Progress on Edmond project boosts church
Progress for a major Edmond project resulted in progress for a local Southern Baptist congregation, as well.
As Henderson Hills Baptist Church prepares to celebrate its 60th anniversary, leaders said the congregation’s sale of land to the city of Edmond resulted in the church being able to pay off debt incurred with the construction of Henderson Hills’ sprawling complex at 1200 E. Interstate 35 Frontage Road.
A much-anticipated project to build a second Edmond Library and another YMCA branch is moving forward later this year on the roughly 10 acres of land Henderson Hills sold to the city.
The new library and YMCA will be built along 15th Street, just east of Interstate 35 through a three-way partnership between the city of Edmond, the Metropolitan Library System and the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City, Andy Conyers, Edmond assistant city manager, said. Conyers said construction on the project is expected to begin in late summer 2024.
The Rev. John Wohlgemuth, Henderson Hills’ lead teaching pastor, said the church was excited to host a mortgage-burning ceremony earlier this year. He said the money from the land sale also helped the church pay for major renovations to the church in time for its 60th anniversary celebration on Saturday and Sunday.
The church will celebrate with a Night of Worship followed by a dessert reception on Saturday. Anniversary Celebration Services will be at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday, with former Henderson Hills pastors, including the Rev. Dennis Newkirk, as special guests.
Wohlgemuth said the church’s founders had a heart for the surrounding community 60 years ago when Henderson Hills was started as a church plant by First Baptist Church of Edmond. Wohlgemuth said First Baptist-Edmond members at that time recognized a need for a new church in a growing area of Edmond near the Henderson Hills residential area.
He said Henderson Hills had its first church service on May 3,1954. It is currently one of the largest Southern Baptist churches in Oklahoma with about 1,500 people attending weekend services, and it is has become known over the years for its outreach and community partnerships, among other things.
Krystal Harlow, the church’s communication’s director, said throughout the weekend, church members and visitors will be treated to video messages, music and fellowship with former pastors, worship pastors and staff. She said a former church elder, Allen Rice, wrote a book on the history of the church and it will be available for purchase.
More on library/YMCA project
Conyers said there is a need for the second Edmond library because the Edmond library is the busiest branch in the Metropolitan Library System. Also, the YMCA is seeking to fill more needs in the community by operating a facility that is closer in size to the Mitch Park YMCA in west Edmond.
He said the project’s proximity to Henderson Hills Baptist has resulted in a partnership with the church that will allow library/YMCA patrons to use one of the church’s parking lots.