Westminster Presbyterian Church Centennial Book

Meeting in the new Sunday School building on December 2, 1923, the commission formally organized the newest church in the Montgomery Presbytery, with 239 charter members. And at last, the congregation was invited to suggest names for the new church and -- Westminster, popular with Presbyterians the world over -- was chosen by popular acclaim. The Westminster Confession of Faith, drawn up in 1646, has been the backbone of the Reformed tradition. And with this milestone, Bluefield Presbyterian Church would now change their name and adopt the proud new designation of -- First Presbyterian Church. Elders were elected at the new church (now with a name of its own ) and they wasted no time to start planning for a church sanctuary to be built. On the following Sunday, a building committee was named – the following Sunday! Herbert L. Cain, a Richmond architect who specialized in designing churches and buildings for college campuses, was engaged to prepare plans and supervise the construction. On June 14, 1924, H.A. Lucas, a Bluefield contractor, was given a contract for the building and to make “ certain alterations ” in the Sunday School building so that it would “ fit gracefully into the finished church plant. ” Work was started two days later – two days later! A Bluefield bank handled the financing, an easy matter, since Bluefield was in the midst of a building boom. Lucas also built another church in our neighborhood.

Looking back, we had a few rough years financially but somehow, we had raised four children with very little debt and our children learned to value work and be frugal. I have learned to deal with situations with the help of Jesus...

Isabel Simmons

As a session, we had struggled through some difficult times in the church, but God was faithful to the church as a whole and to us as a family.

David Hopper

Have you noticed any similarities in College Ave Baptist Church and our main church building? The next time you ’ re in the hallway directly behind the sanctuary, think about it. The church library, the church office, Patterson Chapel, the Pastor ’ s office, upstairs, the men ’ s Sunday School room, 214, 216, that ’ s where the gymnasium was -- all that was the original building. When they were doing the renovation, the hardwood floors from the gymnasium were found under the carpeting in several rooms. It ’ s interesting to note that the plan was for the two buildings to “ fit gracefully together. ” However, there ’ s one place where it just may not seem to be all that graceful. You may have wondered about that before. At the top of the staircase by Jonathan ’ s office,

As a teen, having attended Westminster since a small child, week after week at Wednesday evening prayer meeting, Mr. Bishop quoted Micah 6:8. It is emblazoned in my heart and soul.

there ’ s a landing, where to go in either direction you have three steps you ’ ve got to climb. Have you ever wondered about that? It ’ s just kind of weird. Well, that ’ s one of those places where the Sunday School structure (building one) was joined to the church sanctuary structure (building two).

Angelina Giampocaro Spencer

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