Westside Chapel Church History
Westside Chapel started as an outgrowth of The Gospel Tabernacle of the Christian and Missionary Alliance on the corner of Edgeworth and Sycamore Streets in downtown Greensboro. In April of 1971, five families with a vision for a new church met at Haybles Hearth, a local restaurant on Spring Garden Street, to plan the new work. These five families, Charles and Billie Gladwell, Bill and Colleen Haynes, Gene and Ginny Hayble, Z.V. "Doc" and Ellen Austin, and Don and Mona Chester, formed the nucleus of a new church to be known as Westside Chapel of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. For the next sixteen months, services were held at Craven School.
In 1972 the small but growing group found a house for sale on the corner of West Friendly Avenue and Jefferson Road. Raising a down payment of $12,000 towards the purchase price of $42,000 for the house and property, the congregation began to renovate the house into a suitable meeting place. Finally on August 13, 1972, the house was ready for the first service, and Rev. Samuel G. Barnes and his wife, Vera, retired missionaries with the C&MA, were called as the first pastors. Samuel and Vera led the congregation until September 12, 1975, when the Lord called Rev. Barnes home. Rev. Ken Taylor served as associate pastor from December 1974 to August 1976.
Westside Chapel was blessed with further growth under the ministry of Rev. Fewell (1976-1981), and the congregation began to outgrow the "old house on the corner." The challenge was to pay off the existing debt of $23,900 and raise $100,000 to build a new facility on the property. The new facility, consisting of a sanctuary, classrooms, and offices, was completed and dedicated on April 24, 1977.
The third pastor, Rev. Scott Sink (1981-1983), expanded the music ministry of the church and more sound equipment was purchased to enhance the music program. His interest in Christian camping ministry then led him and his wife into accepting the a call to be the director of Camp Willow Run near Littleton, North Carolina.
Rev. Douglas G. Welbourn followed Rev. Sink's ministry. Continued growth in the church, especially the addition of a number of young families, necessitated more expansion of the existing facilities, and a "Together With God We Build" program began in May of 1984. The "Hallelujah Goal" of $240,000 would provide a new, larger sanctuary and Fellowship Hall in the basement, as well as provide funds to renovate the existing building into nursery facilities and more classrooms. The old gravel parking lot would be expanded and paved.
Rev. Ron Mitchell was called to Westside Chapel when Rev. Welbourn answered God's call to the mission field in Africa. Under Rev. Mitchell's ministry, Westside Chapel sponsored a group of Montagnard refugees from Vietnam, providing them with housing, food, and a place to worship in their own language. With the blessing of Westside Chapel, a group of young families with a vision to reach the homeless population of Greensboro began a work that would later be known as Grace Community Church on Lee Street. Youth Pastors Mark Carstensen (May 1987 to April 1991) and Dean Wegren (June 1991 to April 1996) brought new vitality and vision to the youth ministry, including leading several groups of teens to LIFE conferences.
Upon Rev. Mitchell's resignation in 1992, Rev. Lloyd Patterson and his wife, Eva, filled in as interim pastor as the pulpit committee searched for God's choice to lead Westside Chapel. Rev. Gabriel Galdo and his wife, Debbie, were called to Westside Chapel in July 1994. The work with the Montagnards continued as a new wave of refugees from the Central Highlands of Vietnam joined family members or acquaintances already in Greensboro, and a Cambodian group also worshiped at Westside Chapel. Mr. Allen Springer served as youth pastor from April 2001 to August 2002 when he and his wife resigned to become dorm parents at an International Christian School in Taejon, South Korea. Jason Nelson then led the youth from October 2003 until June 2007. Currently Robert Parish heads up the youth ministry at Westside Chapel and he was ordained as a minister of the gospel by the CMA in February of 2010.
When the property adjoining the church property became available for purchase, the church congregation voted to acquire it. The men of the Westside cleared the land, seeded it for a recreational area, erected a playground for the children, and built a covered picnic shelter for outdoor events.
During Pastor Gabe's tenure at Westside Chapel, the church has lived up to the "Missionary" part of its name. His passion for the unreached has led many of the youth and adults to minister on short-term missions trips in West Virginia, Mexico, and Africa. An active Bible Quizzing program has been instituted with many of the teens and pre-teens participating in this challenging and vibrant ministry. A Westside member, John Allison, serves as the South Atlantic District Quizzing Coordinator.
Westside Chapel believes in putting God first in all things with people always being important to us as found in Matthew 22:37-39. We earnestly seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in all things with a strong focus on prayer and the teaching of the Word.
