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- [S142] Newspaper Article, The Mountain Press, 28 Aug 2000.
A. Beecher Huskey obituary
- [S51] The Seymour Herald, (www.smokymountainherald.com), 15 May 2012.
Church Celebrates 40 Years
Pastor Koster has been at Seymour Community Church since its origins. (The Herald/Joe King)
A local church will reach a major milestone this weekend.
Seymour Community Church will celebrate its 40 year anniversary May 20. The event will begin at 10 a.m. and end at noon. Everyone in the community is invited to attend.
“We want to reach out the Seymour community and celebrate all the good the Lord has done for us,” said Pastor August “Pete” Koster.
The celebration will include a special Sunday service, live music by Soul’s Harbro Trio, and a covered dish lunch.
Koster, who has been the Church’s Pastor for the entire 40 years of its existence, hopes 200 people or more will be in attendance at the event.
“There will be a special projection about how the church has influenced the lives of people in the community,” said Karen Russell, the administrative assistant for Seymour Community Church. “It all has to do with the pastor’s dedication to the community and his vision to build-up the Christian tradition in the area.”
Administrative assistant Karen Russell has been coordinating much of the anniversary celebration. (The Herald/Joe King)
Recalling when the church was established, Koster explained he wanted to start a community church that was pure to the teachings of the Bible.
“In1972 I started the church with twelve other people,” he said. “At first we held service in Highland Shopping Center, and then we moved to a basement. Soon after we moved to this building and we have been here for all of that time.”
Since its humble beginnings, Seymour Community Church has grown to a membership of 523 on the role with an attendance of more than 100 parishioners per week. The church also has a pre-school to twelfth grade Christian school, a daycare, and a neighborhood bible study.
“This church has been successful because of the involvement of people in the community,” Koster said.
Although he has been dedicated to the Seymour Community Church for 40 years, Koster shows no signs of slowing down or retiring.
As for new plans for the church, Koster said they are looking to add an assistant pastor to their membership.
“The assistant pastor would have to be dedicated to the future of the community and the church,” he said.
Seymour Community Church is located at 994 S. Old Sevierville Pike. For more information call (865) 577-5500 or go to seymourcommunitychurch.org.
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