SOUTH MAIN CHURCH OF CHRIST

 The following was taken from page 506 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

 Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Cemeteries of Texas

 The Church of Christ in Henderson had its beginning in 1932 with a group of members meeting in the Rusk County Courthouse for worship.  Some of the members who met with this group in the courthouse where Mr. and Mrs. G.B. Stuart, Lindell Stuart, Bert Stuart, Majorie Stuart Powell, Georgeanna Stuart Litton, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Dean, Betty Dean Crawford, Wesley R. Dean, Mrs. R.L. Craig, Mr. and Mrs. B.A. Bradburry, Mrs. R.O. Alford, Mrs. Jessie Reeves, Mrs. E.M. Coolidge, Pauline Coolidge Propes, Mary Nell Coolidge Ashmore, Mrs. Joe Lewis, Mrs. E.N. Reese and G.J.Huff.  J.D. Harvey who was preaching for the Church of Christ in New London came to Henderson on Sunday afternoons to preach for the newly formed congregation.

 In July, 1937, a frame building was erected in a pecan grove in the 500 block of West Main Street in Henderson.  A house on the property was renovated to be used as the preacher’s home.  The property and building was provided by Mr. J.W. Akin of Longview.  Mr. Akin’s family had lived in Henderson when he was a child and there was no Church of Christ in Henderson at that time.  In later years when oil was discovered on his farm in Gregg County, Mr. Akin provided funds for a number of congregations of Churches of Christ in East Texas.  The structure on West Main Street served the congregation for almost 25 years.  During that time two additions were made to the building.

 In 1955 property was purchased at 402 South Main Street in Henderson with plans for a new building.  In 1957 the adjacent house and lot at 400 South Main was purchased to become the preacher’s home.  Ground breaking for the new building was on Sunday, August 3, 1958.

 The new building was completed in January, 1959, with an auditorium seating capacity of 400, at a cost of approximately $100,000.00.

 As the congregation grew, a multi-purpose building was added in 1974.  This supplied office spaces and was used for bible classes as well as for fellowship purposes.  Soon the two lots South of the building were purchased for future expansion.  In January 1981 a major addition was begun to the existing building.  On January 31, 1982 “open house” was held for the new addition.  The addition contains an auditorium with seating capacity of 750, several classrooms, teacher’s resource room, library and offices.  The auditorium features stained glass windows hand-made by Jim Cowart and donated by the family of the late Ray Cowart who served South Main as a deacon from 1970 to 1973.  Elders presently serving the South Main congregation are Alfred Barnes, James Bradshaw, R.L. Craig and Gyp Hampton.  Deacons are Jerry Brack, Don Brooks, Bob Brown, Dale Craig, Tommy Goode, Travis Hardin, Dicky Harris, Tom Jowen, Jerry Peurifoy, James Rowell, Roy Vinson and Mike Willeford.

 While many preachers assisted the church in those early years, those serving as full time pulpit ministers have been Kerfees Pullias, Curtis Porter, M.L. Vaughn, E.C. McKenzie, Foy E. Wallace, Sr., Verne Schoffner, Robert A.Waller, Austin Siburt, Claud C. Smith, Leonard Jennings, Leroy Sedgwick and the present minister John R. Thompson who came in 1979.  Educational ministers who have served the congregation are Tom Jones, Mike Talley and presently Tommy Ivy.

 The South Main family carries on an extensive mission and benevolent program.  In addition to the support of several children’s homes, a home for the aged and college Bible Chairs, local benevolent work is sustained.  Support for mission works in the United States as well as South Africa, East Africa and India has been maintained for several years.