HISTORY OF THE WEST END SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
1983-2007
Although not as spectacular a building as Solomon’s Temple, the building of the West End Seventh-day Adventist Church as been an equally challenging and inspiring event in our history. The completion of this project took lots of donations, skilled workmanship and dedicated service.
The history of the West End Seventh-day Adventist Church extends back to July 4, 1983, under the leadership of our then Conference President, Elder Ralph B. Hariston. Compliments go to the late Joseph Hinson, and the late Walter Hawks, who assisted our president in inviting Evangelist Oscar Lane to conduct a Crusade in Southwest Atlanta, under the “Big Red Tent”.
It was in the summer of 1983 that Evangelist Oscar Lane, of Los Angeles, California, was invited to conduct a tent crusade on the corner of Lee and Oglethorpe Streets in Southwest Atlanta. God greatly blessed this effort with the baptism of 1,353 souls- 700 of whom were new converts. Most of these new members were organized into the West End Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The first meeting of the newly organized group was held in the West Hunter Street Baptist Church, on August 20, 1983, through the courtesy and kindness of the last Pastor, Dr. Ralph David Abernathy.
Still in search of a church home, the young church was next permitted to hold services in the Brown High School Auditorium, on Peeples Street, in Southwest Atlanta, from August 1983-1988. Leading the flock were Pastors F. W. Parker, and the late C. H. Henri, assisted by Pastors, C. L. Humphrey and C. Nesmith. Assisting this fine team were Sisters Arvella Hadley and the late Elisabeth Rice as bible workers while Brother Joe Houston served as first Elder and the late Brother Watson as head deacon. The leadership provided by this team was a great warm and spiritual vitality for which West End Seventh-day Adventist Church is so well known.
In July of 1984, after the departure of Pastor F.W. Parker, the church continued to achieve new heights of spiritual, social, and educational accomplishments under the youthful and dynamic leadership of Pastor Ernest B. Young, who came from the Southeastern Conference to be the Pastor.
Seeing the need for a permanent church home, Pastor Young immediately set about to secure property in Southwest Atlanta for the erection of a church building. Brother Joe Houston, and Brother Joe Hadley, provided invaluable assistance to the Pastor in the arrangements leading to the purchase of the property on the corner of Donnelly and Lawton Streets.
On the thirty-first day of March 1985, Pastor Young called the congregation together to begin to build the house of the Lord. A groundbreaking ceremony was conducted. Special guests were officers of the South Atlantic Conference: Pastor R. B. Hariston, President, and Pastor J. A. Simmons, Secretary/Treasurer along with Pastors F.W.Parker, Sabbath School Director, C. L. Watkins, Conference Evangelist the late Joe Hinson, Lay activities Secretary, the late Samuel E. Goodson, Communications Secretary, and the late Walter Hawk, Manager of the Adventist Book Center. Other guests included Pastor R. M. Willis, Pastor of the Rome SDA Church, and Publishing Director of the Southern Union Conference, Pastor R. W. Tottress, Radio Ministry, Mr. George Mercurius, the Architect, and Mr. Tom Cuffie, Councilman of the West End District.
The spring of 1985 Evangelist Oscar Lane conducted another crusade at the Lakewood Fair Grounds, and 143 precious souls were added to the church. In the summer of the same year, following the camp meeting, Pastor Young launched another crusade for Christ, and the Lord blessed his ministry with 105 souls.
In the summer of 1985 Pastor G. H. Taylor replaced Pastor C. D. Henry as associate Pastor of the West End Seventh-day Adventist Church. Also, in July 1985, Pastor Malcolm White became Youth Pastor, until he left on September 19, 1987.
We continued to grow during the lock out experiences. 112 precious souls were baptized as a result of a crusade conducted by C. L. Watkins, Conference Evangelist, in the summer of 1987. The church members walked to the open church lot to have Sabbath School and Divine Worship on the old stones and never returned to Brown High School again.
Each week the Conference allowed West End to have Wednesday night payer meeting in the conference office basement from 1983 to 1988.
Pastor Young held a four-week tent crusade on the church site in the summer of 1988, which resulted into 43 baptisms. The church family continued to meet in the tent following the crusade, with hopes of transferring to the magnificent edifice before the winter. Pastor Eugene Mason, Treasurer of the South Atlantic Conference came to West End at this time to assist with whatever he could.
The devil was determined to bring failure to the finishing of the building. So he set out to put all manner of stumbling blocks in the path of the finances. It soon became apparent that enough funds were not going to be obtained in time to complete the edifice on schedule, thus, the church was forced to seek alternate accommodations for the winter.
The Pastor and members of the Second Mount Olive Baptist Church graciously opened the doors of their church to the West End Seventh-day Adventist Church, so the church could be adequately accommodated and sheltered from the cold. May the Lord reward them for their kindness!
The church building project began under the management of Bro. Sam Cort, project manager from 1985 through early 1987. Bro. Sylvester Powell was the electrician and Bro Jonathan Walker as project manager from October 1987 to 1989. Estimated cost of the lot was one hundred twenty thousand dollars, and total cost of the edifice was 1.7 million dollars.
Many, many individuals contributed time, talent and money, both in the operation of the church, and the building project. Although their names do not appear here, they are all written in the books of Heaven. Heartfelt thanks go to everyone who has had some part in making this occasion possible on the 13 day of May 1989. And now the house of the Lord, the West End Seventh-day Adventist Church building is completed, Pastor Young gathered all the Elders, and the people together for the dedication thereof, and great is the rejoicing of the people singing praises! Rejoicing! Give glory to God who has wrought marvelously, Praise the Lord who has vanquished the foe, and has brought rejoicing to His people. Praise ye the Lord. Elder Ernest B. Young served from 1984-1990, Earl. W. Moore, who came in January 1991, as assistant to him, Elder R. L. Woodfolk, came in the fall of 1991 through 1992 to serve as associate Pastor R. E. Tottres, who served as associate Pastor from 1993 through May 1995 succeeded him. Pastor Mason West III served as Youth Pastor from June 10, 1995 to June 2, 1996 and held a two week revival before departing.
