Shining the Light: Landmark Baptist Church

When East Ward School on 176 N. Porter St. in Waynesburg became Landmark Baptist Church in 1997, Pastor Arnold Watts, his family and a handful of new parishioners got together and did the heavy duty cleaning and remodeling it took to turn the handsome old brick school built in 1917 into a place to worship, learn and grow to become “A Church with a Heart in the Heart of Waynesburg.”

Today the old building has a new addition, Pastor Watts is still preaching, and on April 24, Landmark Baptist Church invites the public in to celebrate its 25th anniversary with a banquet and new building dedication starting at 5 p.m.

You may have already met parishioners on “Soul Winning” Wednesdays and Saturdays when they are out and about in pairs, knocking on doors to share their message and invite those they meet to join them in church. 

The new addition is an auditorium-sized chapel with great acoustics, thanks to the many baffled panels on the walls that brother Jeremy Parker spent countless hours hanging. Every part of this spiritually communal construction project has felt the touch of church volunteers, from those baffles to the drywall and painting to the bulldozing that was done by church member Don Shriver to ready the foundation, Pastor Watts told me when I stopped by to see the finished product and catch up on church activities. The church found ways to continue during the pandemic, from online services to building an awning over the top of the outside ramp so that Pastor Watts could preach outdoors to parishioners who stayed in their cars.

Throughout those months, the new auditorium was built, one workday at a time.  

The church uses the school classrooms for teaching Sunday Schools for all ages from toddler to the elderly on Sunday and also as Landmark Baptist Academy for 18 students age pre-K to graduation, who do classes online four days a week. To date there have been two graduates and by next year there will be two more, secretary Marcela Siordia said when I called later to get more details.  Members wear many hats and Marcy is no exception. Her own life story took her from California to New York, then to Waynesburg two years ago. “My life was transformed – now I’m the secretary!” Marcy also drives one of the vans that the church uses to spread the word beyond the neighborhood by bringing in for services and events those with transportation needs. “You’ll find me at the back of the auditorium on Sunday. I speak Spanish so I translate the sermon for a parishioner. If you come next Sunday you can sit with me.”

Sunday Schools begin at 10 a.m. and incudes a nursery for infants. When Sunday services begin at 11 a.m. kids have their own services and parishioners age 12 and older gather in the auditorium to hear Pastor Watts preach.

More information, including to RSVP for the 25th Anniversary Banquet or to listen to recent sermons is online at www.lbcwaynesburg.net or call 724-627-4058