Glencoe church marks one year at new property

For College Heights Baptist Church, Glencoe, in Etowah Baptist Association, a new location has meant a renewed sense of fellowship and a resurgence in membership. “We were faltering and looking to probably close the doors within the next five years if we hadn’t moved,” Pastor Franklin Samuels said.

On Sept. 17, the church celebrated its first anniversary of moving from east Gadsden to the property that had belonged to North Glencoe Baptist Church. When College Heights Baptist moved in, it began renovating the buildings and grounds to better meet its needs. In August, the church finished the last project, renovating the gym. “(The church members) have worked, and the fellowship has grown stronger because of the work,” Samuels said, noting that many nights, volunteers stayed past midnight to finish projects.

The church’s membership has seen growth, too, adding 70 new members during the past year. Its average Sunday School attendance has grown from 165 to about 220. The church promoted a high-attendance Sunday for its anniversary celebration service and brought in 273 members and guests, Samuels said.

During the service that morning, Samuels gave plaques of recognition to those who had been instrumental in helping the church move and settle into its new property. “We’ve worked hard and long, but we don’t feel like this is the end,” Samuels said. “We feel like this is but the beginning of what the Lord can do.”