WBC celebrates 50 years

THE Westville Baptist Church (WBC), often referred to as “the church with the green roof” celebrated its 50th anniversary on Sunday 1 December.

WBC started its five decades of service in the garage of a Sunday school in 1963. According to pastor John Benn, the church is passionate about the community and the community’s needs. “We are purposely inclusive. We have a wide diversity of people who attend the church. We understand that people have different ways of connecting with God and we try to facilitate those different ways,” said Benn.

Over the years the church has run various ministries, such as the youth and children as well as the family ministries to help the community connect with God.

The youth ministry, also known a Reflex, offers fun nights of worship and Christian based teachings, which takes place every Friday evening from 7.30pm to 10pm. The children’s ministry operates from 5pm to 6pm of Friday nights.

A family and counselling centre is another strong focus of the WBC. The family ministry, known as Life@Home, offers residents the opportunity to get information on various family related issues, including adoption and divorce. The ministry, which is run through the Westville fraternal, also offers marriage counselling , divorce care, singles breakfasts and pre-marital services.

The WBC has also partnered with Church Alliance for Social Transformation (CAST), a social outreach NPO that runs five different ministries, such as education and poverty relief or business development, in six different previously disadvantaged communities across KwaZulu-Natal.

On the anniversary date the church celebrated with two Sunday services and a carnival family fun day. According to Benn, at the end of the morning service Rita Hardland, a founding member of the church said, in a spontaneous moment, “I love this church. It is warm and wild.”

“I believe that Hardland’s statement is true. The church is both warm and wild. We don’t conform and restrict the community or our ways of connecting people with Christ. During the world cup we converted the church and set up massive screens with comfy bean bags, and the community could come and watch the games at the church,” said Benn.