In June of 2016 Westside changed our name to New Life United Pentecostal Church and we have moved from our founding location to 4347 Metro Hwy 41A. Philip Swinford first rented a building in 1974 to hold services, it was a ” wash-a-teria.” The men of the church did extensive remodeling, making a platform and adding restrooms and Sunday School classrooms. Their first service was held April 7, 1974 with an attendance of 26. Several of the original attendees are still members at New Life (including myself)
Pastor Swinford was already pastoring a church in Murfreesboro when he began holding services at the Tullahoma location. He traveled back and forth, holding services in Tullahoma on Thursday nights and every other Sunday. In June of 1974 he resigned in Murfreesboro and became full-time pastor at Westside. The congregation soon began to outgrow this arrangement, at times having as many as 207 people in this small area, and the men of the church embarked upon another remodeling/building project. A new auditorium was built with seating capacity of 225, and a nice foyer was built to join it to the old auditorium, which became the fellowship hall. Every facet of the Pentecostal faith is 100% Bible-based and Christ-centered, and adheres to strict moral standards. Pentecostals believe the Bible teaches that there is only one true, ever living, eternal God, infinite in power, holy in nature. This one true God manifested Himself in the Old Testament in various ways; in the New Testament as the Son while he walked among men; after the ascension as the Holy Ghost. New Life UPC has a very active youth program, an awesome music ministry, and participates in many missionary and outreach projects. The congregation has been blessed with growth that is counted not in bodily numbers, but in souls brought to Christ. In August 1, 2010 we welcomed only our second Pastor in the church’s history. Rev Jimmy Kelley and his family. We are so thankful for our history, but we focused on our future as God takes us forward to bigger and better events.
