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History God loves stories. And He loves a great beginning. In fact, His story book contains one of the greatest beginning lines ever written. "In the beginning..." in the beginning at Shawnee Hills the story that was about to be written was an amazing tale of trial and triumph, hope and faith, hardship and rejoicing. Begun in 1974, Shawnee Hills was planted on the hope of bringing the light of the Word of God to the people of the Jamestown area. From a humble beginning of meeting in homes for Bible Study to the present day Church of over 400 weekly attendees, God is writing a story of his faithfulness to this children. The story begins with a group of young men from Cedarville College who canvassed the Shawnee Lake area in the hopes of getting a picture of the need for the Gospel in Jamestown. From this a Bible study began in the home of some local believers. The study group grew quickly and it was soon evident that not just a Bible study was needed, but a home Church for this group. That year Shawnee Hills Baptist Church was formed and soon moved their Sunday services to the local junior high school. Shawnee Hills continued to grow through the years and by 1978 the young Church realized the need for their own building. Land was purchased on Jasper Road, just outside the lake area. God's hand in the story was evident and a new Church building was raised to house them. As the years went by God continued to establish the story of Shawnee Hills in wonderful ways. Pastors served with a passion for people and it was this love of community that continued to allow Shawnee Hills to open doors to its neighbors and friends. Programs were established that gave children and adults opportunities to hear the Gospel presented clearly. Difficult times came and went. The building grew and then grew again as people continued to fill out the auditorium each Sunday. And yet through it all the love of God shone through clearly. Today Shawnee Hills stands as a testimony to God's love and faithfulness. He started the Church humbly with very little form. But the story wend on and Shawnee Hills began to grow into a place where the light of God's Word shines clearly and where the greatest story ever told, the story of the Gospel, is proclaimed with joy. God's story doesn't end and Shawnee Hills looks forward to seeing what the future holds and how our tale will unfold.
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