East Point (Georgia) Church
On May 15 the East Point Church began to meet in the first unit of a new plant, a combination auditorium and educational building. Intended as a temporary arrangement, this building will easily accommodate 400 people in the auditorium, and has 12 large class rooms on the second floor. Plans provide for a new auditorium to be joined to the present unit, which will accommodate 720. At the completion of this final unit, the temporary auditorium will be utilized for class rooms. Both units are to be air-conditioned.
The church dates back to 1910 when S. II. Hall, in cooperation with O. D. Bearden and others of the West End Church in Atlanta, conducted a series of tent meetings of seven weeks duration. During the first three or four weeks of this effort there were no additions, but then things began to happen, and at the close there were approximately 135 people added together. For a while the church met in a large building at the corner of Main Street and Taylor Avenue. In 1912 a frame building was constructed (mostly by voluntary labor) at the corner of Church and Williams Streets, where the congregation has continued to meet. This is the site of the new building.
East Point Church has experienced trying periods, but has emerged a strong, working congregation. Much credit is due Roy H. Welch, who through the years has fought, served and loved patiently. With a present membership of about 400, the church conducts an active program of work. It helps support Bill Richardson in Holland and native preachers in Nigeria, assists a number of weak places in Georgia, and in addition to the support of a local evangelist, supplements the retirement income of one elder who spends full time in church work. Contributions average $565 a week.
Among those who have served as elders in the past are J. F. Bell, J. M. Lee, Charlie Hampton, Pryde Hinton, and E. C. Lowry. C. L. Clark and R. H. Welch are the present able elders. Preachers who have worked with the church include S. Hall, Thomas Rouse, Hugh Garrett, J. A. Klingman, Morgan Carter, W. C. Carver, R. R. Brooks, Eugene Pitts, Charles Tidwell, Andy T. Ritchie, Aruna Clark, Pryde E. Hinton, W. C. Neal, Lee Rawlings, John T. Smithson, Jr., and H. A. Fincher. The writer has worked with the church since 1949.