1833, and the Greek Revival structure has been operating on Chippewa Square in the heart of downtown ever since.
It is one of the community’s busiest addresses, as well, serving as a regional arts and cultural hub, the site of multiple singing festivals, book fairs, interfaith gatherings and the home of a court-ordered recovery program for families devastated by mental and physical abuse.
But to help keep the facility available for all those functions — and of course for worship and other ministries — the congregation recently was awarded $500,000 by the National Fund for Sacred Places to address some of its most pressing structural issues.
While the congregation is debt-free and actually growing in attendance, it remains outmatched by a facility that opened nearly three decades before the beginning of the Civil War.
Kyle Reese
“Yes, we have the oldest standing house of worship in City of Savannah, which is much more romantic than it sounds and much more romantic than it is because obviously we have lot of building to contend with,” said Senior Minister Kyle Reese.
The grant’s requirement of a dollar-for-dollar match by First Baptist means the church will have at least $1 million to address much-needed waterproofing, window and roof improvements and other work, Reese said. “The church did a facilities study back in 2020-2021 and this will check everything off that list except for repairing the façade, so it’s going it’s push us down the road a good bit.”
In October, the National Fund for Sacred Places, a program of Partners for Sacred Places, announced more than $9 million in capital grants of up to $500,000 apiece to 30 historic congregations across the country. Granted in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the awards also provide technical assistance, planning and community engagement and fundraising assistance tailored for the needs of each recipient.
The National Fund has distributed more than $42 million to 197 congregations over 11 years, in addition to professional services designed to maintain their roles as cultural and service hubs in their communities. Awardees have spanned 29 faith traditions and denominations and 46 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Participating congregations have provided $5 in additional funding for $1 provided through the program.
First Baptist has affiliations with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Baptist World Alliance, Alliance of Baptists and Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists.
Robert Jaeger
“The 2026 National Fund for Sacred Places congregations embody spirituality, community and resilience,” said Bob Jaeger, president of Partners for Sacred Places. “Their historic buildings have long histories as civic spaces and community gathering places, and it is our honor to be part of this chapter in their story.”
The nation’s 250th anniversary has brought even more exposure to the critical role houses of worship have played in U.S. history, not only in providing spaces for worship but also for community engagement, arts venues and often by maintaining ancestral and historical records, the trust said in a statement.
Brent Leggs
Brent Leggs, president of the National trust for Historic Preservation, noted the awards were made possible in part by investments from the Lilly Endowment.
“Historic houses of worship have a robust power to shape the identities and values of Americans,” Leggs said. “They are uniquely significant as places of faith and belonging and stand as cultural landmarks and beacons to communities in times of celebration or hardship. Investing in these congregations ensures that our nation’s diverse religious heritage is preserved and thriving.”
The historic presence and role First Baptist plays in Savannah made the grant application process fairly straightforward, Associate Minister Amber Jones explained.
Amber Jones
“We’re the oldest standing house of worship in Savannah, so all I really had to do was write our story and connect to how we serve Savannah and how we add value to the city through our community partnerships. It was basically showing how we make use of our building in a way that adds value to this city.”
First Baptist serves as a cultural and arts hub by providing venue space for the Savannah Voice Festival, the Savannah Music Festival, the Savannah Book Festival and the Savannah Men’s Chorale. In addition, the Celebrating Families program uses the building to provide drug abuse, parenting, family reunification and other classes for court-ordered participants.
“We host the Interfaith Alliance every couple of years, and we are involved in interfaith advocacy in the community. Our partners are using our building in different ways year-round,” Jones said.
Nor was it difficult to explain on the application how the congregation would use a grant and matching funds, she added. “We homed in on the waterproofing envelope, so we’re focusing on the roof, the windows and fixing our flooding issues in the basement because we flood pretty much annually.”
Nothing is crumbling in the sanctuary, but some rot can be seen around windows. “That’s not easily fixed because we have to preserve the history in any repairs we do. It’s not like we can just go to Home Depot for that,” Jones explained.
The roof consists of more than 1,000 Italian classical tiles, which must be removed and then replaced after a waterproof barrier has been laid down, Jones said.
Reese added the church is currently in the midst of pledging for its budget so the drive for Sacred Places matching funds will begin in the new year.