A church history (the first part)

A short history of Kaunas Evangelical Baptist Church 1876-2001

While speaking about the birth of the church, it is important to stress that it was not influenced by baptist missionaries. It was the result of God‘s grace working in people. The railwayman Schneider came from Virbalis to Kaunas in 1876. He was a man of faith and he belonged to the baptist church of Eitkunai town.

While working, Brother Schneider tried to witness about his Lord. There was a group of 12 people, who believed in God and were baptized. These people were members of Eitkunai church. The cobbler Maciulaitis helped Schneider in the church.

Another brother Stoltenhoff from Warsaw came to Kaunas with his family in 1886. He was hard-working man and helped local believers, preaching the Word of God in the church, working at Sunday school and working with youth, he also conducted the church choir. The number of believers started to grow.

Kaunas branch of Eitkunai church had 75 members in 1888. However, some difficulties arose as Eitkunai were located in the territory which belonged to Germany. Therefore, Kaunas branch started to act as a separate and autonomous church on 12th of February, 1889 (according to the old calendar).

The church was conducted by Brother Stoltenhoff, who was the director of the factory of Brother Schmidts (later it was turned into the factory “Metal“). The preacher Marx was invited for spiritual work. He served in the church for three years. When he left, Stoltenhoff again started to conduct the church.

Service was held in the flat of brother Schneider in Sanciai district and in the flat of brother Maciulaitis in Vytautas ave. A beautiful church was built in 1890-1898 in the Lower Sanciai, the 2nd Krantas street. The preacher Otto Lenz came to Kaunas in 1899.