Building on 105 years of faith

Oct. 3 service in the new Church of Christ building in Waxahachie, Texas. (Photo provided by Gene Campbell)

The College Street Church of Christ in Waxahachie, Texas is celebrating its 105th anniversary in a brand new facility.
Actually, it’s not the College Street church anymore. The new building is at 2471 Brown Street in Waxahachie, a city of 21,400 souls about 30 miles south of Dallas.
“A lot of discussion took place about what the new location should be called,” the church’s elders said in a news release. “The eldership decided that what is really important is that it be identified as the Lord’s church, thus the name ‘CHURCH OF CHRIST’ in bold letters appears on the brick sign at the entrance of the parking lot.”
The church started in 1905 when a small group of Christians gathered in a humble, wood-frame building.
About 930 people attended the Oct. 3 worship service in the new building. The auditorium’s seating capacity is about 1,190.
“This new facility provides us with a very inviting and positive environment to present the unchanging message of the saving love of Christ,” said Dean Kilmer, pulpit minister. Others staffers include Paul O’Rear, minister of involvement and education; Walter Buchanan, radio evangelist and seniors minister; and Lucas Corns, youth minister. The church has 10 elders.
More information about the church from the news release:

Over the years the College Street congregation earned a highly respected reputation in the county for its many programs of service to the area. Notable of these are the Christian Care Center, where food and clothing items are offered to those in need, an annual breakfast honoring firemen, policemen and first-response medical personnel in the community, and a Thanksgiving meal that serves about 300 individuals (now in its 14th year).
A number of members are actively involved in World Bible School, with more than 15,000 lessons mailed each year to individuals all over the world anxious to know about the saving power of Jesus Christ.  Over 20 student preachers were sponsored during the years that the Preston Road School of Preaching was active in Dallas. Each Thursday ladies of the congregation prepare meals that are delivered to the homes of shut-ins and the sick in the congregation.
Active in outreach from the very beginning, a number of missionaries are supported in various parts of the world. In addition, several children’s homes and assistance to a small congregation nearby that is trying to become self-supporting is part of the present work. For 14 years, members of College Street have traveled to Romania, carrying funds with them to help the needy in that area, conduct worship services, teach Bible school classes for the children and (conduct) one-on-one studies with those interested to know more about God’s word. The number of Christians there continues to increase through these efforts.

The former College Street Church of Christ’s new meeting place. (Photo via www.collegestreet.org)

• Feedback
  Many Churches of Christ have archives on file at the Disciples of Christ Historical Society in Nashville, TN. DCHS has resources which can help you plan anniversaries, write your congregational history. Web site: http://www.discipleshistory.org/ ALEX is the online search engine http://dchs.worldcat.org/advancedsearch

  Ed Dodds

  October, 8 2010

  DCHS Sara Harwell will begin teaching an online course Educating Disciples Women: Empowerment Through Knowledge & Community Online Course October 14 http://www.discipleshistory.org/online/education/default.htm

  Ed Dodds

  October, 8 2010