RIVERVIEW BEGAN APRIL 27TH 1989 WITH A BIBLE STUDY ON WASHINGTON PIKE WELLSBURG WV HOUSE OF DALE & LAURA WHEAR BY PASTOR LAWRENCE KIMBALL THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 12 IN ATTENDANCE. THE ATTENDANCE CONTINUED TO GROW WEEKLY AND THEY DECIDED TO GIVE IT A NAME SO THAT WHEN THEY GOT A BUILDING THEY WOULD BE READY, THEY DECIDED ON THE NAME RIVERVIEW BAPTIST CHAPEL.
ON JUNE 11TH 1989 TWO COLLAGE MEN FROM ST. MARYS GEORGIA CAME TO HELP WITH THE MISSION, THERE NAMES WERE SEAN CONNER & QUENTIN McARTHUR.
AT THAT TIME WE FELT WE NEEDED A BIGGER PLACE TO WORSHIP & START TO HAVE REGULAR SERVICES. WE FOUND A HOUSE ON 27TH ST 107. IT WAS A TWO STORY HOUSE THAT HAD BEEN TWO APT.S IT BELONGED TO A MAN NAMED WILLIAM CAMPBELL. IT NEEDED A LOT OF WORK AND MR CAMPBELL AGREED TO RENT IT TO US. THE FIRST BIBLE STUDY WAS HELD JUNE 29TH 1989 AND FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE HAD BIBLE STUDY ON THURSDAY NIGHTS.
ON JULY 23RD 1989 WE HELD OUR FIRST REGULAR SERVICE WITH SUNDAY SCHOOL, WORSHIP, SUNDAY EVENING WORSHIP, WEDNESDAY NIGHT SERVICE. THE FIRST SUNDAY MORNING THERE WERE 24 IN ATTENDANCE.
IT CONTINUED TO GROW AND ON OCT. 1 1989 THE NEW CHURCH YEAR MOST POSITION'S WERE FILLED AND NOW HAVE 21 MEMBERS & ON A AVERAGE OF 35 IN ATTENDANCE. SUNDAY SCHOOL ENROLLMENT IS 28. WE ARE PRAYING GOD WILL MOVE US TO A LARGER BUILDING.
ON NOV 2ND 1989 THE WOMEN WANTED TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN THE CHURCH AND THE FIRST MEETING WAS HELD AND THEY DECIDED TO BECOME A PART OF WMU. DIRECTOR FOR THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY IS MAXCINE BUMGARNDNER. THEN VOTED IN AS A WMU DIRECTOR PAT KIMBALL & BA BAPTIST WOMEN PRESIDENT KATHY HELNBRIGHT.
BY DEC. 31ST 1989 THERE WERE 11 PEOPLE WON TO THE LORD. 16 BAPTISM'S. THE FIRST BABY DEDICATION WAS HELD ON DEC 31ST 1989 AT THE NEW YEARS EVE SERVICE
HIS NAME WAS JEREMIAH MICHAEL KIMBALL.
ON FEB 14TH 1990 WE HELD THE FIRST OFFICIAL BIG A CLASS, MISSION FRIENS & TEEN CLASS. WE WERE SEARCHING FOR A NEW BUILDING & THE LORD LEAD SOME OF THE MEN & THE PASTOR OF OUR MOTHER CHURCH (CALVARY BAPTIST) TO 225 CHARLES ST & WE IMMEDIATELY KNEW WE WERE WHERE GOD WANTED US. WE STARTED A BUILDING FUND AND AFTER MUCH PRAYER AND SEARCHING OUR HEARTS THE PAPERS WERE SIGNED TUESDAY AT 2:00 P.M. FEB 27TH 1990. IT WAS PURCHASED FROM ST. LUKE BAPTIST CHURCH FOR $10.000 WITH $2.000 DOWN & THE REST IN PAYMENTS TO BE PAID IN FULL IN 3 YEARS. THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK & REPAIRS TO BE DONE SO GOD LEAD THAT ANOTHER 5.000 BE LOANED AND BE PAID OFF AFTER THE ORIGINAL LOAN WAS PAID OFF.
ON SAT. MARCH 3RD 1990 CONSTRUCTION BEGAN. ON MARCH 4TH LAWRENCE KIMBALL WAS ORDAINED AT CALVARY BAPTIST.