History of Windermere Presbyterian Church
Windermere’s History begins with the closing of a historic Wilmington Church and the opening up of a new Wilmington neighborhood called Windemere.
Windermere’s History begins with the closing of a historic Wilmington Church and the opening up of a new Wilmington neighborhood called Windemere.
- 1913- James Sprunt gave land on Front street for the formation if Immanuel Presbyterian Church
- 1916 T.P. Ireland was called as the first pastor of Immanuel Presbyterian Church
- 19?? Immanuel changes locations to the corner of 5th and Meres St. in Wilmington
- 1960’s Immanuel Elder Herbert Farrar befriends real estate developer Paul Gregory who owned the newly developing Windermere subdivision (then) outside of Wilmington
- 1967 Immanuel Presbyterian Church closes due to changing demographics, decreasing membership, and safety concerns.
- 1967 Wilmington begins to see an influx of many new families brought in by G.E. and other major corporations.
- 1967 Elder Herbert Farrar negotiates between Paul Gregory and Wilmington Presbytery to use the proceeds from the sale of Immanuel Presbyterian Church to Purchase land for the development of a new church in the (then) new Windermere Subdivision.
- 1967 Wilmington Presbytery organizes Windermere Presbyterian Church as a New Church Development. Graham McChesney is called as the organizing pastor and worship services began at Kenan Hall on the UNCW Campus, until a building could be built on the site at Windermere.
- 1967-1970 Rev. McChesney and other members engaged in door-to-door visitation to grow the membership of the church to the point that, when the church was formally chartered, the membership consisted of about 2/3 former Immanuel members 1/3 new families who were attending Windermere
- 1970 Windermere was officially chartered as a Presbyterian Church in the PCUS (the southern denomination of Presbyterians)
- 1970 Graham McChesney (Pastor from 1970 to 1982) became the first installed pastor of Windermere Presbyterian Church. His pastorate is almost exclusively remembered as a wonderful and new season for the life of this church, the season of it’s birth.
- 1970 Windermere Preschool and Kindergarten began.
- 1984 Mark Achtemeier (Pastor from 1984 to 1989) became the second installed pastor of Windermere Presbyterian Church. Rev. Achtemeir’s young family brought much life into the Church. His wife is also an ordained Presbyterian pastor and was well loved.
- 1990 Robert “Bob” Osborne (Pastor from 1990-1992) became the third installed pastor of Windermere Presbyterian Church. Though his time at Windermere was short, the Church remains thankful for God’s ministry through Him during these years.
- 1993 Stephen Sloop (Pastor from 1993-2000) became the fourth installed pastor of Windermere Presbyterian Church. Rev. Sloop’s time at Windermere is widely remembered as a fond and happy time in the Church. His skill set as a pastor and a friend allowed the church slow steady growth under his leadership.
- Circa 2000 Windermere Presbyterian Church receives an anonymous donation of one million dollars to build a new sanctuary (previously we were worshiping in the current fellowship hall). Rev. Stephen Sloop, decides this new phase in the life of the church is the appropriate time to retire.
- 2001 Roland Banks (Pastor from 2001-2013) became the fifth installed pastor of Windermere Presbyterian Church. In Rev. Bank’s ministry many appreciated his preaching, and enjoyed the new season which the church had entered.
- 2015 John Pflug Jr. (Pastor from 2015-Present) became the sixth and current installed pastor of Windermere Presbyterian Church.
- 2020 The plans for Windermere Presbyterian Church to celebrate the 50th anniversary was postponed until after Covid 19. It was planned for April 2020.