CHESTER COUNTY INDEPENDENT • Thursday, January 26, 2012 Page 11
A brief history of the Henderson Church of Christ Approximately 75 people met in the Chester County Court House and formed the first congregation of the Henderson Church of Christ in January of 1903. A. G. Freed and A. M. St. John were named as the first elders. N. B. Hardeman and A. G. Freed shared preaching assignments for the new congregation. A few months later a meeting house for the church was constructed. A. M. St. John, J. G. Hardeman, J. A. Ward, A. G. Freed and W. T. Hardeman were trustees. Dr. John B. Hardeman, father of N. B. Hardeman, gave a building lot on the corner of Crook Avenue and Second Street for the meeting house to be built. It was a rather small, beautiful white structure, furnished with walnut pews and a baptistery under the stage. By the mid-20’s the congregation had outgrown the building and began holding worship services in the Freed-Hardeman College auditorium. The building on Crook Avenue was used periodically for small group meetings. Use of the college facilities enabled the congregation to have Sunday School classes. Unfortunately, the church building burned on Nov. 11, 1933. Bible instructors from the college were regularly employed to preach for the Henderson Church from 1903 until the early 30's. Hall L. Calhoun preached the entire year 1925-26 and T. B. Larimore also preached a full year. Among the wellknown ministers who preached many times for the Henderson congregation in the first 30 years were A. G. Freed, N. B. Hardeman, L . L. Brigance. W. H. Owen, E. A. Eiam, J. D. Tant, Foy E. Wallace, Jr., T. Q. Martin, C. P. Roland and W. C. Hall. Plans for a new building began in early 1944. Members of the Board of Trustees included J. A. Ward, D. E. Mitchell, W. B .Powers, Algie Smith and Dr. W. 0. Baird. Elders in the period from 1930 to 1950 were K. D. Lowrance, George Roberts, I. N. Roland, J. G. Hardeman, S. C. Malone, Worth Powers, C. P. Roland, Gordon Reid and Tom Williams. The building committee chosen in September 1947 included N. B. Hardeman, D. E. Mitchell, Dr. W. O. Baird, Henry Johnson and C. P. Roland. Henry Johnson and son, Raymond were selected as the building contractors. This
240 White Ave. Henderson 731-989-5161 Services: Sunday Bible Class Sunday Worship
9 a.m. 8 a.m. 10 a.m. 5 p.m. Wednesday 5:45 p.m. 7 p.m.
building, located on White Avenue and which the church now occupies, was completed in 1949. On the third Sunday in April, Bro. N. B. Hardeman preached the first sermon. In 1934 R. E. Henson preached full time and remained until 1937. Between 1937 and 1948 N. B. Hardeman, W. C. Hall, L. L. Brigance, and C. P. Roland each preached one Sunday a month. In 1948 Jim Cope began preaching full time. Other preachers who followed were B. B. James, 1950-55; Paul Simon, 1955-56; Jess Wilcoxson 1956-60; C. W. Whitten, 1961-66; Elvis Huffard 1966-67; (H. A. Dixon shared with Huffard during the fall of 1966); Phil Hefley, 1968-75; Max Patterson 1976-87; Ben S. Flatt, 19872005; Alan Highers, 2001-2005; Daniel Hope, June 2005-October 2010; July 2007-June 2010, Justin Gerhardt, outreach minister and educational director. The current ministers are Roy Sharp and Billy Smith. Doug Yates began work with the congregation June 1, 2011, as Associate Minster. Over the years young men have worked in a training program as assistant ministers, especially working with our youth. Among this group are Roger Coffman, Harold Neal, Billy Smith, Gary Hampton, Glen Colley, Dwight Robards, David Powell, Frank Belliszi and Bryan Maynard. Others who have served as elders include Lattie Averitt, Robert Darnall, John R. Hall, John W. Johnson, Wayne Bulliner, Reeder Oldham, James Williams, Robert Witt, H. C. Christopher, Charles Miller, John Rickard, Ray Nelson, David Magee, Jess Wilcoxson, Joe Hardin, Larry McKenzie, and John Adams.
Artist rendition of proposed new auditorium of Henderson Church of Christ.
Serving at present are Larry Bloomingburg, Ron Butterfield, Larry Gilliam, Mike McCutchen, Gary McKnight, Barry Smith, Charles Smith, Keith Smith, John Sweeney and David Willis. The current building was completed in 1949. In 1958 an annex was added on the south side, increasing the seating capacity of the auditorium to 825 and adding classrooms in the basement. In 1967 the adjoining Johnson property was purchased and is now used for parking. In 1981 an educational building was constructed on the east side of the main building for classrooms; it also serves as a fellowship area. More parking space and needed equipment have been added in the past few years. In 1995 a new activity center was completed giving additional space
for offices, classrooms and fellowship, as well as providing a recreational area. The lot across Second Street was purchased in 1997. Remodeling of the basement classrooms was completed in 1998. Two additional pieces of property were purchased in 1999 on Hill Avenue adjoining the Second Street property. Work began to enclose the area between the Main Building and Education Building in September 2002. The new area, called the Commons, was completed in the spring of 2003. Plans are being finalized to renovate the existing facility and add a new auditorium that will provide a seating capacity of over one thousand. Ground breaking for the new addition is expected in the near future.