And now that the house of the Lord, the West End Seventh-day Adventist Church building is completed, Pastor Young has gathered all the Elders, and the people together for the dedication thereof, and great is the rejoicing of the people Singing Praises! Rejoicing! Give glory to God who has wrought marvelously. Praise the Lord who has vanquished the foe, and has brought rejoicing to His people. Praise ye the Lord. Elder Ernest B Young served as Pastor from 1984-1990. Earl W. Moore, who came to the West End Seventh-day Adventist Church in January 1991, succeeded him. Elder R. L Woodfolk came in the fall of 1991 through 1992 to serve as associate Pastor until Elder R. E. Tottress, who served as associate Pastor from 1993 through May 1995 succeeded him. Elder Mason West III served as associate Pastor from June 10, 1995 to June 22, 1996 and held a two week revival before departing.
The Hope for Tomorrow Crusade was from July 6 through August 9, 1997. Evangelist Calvin B. Preston supported the West End Seventh-day Adventist Church in the effort. Dr. Earl W. Moore and Pastor Ricky Fugua were assistants to him along with Pastor Eugene Mason and Sis Cecelia Horton whose voices blended so well in the parking lot on Peeples Street that 88 souls heard the call of the Lord that they were baptized into the West End Seventh-day Adventist Church.
During Pastor Drear W. Moore’s tenure as Pastor, he held several Revelation Seminars and many souls were baptized. Dr. Earl W. Moore served from January 1991 through April 1998 and was succeeded by Pastor Alvin E. Freeman on April 25, 1998. The balance owed on the church mortgage was $952,520.38.
In the summer of 1999, with the Manna from Heaven Crusade, the Manna continued to fall as the church grew. After four weeks camp meeting in year 2001 was held in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The Pastor had a vision for the church to reach out with a TV Ministry, along with many other ministries to increase our territory. The Lord really increased our territory with instruction to move forward by faith. Pastor Al Freeman continued to work hard toward the reality of this vision.
During the years of 1998-2003, our church continued to grow. Three hundred and eighty eight were baptized and/or transferred into the West End Seventh-day Adventist Church family. Glory be to God from whom all blessings flow! The church experienced an overflow, which had to view services in the fellowship hall on the television since the Sanctuary was at capacity.
The week of the twentieth year anniversary featured a speaker each night: Pastors Fred W. Parker, Eugene Mason, R. E. Tottress, Dr. Earl W. Moore, Calvin Watkins, and Dr. Oscar Lane. This week went down in history!
On May 17, 2003 we marched from Brown High School on Beecher and Peeples Streets to 845 Lawton and Donnelly Streets. Marching with us were, Pastor Al E. and Fern Freeman (First Lady), Crawford Humphrey, Ralph Peay, Fred and Mildred Parker, Ralph B. and Christine Hariston, Malcolm White, and a host of members and friends. The oldest with us was Johnnie M. Taylor at age 95 years old in 2003.
The Gala was held that evening with several hundred people present, including Pastors Al E. and Fern Freeman, Fred and Mildred Parker, Eugene and Ann Mason, Ralph and Juanita Peay, Ralph B. and Christine Hariston, Malcolm White, Calvin and Ruth Watkins and Crawford Humphrey.
In the summer of 2004, Dr. Oscar Lane held a three week revival at the West End Seventh-day Adventist Church. 83 souls joined the flock and were baptized. All honor and praises go to the Lord.
Under the leadership of Al E. Freeman the church was renovated, roofing was replaced in 2005 by Sylvester Powell and the Building Committee. May God reward and bless him and the committee with their talent. Major church equipment and technological resources to assist with the operation of the church were also purchased. The territory was increased after the hard work of Church Pond- a service that places the West End Church, along with other Seventh-day Adventist churches, on the internet.
In the year of 2006, the Personal Ministry Department brought Pastor Randy Stafford to run a week-long revival and several souls rededicated their life back to the Lord. In the months of March and April 2006 the church ran a Revelation Seminar in the fellowship hall that lasted six weeks. The seminar was attended by existing and new members who had never had the class before. It was refreshing to see so many souls present to study the word of God. Those who were introduced to the Message for the first time experienced their first Sabbath on April 8, 2006.
Several ministries by the laymen are going on in the West End Seventh-day Adventist Church which include: a radio ministry, prison ministry, Church Pond ministry, nursing home ministry.
Pastor Al E. and Sister Fern Freeman served as leaders from April 25, 1998 to July 29, 2006. A farewell for Pastor and Fern Freeman took place on July 30, 2006 after serving eight years at West End SDA Church. The gala was held at the new Adventist school on H. E. Holmes Drive with over 350 members present.
Pastor Calvin B. and Sister Wynona Preston, along with their family, arrived at West End on August 12, 2006 to lead the congregation. We welcomed Pastor Calvin B. Preston and his family with open arms. Our then Head Elder Jimmie Smith and Head Deacon, Sylvester Powell led out the grand fellowship on this special day. As of August 1, 2006 the mortgage for the West End Church was down to $277,902.76.
The Bible Truth Conference was held from June 24 through July 14, 2007. There were 57 souls who heard the Word and accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. Our pastor was the speaker for the three-week conference. The church held a fall Revelation Seminar for six weeks; here again, many souls were added to the church family. A total of 106 souls were added to the church in 2007.
The Historian: Lillie M. Pullum