Our Story

The First Baptist Church of Norwood was established in 1858 when Norwood was known as South Dedham. On October 13 of that year, 35 members from the West Dedham (now Westwood) Baptist Church covenanted together to start a church and called its first pastor, Rev. Joseph B. Breed. They held initial services in Union Hall and Hartshorn Hall. By June 7, 1859, the congregation laid the cornerstone for their own church building on Washington Street, dedicating it on December 1, 1859. The church's prominent white steeple, a local landmark for decades, was destroyed during the New England Hurricane of 1938 and subsequently replaced with a smaller spire. In 1950, the original church property was sold, and the congregation relocated to a new building at 71 Bond Street, with the cornerstone laid on October 7, 1951, and the dedication service held on January 27, 1952.

Over the past decades, the church went through seasons of both flourishing and discouragement. In October 2024, First Baptist Church of Norwood was on the brink of closure. At that point, our church decided to work with a local pastor to put together a plan to replant/revitalize the church. The church congregation is currently in a new and exciting moment of renewal and is enthusiastic about the future, inviting those who God has called to join in on the journey.