Recent years have seen the addition of a Hispanic church, which meets on Sunday afternoons and at various times during the week. A Montagnard ethnic group of believers, the Caha-speakers, meets in the church basement on Sunday mornings, and a Portuguese-speaking group worships at Westside on Sunday evenings. Westside Chapel is very open to sharing its facilities with other Christ-centered groups, such as a local home-schooling group and an aerobic exercise group.
To God alone be the Glory!
Respectfully submitted,
Virginia Hinson, Church Historian
In 1972 the small but growing group found a house for sale on the corner of West Friendly Avenue and Jefferson Road. Raising a down payment of $12,000 towards the purchase price of $42,000 for the house and property, the congregation began to renovate the house into a suitable meeting place. Finally on August 13, 1972, the house was ready for the first service, and Rev. Samuel G. Barnes and his wife, Vera, retired missionaries with the C&MA, were called as the first pastors. Samuel and Vera led the congregation until September 12, 1975, when the Lord called Rev. Barnes home. Rev. Ken Taylor served as associate pastor from December 1974 to August 1976.
Westside Chapel was blessed with further growth under the ministry of Rev. Fewell (1976-1981), and the congregation began to outgrow the "old house on the corner." The challenge was to pay off the existing debt of $23,900 and raise $100,000 to build a new facility on the property. The new facility, consisting of a sanctuary, classrooms, and offices, was completed and dedicated on April 24, 1977.
The third pastor, Rev. Scott Sink (1981-1983), expanded the music ministry of the church and more sound equipment was purchased to enhance the music program. His interest in Christian camping ministry then led him and his wife into accepting the a call to be the director of Camp Willow Run near Littleton, North Carolina.
Rev. Douglas G. Welbourn followed Rev. Sink's ministry. Continued growth in the church, especially the addition of a number of young families, necessitated more expansion of the existing facilities, and a "Together With God We Build" program began in May of 1984. The "Hallelujah Goal" of $240,000 would provide a new, larger sanctuary and Fellowship Hall in the basement, as well as provide funds to renovate the existing building into nursery facilities and more classrooms. The old gravel parking lot would be expanded and paved.
Rev. Ron Mitchell was called to Westside Chapel when Rev. Welbourn answered God's call to the mission field in Africa. Under Rev. Mitchell's ministry, Westside Chapel sponsored a group of Montagnard refugees from Vietnam, providing them with housing, food, and a place to worship in their own language. With the blessing of Westside Chapel, a group of young families with a vision to reach the homeless population of Greensboro began a work that would later be known as Grace Community Church on Lee Street. Youth Pastors Mark Carstensen (May 1987 to April 1991) and Dean Wegren (June 1991 to April 1996) brought new vitality and vision to the youth ministry, including leading several groups of teens to LIFE conferences.
Upon Rev. Mitchell's resignation in 1992, Rev. Lloyd Patterson and his wife, Eva, filled in as interim pastor as the pulpit committee searched for God's choice to lead Westside Chapel. Rev. Gabriel Galdo and his wife, Debbie, were called to Westside Chapel in July 1994. The work with the Montagnards continued as a new wave of refugees from the Central Highlands of Vietnam joined family members or acquaintances already in Greensboro, and a Cambodian group also worshiped at Westside Chapel. Mr. Allen Springer served as youth pastor from April 2001 to August 2002 when he and his wife resigned to become dorm parents at an International Christian School in Taejon, South Korea. Jason Nelson then led the youth from October 2003 until June 2007. Currently Robert Parish heads up the youth ministry at Westside Chapel and he was ordained as a minister of the gospel by the CMA in February of 2010.
When the property adjoining the church property became available for purchase, the church congregation voted to acquire it. The men of the Westside cleared the land, seeded it for a recreational area, erected a playground for the children, and built a covered picnic shelter for outdoor events.
During Pastor Gabe's tenure at Westside Chapel, the church has lived up to the "Missionary" part of its name. His passion for the unreached has led many of the youth and adults to minister on short-term missions trips in West Virginia, Mexico, and Africa. An active Bible Quizzing program has been instituted with many of the teens and pre-teens participating in this challenging and vibrant ministry. A Westside member, John Allison, serves as the South Atlantic District Quizzing Coordinator.
Westside Chapel believes in putting God first in all things with people always being important to us as found in Matthew 22:37-39. We earnestly seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in all things with a strong focus on prayer and the teaching of the Word.
Recent years have seen the addition of a Hispanic church, which meets on Sunday afternoons and at various times during the week. A Montagnard ethnic group of believers, the Caha-speakers, meets in the church basement on Sunday mornings, and a Portuguese-speaking group worships at Westside on Sunday evenings. Westside Chapel is very open to sharing its facilities with other Christ-centered groups, such as a local home-schooling group and an aerobic exercise group.
To God alone be the Glory!
Respectfully submitted,
Virginia Hinson, Church Historian