50th Celebration 1961 - 2011
 The 50th Anniversary Committee is requesting help collecting contact information for our friends from the past. If you are in touch with those who have attended WHBC during the past fifty years, please ask them to provide the following information to our committee: Name Address This information can be mailed to the church office or it can be sent via this email. |
In August of 1959, twenty people met in the home of the J.O.Archers to discuss the possibilities of a church in West Hills. From this nucleus the work was started and on Sunday, October 4, 1959, the first service was held in the West Hills Elementary School with 57 persons present. Reverend James A. Ivey, Associate Pastor of the First Baptist Church, preached the first sermon. Mr. Archer was elected Sunday school superintendent. A few weeks later, Dr. Douglas Harris, Professor of Bible at Carson-Newman College, came to serve as interim-pastor. In August of 1960, Reverend Andrew J. Prince was called as the first full-time pastor of the church. By October of 1960, the West Hills Baptist had grown to 35 families and had a budget of $40,000. First Baptist Church gave $25,000 toward the first building and three families gave 8 1/3 acres of land on which to build the church. October 1959 – West Hills Baptist began meeting at West Hills Elementary School October 1960 – Dr. Prince began as the pastor of the church October 1961 – The church holds services in the newly constructed building |
| Upcoming Events: October 2, 2010 - 10 AM Memory Walk from West Hills Elementary School to the Church via the greenway. Fall Picnic at the church after the walk. Transportation to the school from the church will be arranged. Non-walkers can join the kick off at the school and then be shuttled back to the church. 2011 October 1 - 50th Celebration Banquet 4:30 PM - Fellowship and viewing of displays and videos 6 PM Dinner and speaker presentations October 2 - Special 50th Sunday Service |
 Pictures! Pictures! Pictures! We need pictures! Meeting in West Hills Elementary School; Groundbreaking for the chapel or the sanctuary; Fall Festivals, Vacation Bible School; Youth retreats; Bus Ministry (Lazarus, Purple People Getter); Choir Tours; Choir Christmas parties; weddings; also pictures that show our members in fashions/fads of bygone days, such as hula hoops, tube dresses, poodle skirts, deelyboppers….well, you get the picture. Do you have pictures, programs, Sunday Bulletins, copies of the Open Door or other memorabilia that you would be willing to share as we prepare for our 50th Anniversary Celebration? Please bring the items to Shirley Mynatt in the church library or Donna Silvey. Be sure that the items have your name on them somewhere. Donna will scan them onto a CD to be used in a presentation during our celebration and return them to you. If possible, identify the occasion (GA installation, Eagle Scout, wedding, baptism), the person(s) if only a few and the approximate year. |