KBC History

A brief timeline has been compiled of the history of Kalgoorlie Baptist Church. If you are aware of additional information or changes, please advise us via email.

The Early Days - Kalgoorlie Baptist Church

October 1898

– First worship service of the Kalgoorlie Baptist Church, held in the Friendly Societies Hall in Porter Street.

Early 1905

– Despite a positive start, the Kalgoorlie Baptist Church closed due to dwindling numbers.

1920

 - The demise of the more vibrant Baptist church in Boulder came after instability with the departure of Rev Miles. The church building was sold to the Seventh Day Adventists and the manse was sold.

Modern Era - the 'new' Kalgoorlie Baptist Church

 

 

    29 July, 1965   6 people, including Mrs Irene Thomas, still a member of our congregation, met to discuss starting a fellowship, which was officially welcomed into the Baptist Union in  November that year.
  18 September 1966   Official inauguration of Kalgoorlie Baptist Church. Rev. Colin Ruck was the first pastor and he ministered for 7 years.
  17 March 1973  Official opening of the new Kalgoorlie Baptist Church building – a small transportable constructed in Perth and relocated.
  February 1974  John Power, student pastor, later ordained, ministered for 3 years.
  1978    Rev. Les Leske came to Kalgoorlie from Elizabeth in South Australia.
  1987 / 1988

  Rev Eric Holland & his wife Lyn came to Kalgoorlie from ____
  Youth Group run by Lyn Dawson (nee Ansell)
   Mar 1991

  Extensions were started on the transportable to give a large meeting hall with a baptistery, store room, an office, crèche and foyer.
  Youth Group run by David & Ann Spencer, Gary Lewis, Peter van der Pol
  July 1991    Church extensions were finished in time for the wedding of Danny & Steph Waters (now with Vision FM, Brisbane)
   1992   Started building a new Manse at 22 Cavalier Cres, Fairways.
   1992 / 1993   1st Kalgoorlie Girls’ Brigade started with Miriam Smout as Captain
    Feb 1993 

  Allan, Sandy & Joshua Thomas arrive, Allan was a student pastor.  They lived in rental accommodation while the manse was being built.
  Glenn Crouch was appointed Assistant Pastor while Allan finished his studies  (Only for about a year)
   Mid 1993   Allan & Sandie Thomas moved from a rental property into Cavalier Cres
   27th June 1993    32nd Goldfields Boys’ Brigade Induction Parade with Peter Walker as Captain
   6th Nov 1994   Rev Allan Thomas was ordained.
   1994 / 1995   Kalgoorlie Baptist Church sold Cavalier Cres and bought 1 Salisbury Rd as a Manse.  Allan & Sandie moved into Salisbury Rd.
   11 Aug 1996   Dedication of the land and new building project to the Lord  (Gary Hollis turned the dirt)

   21st & 22nd 
 September 1996

   30th Birthday celebrations (& write up in the Kalgoorlie Miner)
  Aug 1996 - Aug 1997   Church centre built – auditorium, kitchen, offices, meeting rooms and carpark.  
  10th August 1997   First service in the new building
   February 2000   Goldfields Baptist College opened at the Kalgoorlie Baptist Church with classrooms in the old, lower church building, the new building, 1 Salisbury Rd and 2 transportable classrooms in the yard of 1 Salisbury Rd.
   July 2000   Golden Mile Baptist Church started
   2002   Small Youth Group (about 8 people) met in a garage and dreamt of building a Youth Ministry
   March 2003   Aashish Parmar volunteered as a Youth Leader to start SILO, an outreach to the youth of the Goldfields.  After SILO, the girls and boys met separately in 2 Home Groups before combining to form “Ignition” later in the year under the leadership of Aashish  
   2001   “Kidz Biz” started (run by Vaughan Pirie)
   Oct 2004

  Goldfields Baptist College moved to its new premises at Bull Way.
 1 Salisbury Rd was sold by KBC to Leanne & Shane Webber
   July 2005   The Embassy Kids Church started in the lower building (run by Helen Kenny, Children's Worker)
    2004    Aashish Parmar was appointed Youth Pastor
    2006    Aashish Parmar was appointed Associate Pastor
    2009   New auditorium completed – the first event held in the church was the wedding of Pastor Aashish Parmar to Louise Wilson.
   Jan 2010    Embassy Kids Church moves to the old church auditorium.
   Dec 2010   Pastor Allan Thomas, Sandie, Josh, Amy & Emma moved to Parkeville Baptist Church.
   Jan 2011   Aashish Parmar was appointed Senior Pastor
      ??   Josh West appointed Youth Pastor
   Dec 2012    Aashish, Louise & Micah Parmar moved to Ellenbrook Baptist Church

  January 2013 – 
  December 2013

   Interim Pastor John Randell

   January 2014 -
   January 2022 

   Pastor Eliot Vlatko, previously worship pastor at Inglewood Community Church moved to Kalgoorlie with his wife Sandy and sons, Joshua and Steven.
   December 2015   Josh, Marlene and Thomas West moved to Tasmania

   January 2016 -
   December 2018

   Estian Meyer - Youth Worker

   January 2019 -
   March 2022

   Nathan Conway - Youth Leader

  October 2020 to
  present

   Tim & Sarah Conway - Youth Leaders

  March 2021
  November 2021 

   Kesha Davidson - Childrens Ministry Team Leader
  January 2022   Ps Eliot and Sandy Vlatko leave KBC to move to Geraldton
  April 2022    Ps Vaughan and Cathy Pirie, with Nathan and Sam, take on the role of Pastor at Kalgoorlie Baptist Church.