CELEBRATING OUR HERITAGE
Eddie Best
This is a milestone year for Downtown the oldest church of Christ in Searcy. Historians say our history may be traded beck nearly a century but it was 75 years ago that we sank our roots and began to grow. Our first permanent home rose to the sky in 1929 on the corner of Locust and Vine.
Downtown’s heritage actually begins two decades earlier. Just outside the eastern city limits, a couple of miles down a gravel road from downtown Searcy. Christians living in this area,following New testament examples, met to worshipIn private homes as early as 1908. it is known that the Taylor and Cupples families, who were later identified with ‘Downtown” were among those involved, When the weather permitted they went out to a shady grove they called Taylorvilie on Gin Creek, a beautiful spot with a dark post. Just a few miles north at Bethel Grove, one ofthe earliest churches of Christ in WhiteCounty had been conducting worship services regularly since 1853.
Around 1914 the Taylors, Cupples and others began meeting regularly Inan old schoolhouse in the 1300 block of East Race Street. We. have norecord~ ofthe 1920s. But’wá know the deed to th&sohool-house an~ ..:- — —-land was offered to the congregation in gratitude br kindness.shown to ..
the owner’s sick, wife, However, legal problems in oiearing he. deed . cau~ed a stumbling block Md in the early i920~ these thurch o~ Christ
Disciples,” as one historian identified them, piedged funds with others ri
the community for a fine building that was erected at Main and Market ~
StZfl~ 4u~ cø~~pt~4tqt t-, -.
those from the sehoolhousa bony returi1e~ toiheold building and were
released from the M~inStreetdebt. in 1926, there were 12 peopis includingchildren who met in the old schoolhouaefdr ~ö~hj6an&Thb1é study. Tents were ereetedldP~o~4lteetln~s witkfgüMt e~iangeiists in 1927 and ag~n JR ,. .... ~‘ ;.! : :,
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While Americans were being promls~ ~c~hjo~en in every pot, a car in every garage” in 1928 ‘~,.hu~’d .~0t1rist had only a small membership of very zealous workers andMo.regular minister, according to one report that year 1*oWever~-ths~boc~grew ~a-reaUIt dfthe-~oepel cmsetings, and in 1929 the red brick hoü~16f worship was built on the corner of Locust and V~rie with ifldebt~&hessof$4,5Q~ 5 is cthfsidered to be the o*ic]aI beginning o?tFle do~rño~M ~hurch Inspired 1 and with a new building, members earnestly worked to spread light in the ëomniunhty although the stock marketcrash this year began otirnation’s slide into the Great Depression.
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DMrj9X~e~ y~ars.of widespread hardshlp.when men in Searcy were Stmg~ing to earn a dollar a day if work could be found,ct}te church nearly lost its rreetinghouse. But the members sacrifice~ in thee. troublesone’tlmegand rnanagedtokeep up the churchs financial obligatf’dn~. in 1932, in a city with a population of some 2,000 people, the Sunday morning attendance averaged ~32 and the contribution fell between $7 and $16 per Sunday.
The church received an enormous boost in 1934 when Harding Coilege of Morrilton purchased an abandoned 29-acre campus with 11 buildings for $75,000 and moved lock, stock and Bibies to Searcy. The Depression had forced Galloway women’s college to close. When Harding reopened the doors, a worship service was held on campus on Sundays, but the students and faculty came downtown for midweek services. It was Harding president J.N. Armstrong who began to refer to our older congregation as the “downtown church,” a name that we bear proudly today.
Buoyed by the incoming waves of new Christians — faculty, students and some families who moved into nearby homes - the Downtown church not only stayed afloat but sailed to new horizons after that. Thefirst full-time minister, T.H. Sherrill, was appointed in 1937 and guided the church through the difficult years of World War II. Several additions ~to the building became necessary. The auditorium, with a capacity of !255 persons, was regularly filled and often overflowing, then outgrown.
Harding, Searcy and the church all experienced steady growth. The :Locust and Vine congregation moved six ~ocKs~r~rth. ~
______present facility, which mOre than doubled our capacity. After only six years a three-story north wing was added for more classroom space, in
1982 the Family Life’ Center wing was built, and then the southern annex was completed I
It is so extremely difficult to acknowledge all of the servants of God who played a role in bringing Downtown to this special moment in history today Many have left us for their eternal reward But members With several decades of service still guide and strengthen us, beloved points ______of light that we honor especially in this anniversary year and on this special day today A comprehensive history is being prepared for our Web site Look for it and other Downtown information at www downtownchurch org Let us remember our heritage and all go forth from this 75th year to work and pray for new success in our efforts for the Lord
DOWNTOWN HISTORY
1908 1.971
First known worship in pnvate hopesEstablished bus ministry
1914 - 1972
Rented old schoolhouse, 1400 East Race.Established Searcy~hildren’s 1-loTme
First gospel meeting held 1972 . -
1927-28 - Started 2nd AM worship assembly
Gospel meetings triggered .grow~ltT 1976
1929 -~ -:- •. Hired 1st youth minister
Brick bui’ding erec*ed for~”Lqcust & Vine church of C.!~ 1982
-Christ” - r. :~-.:•-~‘-Building of Family Life
- 4934+ I
HardingCollege arrives in—Seaicy president ArmstrongFamily Life Center Wors~np began
calls us “downtown” church 1998
1937 Established 8:30 pm service
Fis~fuU-timé minister, T.~H. Sherriti~- 2000
j94~ Fub-time•chi~dren~srnjn~.. ~
First of three expansions undertaken 2000
1962 Construction of south children’s educatioliwihg
•Moved from Locust and Vine to present location,, 900,Ni.. ~ ‘~ .~(‘ “~ ~20O~ •1
(C’i’:T~1ain:Remodeling of YouthCenter! Office Area
• 1966 2004
Started six day a week morning radio program Downtown Five Year Vision Commissioned
1968 2004
Construction of three story classroom facility for space Remodeling of Auditorium
SOURCES:Ellen Key, Compilation of History of Searcy’s Churches,”Arkansas Room, Searcy Library; Raymond Muncy, Searcy, Arkansas: A Frontier Town Grows Up With America;” 1976, 1983 and 1993 ~Directory of Downtown Church of Christ;” Oral histories, Juanita Cupples Morgan, Fayetta Murray, T.R. Garner