By Monty Siekerman
The First Baptist Church of Ada celebrated its 150th anniversary Sunday during the morning worship service, followed by a dinner.

Pictured are (from left) Bob Cassady, pastor from 1988-90, Byron Hawbecker, interim pastor in 1991-1992, and Jack Duffy, who has been pastor the past 23 years.

The church's first gathering was on Oct. 2, 1866, at a meeting in the Union Church (now First Presbyterian Church of Ada) to organize a Baptist church.  

An interesting display in the foyer on Sunday told the story of an Orthodox Jew who converted to Christianity, graduated from a seminary, then became the Baptist pastor in Ada in the early 1900s.

The church is located at 350 W. North Ave (State Route 81). The former church, which was sold several years ago, was razed by the new owners a year ago.