Sequoia Heights Baptist Church celebrated its 50th anniversary last weekend.
The church began in 1959 as a mission of First Baptist Church, Manteca. It was first located in a rented house on Veach Street and moved to its present location at the corner of Union and Wawona in 1965.
The celebration started Saturday with a buffet lunch and a time to visit with previous church members who had come from many cities in Northern California and as far away as Arizona. The evening climaxed with a comedian, Nazareth of Anaheim CA, who gave a hilarious presentation.
During the Sunday morning worship service, six different pastors spoke (four were former pastors of Sequoia Heights Baptist Church): Pastor Mark Rindels (former Senior Pastor), now Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Grass Valley; Rev. Jerry Yates, Director of Missions for the Delta Valley Baptist Association; Pastor David Peugh (former Administration Pastor) now Assistant Pastor at Woodward Park Baptist Church in Fresno; Rev. Roger Williams (former Youth Director) now Chaplain at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Stockton; Pastor Skip Ferris (former Youth Pastor) now Senior Pastor at Sonora Baptist Church and Pastor Mark Mahaffie, current Education/Music Pastor and acting Senior Pastor. Each Pastor briefly shared how God was working in their church and their family’s lives. There was a lot of laughter as past stories were retold.
Following the church service, there was a potluck luncheon. Stephanie Terrell (ventriloquist) and her partner, Skeeter, roasted the pastors.
It was a very special time for the people of Sequoia Heights Baptist Church.
The church began in 1959 as a mission of First Baptist Church, Manteca. It was first located in a rented house on Veach Street and moved to its present location at the corner of Union and Wawona in 1965.
The celebration started Saturday with a buffet lunch and a time to visit with previous church members who had come from many cities in Northern California and as far away as Arizona. The evening climaxed with a comedian, Nazareth of Anaheim CA, who gave a hilarious presentation.
During the Sunday morning worship service, six different pastors spoke (four were former pastors of Sequoia Heights Baptist Church): Pastor Mark Rindels (former Senior Pastor), now Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Grass Valley; Rev. Jerry Yates, Director of Missions for the Delta Valley Baptist Association; Pastor David Peugh (former Administration Pastor) now Assistant Pastor at Woodward Park Baptist Church in Fresno; Rev. Roger Williams (former Youth Director) now Chaplain at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Stockton; Pastor Skip Ferris (former Youth Pastor) now Senior Pastor at Sonora Baptist Church and Pastor Mark Mahaffie, current Education/Music Pastor and acting Senior Pastor. Each Pastor briefly shared how God was working in their church and their family’s lives. There was a lot of laughter as past stories were retold.
Following the church service, there was a potluck luncheon. Stephanie Terrell (ventriloquist) and her partner, Skeeter, roasted the pastors.
It was a very special time for the people of Sequoia Heights Baptist Church.
