Our Church History
SHELBYVILLE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH HISTORY
For 20 year anniversary at 4401 Frankfort Road (5-12-2001), this May 8, 2021
The roots of this church go back to that day in 1918 when the parents of charter members Frances Vinson and Stanley Smith paid $2.00 for a book by the title Our Day in the Light of Prophecy. As an adult Frances joined the Frankfort Seventh-day Adventist Church after taking Bible studies. Stanley was baptized and joined the same church in 1961. Thus seeds for a church had sprouted. They grew in grace and bloomed to produce more seeds so that a church might be possible.
The effort to plant a church soon began. In the fall of 1961 Harold Kenell of the Frankfort Church and D. E. Kenyon of the Pewee Valley Church conducted evangelistic meetings in Shelbyville, but no one was baptized. The Louisville Magazine Church had also made an effort to establish a Seventh-day Adventist Church in Shelbyville in the late 1950’s. It would be thirty years before success came.
In 1992 Pastor Ernest Clark and Tony Kelley were pastoring the St. Matthews and Pewee Valley Churches. Each church had at least one family from Shelby County. Other Shelby County Adventists attended churches in Owen County at Gratz or at the Frankfort/Lawrenceburg Church. With St. Matthews (now called Middletown) and Pewee Valley leading the way, the West Middle School Auditorium was chosen as the location for the meetings held February 19 to March 28 in 1993. Pastor Kelley was the speaker and Pastor Clark directed the music and Bible study programs. Invitations to receive the Great Controversy were mailed and the books were hand delivered to those who requested a book.
Over 100 people came out and when the meetings ended a Branch Sabbath School (the beginning of a church) was planted to meet for Sabbath services in the Bondurant Center on Cardinal Drive. Director Sue King was most helpful and the center was offered free of charge every Sabbath morning and Sabbath evening for over a year.
A few months after the Branch Sabbath School was established, evangelist Ron Halvorson held meetings in Louisville. Pastor Bremner had come to work with Pastor Clark, and saw to it that folks from Shelbyville had a van ride to attend the Halvorson meetings. To this time there had been no baptisms for the new congregation because of the lack of a baptistery. At the conclusion of the Halvorson meetings three individuals from Shelbyville were baptized. Later another joined.
While meeting in the Bondurant Center, the LORD blessed the effort, and February 19, 1994 the Branch Sabbath School took another step toward growing a church when a Church Company was formed, one year to the day after meetings had begun at the West Middle School. That Sabbath morning found the Bondurant Center packed with over 50 in attendance. Elders Hallock, Fowler, Thurmon, and Hillard came from the KY-TN Conference to conduct the services. Tony Kelley and his family returned from Andrews University in Michigan.
The body of believers felt the need to find a more permanent place to worship with room for a children’s department. After looking for a suitable place to rent in Shelbyville and finding none, a member learned that the Old Henry Clay School, 6036 Frankfort Road, six miles east of Shelbyville was available for rent but that it needed renovating. God had placed in his church two elders, Stanley Smith, a painter, and David Ganote, who knew construction. With their leadership a large basement room was turned into a beautiful sanctuary. God knew the future because pews, a pulpit, and a communion table had been donated even before the location of the sanctuary was known. Praise God!
The first church service in the new sanctuary at 6036 Frankfort Road was on May 28, 1994. The church continued to reach out to cultivate the community. From September 26 to October 24, 1994 Pastor Joe McCoy held meetings. A portable baptistery was brought in and six people were baptized.
On February 11, 1995 a full grown church became a reality and the following statement was read the day of establishment. “A year ago, as we became a Church Company we were looking to a more permanent location, and today as we organize into a Church we are looking to own a church building where we can bring glory to the Lord and help finish His work.”
From that point forward money was set aside in a building fund. In January 1996 Pastor Bob Wint and wife Debbie were assigned the Shelbyville, Gratz and Lawrenceburg Church District. Pastor Wint had a degree in Industrial Arts, and chose to build his home in Shelby County not far from where this church now stands. In 1999 property at 4401 Frankfort Road was secured after much searching. During this time a ministry to Spanish speaking individuals had begun. Sara Jones, a bilingual member became the teacher for those who spoke Spanish.
In the fall of 1999, ground was broken at this location and in February of 2000 a foundation was poured. In April of 2000, over 70 members and volunteers from Helping Hands showed up to frame the building. At this point Elder Don Wade was inspired to organize a fund raising drive asking for financial support. When Elder Wad opened the envelopes at the appointed time we discovered that the LORD had blessed beyond our dreams with donations large and small and from far and wide. Donations continued to arrive and the church building was completely paid for in two years.
May 12, 2001 was the day chosen for the opening of this church building, and today, May 8, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of being at his location, 4401 Frankfort Road. After May 12, 2001 and the departure of Pastor Bob Wint, we were redistricted and joined into the Pewee Valley District.
Pastor Dave Ketelson and wife Debbie served our church from 2002 to 2004. He liked to tell children’s stories. With his short stature and youthful appearance, he could be mistaken for one of the youth. Pastor Richard Teller and his wife Rosemary pastored here from 2004 to 2009. Pastor Teller was instrumental in having our projector system and new Plexiglas podium installed. We did the Chip Program and the Depression Recovery Program while he was here. We also went to a combined English and Spanish speaking congregation for a combined worship service with translation to Spanish. Pastor Douglas Na’a and wife Meliana pastored from 2010 to 2014. Pastor Na’a headed up several Generation of Youth for Christ (GYC) trips with Pewee Valley and Shelbyville youth each Christmas and new year, the biggest of which was to Seattle (by bus, Amtrak, and bus). The next couple of years trips to Orlando and Houston followed. Pathfinders also organized under Pastor Na’a and grew into a strong organization with strong Pathfinder leaders.
Pastor John Johnston and wife Lisa arrived in 2014, and during their time here we saw church attendance grow to fill the sanctuary. Attendance of 75- 80 was common, then in August or September 2018 Pastor Walkyr of Louisville Hispanic Church began meetings and organizing a Hispanic SDA Mission Group on Midland Trail in Shelbyville. Shelbyville now has two Seventh-day Adventist Churches.
Today, May 8, 2021 we welcome back Pastor Bob and wife Debbie Went, and all our guests.