In 1919, the current property where West End Baptist Church resides now was woods. Families in the neighborhood used the space as an common area; where parents could rest and children could play. One such family were the Grief’s. Sadie Grief and her children would visit the area to play. “I would come and sit right where this building is now and let the children play in the woods,” Ms. Grief wrote in a letter that was found in her Bible after she had passed. The Grief household consisted of 8 people. They were very poor at the time. Sadie Grief took care of her household and worked in a local factory. Ms. Grief continues in the letter and tells the story of the beginning.:

“One time as I was sitting here, the Lord appeared to me. I can’t explain this clearly, but I was very happy as I yielded myself to Him. Of course, I did not understand what it meant then, but after that my heart became burdened for my children and others. The situation dawned on me more all the time. I became so burdened that I told a friend of mine and she told me where the First Church was located on 5th and Jefferson.”

- Ms. Sadie Grief

Sadie Grief visited the original location of what is now known as First Baptist Church that was located on the corner of 5th St and Jefferson St.. “I got up on Sunday morning and dressed my six children as best I could for we were very poor. We walked down to First Church because there was no money for bus fare.,” she wrote. She walked over 2 miles from where she lived.