About

First Baptist Sonoma is a historic church founded in 1945. We are a Gospel-centered, Christ exalting, Bible believing, Spirit empowered body of believers located in the Sonoma valley. We gather weekly to sing God’s Word, hear God’s Word, pray God’s Word and see God’s Word through the Lord’s Supper and baptism. We are currently in a revitalization effort as we seek to reach Sonoma with the Gospel of Christ and we would love for you to come join us!

The sanctuary that we meet in is the oldest known Protestant building north of San Francisco. When erected in 1851, it consisted of one room lit by oil lamps and heated by a wood-burning stove. It was located on the south side of East Napa St near 3rd St and was known as “Ames Chapel.” It moved to First Street in 1893 and had the roof raised to give it its classic Gothic look. The building frame is made of full-cut pine and hand-hewn timbers, the shell being made of Redwood. Hand-forged square nails were used to fit the framing together. The steeple makes the church the tallest structure in Sonoma. Fifteen hand-cut leaded stained glass windows were obtained in 1903 from the First Methodist Church of San Francisco, saving the windows from the 1906 earthquake. Later, five intricate leaded glass memorial windows were substituted which remain today.