History of West End Baptist Church

In March 1929, a group of 138 members from the First Baptist Church of Suffolk were granted letters to form a new congregation in the "west end" of the city.  This new church was chartered on March 11, 1929.   During the first months, services were held in the Suffolk High School while a house on the present property was moved and renovated for use in worship, Sunday school classes, and other meetings.  The dedication of the present sanctuary was held in December 1938.  The education building was dedicated in January 1952.

Since its charter in March 1929, nine ministers have served West End Baptist.  Our current pastor, the Reverend T. Floyd "Skip" Irby, has been with us since November 1986.

On September 24, 2000, following considerable prayer, study, and discussion, the membership of West End voted to resign from the Southern Baptist Convention.  For more than 15 years members had watched changes taking place in the denomination with which the church had been affiliated since its formation in 1929.  Many expressed alarm over  ‘clarifications’ of doctrine and ‘definitions’ of belief.  With its vote, West End chose to "continue on the path of historic Baptist principles and ministries that is our heritage in Virginia."

West End celebrates its 75th anniversary on March 11, 2004.  Learn more about the rich history of this church family.

WEBC Resigns from the Southern Baptist Convention -  A statement regarding the membership's vote to resign, September 2000

Position Paper on West End Baptist Church and the SBC - Adopted April 22, 1999

That's The Way We Were - A Laity Sunday message by Joyce Mauck, February 9, 2003

How Things Are - A Laity Sunday message by Donald Luzzatto, February 9, 2003

A View From Our Past - Our Beginnings: The Thirties - Newsletter article by Joyce Mauck, May 29, 2003

A View From Our Past - Our Beginnings: The Forties - Newsletter article by Jack W. Webb, Sr., June 26, 2003

A View From Our Past - Our Beginnings: The Fifties - Article by Lynnette Holmes Park, July 11, 2003

A View From Our Past - Our Beginnings: The Sixties - Article by Dorothy Williams, August 28, 2003

A View From Our Past - Our Beginnings: The Seventies - Article by Sam Sherard, September 29, 2003

A View From Our Past - Our Beginnings: The Eighties - Article by Kelly Taylor, November 26, 2003

A View From Our Past - Our Beginnings: The Nineties - Article by Ray and Amy Herrmann, February 27, 2004