Gamboa News

Doris Ehrman Monaco
Where did the Protestants go to church before the Union Church was built?

Jim Driscoll
Doris - the protestants had services in the Movie theatre - Mr. Herring was the minister for some years until Mr. Gray arrived.

Jay Green
The Protestants went to church in the movie theater in Gamboa. The older you were the farther back you sat in the rows. After church we would split up into groups - according to age, I guess - and go to different parts of the theater for our Sunday School lessons. I remember practicing on the old upright piano during the week until mom bought me one of my own. My piano was very unique - we had several parakeets and they chewed all the black keys even with the ivories. It was quite an experience.

David Ellis
Doris (Ehrman) Manaco asked where the Gamboa Protestants worshipped before the Union Church was built; it was the movie theater.

Jessee Crawford
To answer Doris Ehrmanıs question as to where us Protestants held our church services, if Iım not sadly mistaken, they were held in the theatre and the Club House. I vaguely remember the Club House having offices where the various Sunday School classes were conducted. I think we meet collectively in the theatre at the beginning of the service; then we broke up into up into Sunday School classes.

Jim Shobe
The Gamboa Union Church was never completed It was to have a center section built in between the two wings. I have a book given to me by Mr and Mrs Darnell, Both were very active in church work in the church. The book is titled Christian cooperation at the World`s Crossroads. In it are pictures of the clubhouse were we met and also pictures of Sunday School Classes a the time I was attending. The book also pictures the church officers at the time. I do not have a scanner but if someone could scan it I would be happy to loan it to them for that purpose.

Click Clubbie for picture - Close each picture to return here
Click Church Officers
Click Adult Bible Class
Click The Intermediates
Click The Gamboa Juniors
Click The Local Council, 1949
Click The Gamboa Young People's Class

Bill Campbell
The Union Church was never completed....The main sanctuary was never added....As far as I know the part of the church that was originally built was by design to be meeting rooms and the center portion that was held off on, because of lack of funds. was going to be the main sanctuary. Only, we used the original part of the church for everything and made due and, to my knowledge, never got around to completing the church as originally planned. Actually, at the last meeting in Orlando I met the present pastor of the church.

Jessee Crawford
Good for Jim Shobe and Bill Campbell for knowing that the Union Church was never finished. So, anytime they are in Charleston, WV they can collect the first prize, a Chinese dinner on me.