A History of the Facilities Development of Viewmont Baptist Church
On Sunday, April 24, 1932, a group of twenty-eight Baptists met in
the old Brown Hosiery Mill building to organize a mission, the
Windy City Sunday School. Three years later, a group of 63
believers organized a mission Baptist church in the Windy City
village. The Rev. W.R. Bradshaw was call to be the first pastor.
In 1935, the church membership agreed to change the name to Brown
Memorial Baptist Church and secured land on the corner of 13th
Avenue. The land and building materials for the new Sanctuary were
donated by the E.W. Brown family.
We owe great appreciation to the generation of brave people who
lived
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| through World War II and followed their faith to launch into
the growth plans that provided the facilities
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| and land that we enjoy today. It all began
with an educational building completed in 1945. Following the
post-war growth, Rev. Albert A. Young and Mrs. W. E. Brown led
another ground breaking service for a new Educational Building
completed in 1954. Then in 1959, the church dedicated the new
Sanctuary building. Between 1974 and 1978 the old Sanctuary and
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educational building were removed for the construction of the
multi-purpose building/ gymnasium. The Video Ministry began in
1983 with deacons delivering video tapes of services to members
confined to their homes. The Brown property was purchased in 1989
for additional parking as was the property on the south side of
the church. During the 1990’s, the members supported two capital
campaigns for building renovations and the start up of the TV
ministry.
God has done magnificent things already in the history of Viewmont
Baptist Church. Each generation has sacrificed to maintain the
vision to reach persons for Christ, strengthen disciples, and
praise God’s name. The result of that vision and venture is the
church that enriches us today. We must continue to dream, grow,
and serve the Lord just as our forebears did. This is the time
when our church, built on the vision of God, takes the next step
toward His dream for us.
May God give us wisdom to prepare for
tomorrow… TODAY! |
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