Hillsborough: A closer look: One Hillsborough church

HISTORY: The church began in 1925 as a mission of First Baptist Church of Tampa. Initially, the congregation met in the roller coaster building of what was the Ballast Point Amusement Park. The church has met in the current building since 1957.

LEADERSHIP: The Rev. Dave Montalbano has been a Baptist minister for 22 years, almost four years at Ballast Point. Although he is a Tampa native, he began preaching in Jonesboro, Ark., before entering what was then Southern Baptist College, now Williams College, in Walnut Ridge, Ark. He left Southern before graduating and returned to Tampa to help with his family's business selling building materials. But it was not long before he returned to school, this time at Bethany Theological Seminary, where he received his bachelor's degree in ministry. He was ordained in 1979. Montalbano and his wife, Paula, have been married for more than 30 years and have two adult children -- a daughter, Lynne McCarter, and a son, Jonathon Montalbano.

SERVICES AND PROGRAMS: Sunday school begins at 9:45 a.m. and is followed by a worship service at 11 a.m. The youth choir meets Sundays at 5 p.m., and the evening worship begins at 6 p.m. The boys' and girls' groups, Royal Ambassadors and Girls in Action, meet during the evening worship service on Sundays. The church also has a puppet ministry that rehearses Sundays at 7 p.m. Wednesday evening prayer meeting begins at 7 p.m.; Wednesday's youth meeting is at 7 p.m. and adult choir meets at 8 p.m. Free nursery is provided for all services.

MEMBERSHIP: About 170.

NOTABLE: The church's Christmas cantata will be performed Dec. 23. The adult choir will perform Let Heaven and Nature Swing -- as in swing music -- followed by a Christmas puppet musical.

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