Homecoming this year was a very significant one for us.  It was the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the founding of our church 75 years ago!

 

In the summer of 1931, #20 Whitman was a close-knit community of some 100 families, with one or more of each family working for Island Creek Coal Company’s number 20 mine, or for its company store or its payroll office as required by Island Creek’s policy of having its employee’s live in the community where they worked.  During that summer, a young preacher by the name of Dennie Roberts was working as a trackman for Island Creek Coal and a number of his neighbors discussed the possibility of organizing a church for the community that would be within walking distance of their homes.  With the cooperation of company executives, the church would be named Upper Whitman Union Church.  It would be made up of several different denominations, and would welcome everyone who wished to attend.

 

On August 12th of that year, 1931, Rev. Dennie Roberts met in the local YMCA building with other Christians from this small community to organize this new church.  Those who are recorded as attending this organizational meeting were Minnie Bentley, Mollie Mercer, Roy Thompson, Frankie Mason, Nona Whatley, Mary Russell, John Pinson, Milford Wilcox, Rachael Wilcox, Sarah Damron, Hazel Thompson, Thurston Cox, Clara Cox, Millard Hager, Dennie Roberts, Benton Mercer, Mary Callihan, Lillian Hager, Bessie Akers, Bertha Tackett, N.B. Tackett, Anice Frye, Cora Damron, William Perry, Frankie Perry, Elizabeth Music, and B. W. Waugh.  These 27 Christian neighbors were the Charter Members of the church.

 

Somewhere through the years, the name of the church became The #20 Whitman Community Church, but it is still the same “caring” church God has blessed from the beginning, “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” 

 

We came together on Sunday, August 6, 2006, at 10:30 a.m. to honor our charter members and to celebrate 75 great years of our church!  Reverend Curtis Booth from Ghanna, Ohio did the preaching and Chuck Compton, Tim Ooten and the church choir will be singing.  Dinner was served in the Fellowship Hall following the service. 

 

We came to renew old acquaintances while worshiping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  It wasn’t the same without you!

Yours in Christ,

Brother Joaquine Ooten, Pastor

 

#20 Whitman Community Church

 

Celebrating 75 years in the service of our Lord in 2006