THE HISTORY OF

Anchor Baptist Church

Since 1989

Westgate Location  

Anchor Baptist Church was founded on the thirtieth day of July, 1989, In a rented cinder-block room in the Westgate Community Center. The small auditorium was filled with metal folding chairs, and the nursery occupied the hallway. This recreation room would house the Anchor Baptist Church for six months.

West Broad Storefront

After renting a hotel banquet room over the Christmas and New Year holidays, in 1990, a storefront at 11 N. Westmoor Avenue was discovered. Because previous churches had neglected to pay their debts, the owner initially declined a rental agreement several times. In a state of complete disrepair, the property required work. This same owner soon offered the larger store front around the corner at 3060 W. Broad Street. Eventually both store fronts were rented until the space suffice would not suffice.

Current Location Clime Road

In 1991, a church contacted Pastor Bell about a property at 3699 Clime Road. While the church was still held in the storefront, the Anchor Baptist School was founded in the house on the property at Clime Road. In 1995, we broke ground on the auditorium on the property at Clime Road. The first service was held in the fall of 1996. In 2001, the Betty Rivers education building was built at the back of the parking lot. In 2006, we broke ground on what would be our new Sunday school wing and fellowship hall, occupying it in January of 2008.