Who remembers these names from 60 years of the West View Baptist Church?

Birthday celebrations will start soon for the West View Baptist Church which is 60 years old.
Who remembers the harvest thanksgiving in 1958.Who remembers the harvest thanksgiving in 1958.
Who remembers the harvest thanksgiving in 1958.

Today, Chris Cordner continues his look back at a church which attracted hundreds of parishioners even from the very early days.

These are exciting times for everyone connected to West View Baptist Church.

The Sunday School was a big hit with children in 1950.The Sunday School was a big hit with children in 1950.
The Sunday School was a big hit with children in 1950.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Cuppas, cakes, and a chance for a reunion are all on the way to celebrate the 60th anniversary.

Spokesman David Butler said: “The church has been in existence for 60 years and it is still going strong. It has been refurbished and it has been transformed with new roofing, porch and new facilities.”

It all adds up to great facilities which will hopefully be seen by an influx of extra people wanting to help celebrate the diamond anniversary.

But this is also a time of reflection on all the people who helped shape the church through the decades, going back to the 1950s

The Sunday School was a big hit with children in 1950.The Sunday School was a big hit with children in 1950.
The Sunday School was a big hit with children in 1950.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In the late 1950s, 40 people flocked forward for the women’s weekly meetings at West View Baptish Church. Add to that the 200 followers who attended the Sunday school and this was a church that was going places even in those early days.

The first management committee consisted of Laurie Bean, Bob Loach, Syd Nicholls, Arthur Low, Nellie Loach and Jack Walton.

By 1958, Nellie led the Young Wives club and Bob Patten took over as Sunday school superintendent.

The landmarks just kept on coming and by 1960, a Girl Guides Company had been formed by Elsie Nichols. By 1963, Syd Nichols was appointed as secretary and Bob Patten took over the Boys Club.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In 1969, the church extension was completed and by 1978, the Baptistry was installed. Within a year, West View Baptist Church was welcoming a very special addition to the team when Tom Coppler from Modesta, California was appointed Youth Pastor.

The 80s saw plenty of comings and goings with the youth leadership taken over by Malcolm Patten and Ian Harrison, Marjorie Wheatley appointed as secretary, and Esther Butler s treasurer.

By 1987, the Parent and Toddler Croup was started with the West View Residents Association under Sue Wilson and Lynn Fletcher.

And two years later, Sandra Morris was appointed as Treasurer. By 1992, Malcolm Patten was ordained as a pastor in a ceremony at Tottenham Baptist Church.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But there was a note of sadness in 1997 when founder member Nellie Loach died.

Watch out for more recollections of the church later this week. And the full list of celebration events will appear in the Community Centres section of next Monday’s Mail.