Anniversary Plates

Plates, cups, and mugs, designed with pictures of the church, were made available as souvenirs of the church’s celebrations. Typically these were for anniversaries celebrating 25, 50, 75, 100, or 125 years. Often these items include sketches of the church, sometimes several sketches if the church has had multiple building projects and/or relocations in the process of growth in spreading the Gospel. The earliest plate in this collection is dated 1953. An especially interesting plate is the 100^th anniversary of First Baptist Church in Killaloe, Ontario, which pictures the church in the center and photos of each of the 16 pastors in a circle around the plate. Some may have a mission statement or theme on the plate or cup. A few churches had bells or other ceramic items.