Westminster Presbyterian Church Centennial Books

Early in 1948, under Dr. Pat ’ s leadership, a kindergarten was begun with 21 pupils and two teachers. It was so successful that a first grade was added the next year. The kindergarten was now a means of bringing new families into the church, and it still is today, 75 years later. There ’ s really no way to measure the impact and the blessing of our past kindergarten program and our present pre - school program. The teacher in the center is the mother of former member, Robert Gruver, and the lady to the right is Dr. Patterson ’ s wife, who was also a teacher in the preschool.

Lord, thank you for Westminster Church. May it continue to stand strong in faith and practice in the teaching and preaching of Your Word, to be a beacon of Your light and Your truth to this next generation.

A station wagon to transport the students was donated by friends of the preschool.

Mary Ann Pelts McElmurray

Someone commented this week on the church ’ s Facebook page that it was in this very sanctuary that he, as a member of Westminster Preschool learned to read his very first word – Exit.

Another recent successful expansion of the church ’ s work is the broadcasting of Westminster ’ s services over WHIS. This radio program

We first learned about Westminster from Joan Moore … We were like parched souls who drank deeply at the good preaching and teaching there. What a vision WPC had: to be disciple makers globally in missions and locally in small groups!

brought Dr. Patterson ’ s sermons to thousands of families in the Bluefield area, and these were very popular. In the previous chapter, we concluded with a cliffhanger – the church mortgage on the newly built sanctuary. Dr. Pat had only been here nine months when the note, that had oppressed the church since 1927, was finally paid off. It had been 19 long years. When the note was finally burned on November 27, 1946, there was great rejoicing. Originally, the loan for our new sanctuary was only supposed to be for ten years, but that was before the Depression hit. Some important dates that we haven ’ t mentioned yet include the

Ruth and Jerry Goodson

beginning of the Women ’ s Auxiliary in 1924. In 1929, we transferred to the Bluestone Presbytery. And in 1933, the church started a rotation cycle for elders and deacons – three year terms – just like now, with a year off before one can be re - elected.

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