Saturday, November 28, 2009
Congregation close-up of the month: Williams Memorial Baptist Church
.
JEANNA DUERSCHERL The Roanoke Times
The Rev. Paul Johnson is retiring after 41 years of preaching. Johnson worked at Williams Memorial Baptist Church for 30 years of his career.
Click the button above to see all of our community coverage, or go straight to your community's homepage with the menu below.
More religion stories
- Religion calendar
- First Free Will Baptist Church: Children could be church's future
- Congregation close-up: Roanoke Valley Bible Church
- Religion calendar
- Drawing inspiration from RuthGrace Covenant Church
Archive
Location
2105 Carroll Avenue N.W.
Roanoke, VA 24017
343-8972
Church history The congregation held its first service in September 1978 at the Seventh Day Adventist Church on Melrose Avenue, and in May 1979 moved to its own building, which still serves as its home. That year, the congregation of some 110 members called Johnson, who has been the church's only pastor and will retire this year.
Service times and types Sunday school, 9:30 a.m.; worship service, 11 a.m.
Physical description The brick building is tucked into a residential area in Northwest Roanoke. Dark-brown bricks form a large cross on the structure's tan-colored east wall.
Personality of the congregation The congregation is composed of a tightly knit small group of family and friends -- some of whom have been together since the church's inception. Members are involved in Bible studies and activities such as quilting.
Pastor's favorite Scripture
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
-- Galatians 2:20
