The History of First Christian Church
On a Sunday in September in 1832, only ten years after Decatur County was
organized, John O’Kane and John P. Thompson arrived in Greensburg and went
to the Court House Square where O’Kane rang the court house bell to
attract people to worship.
According to tradition, September 1st was the date of the first Sunday
sermon preached in Greensburg by a member of the Restoration Movement.
This was a movement brought into being on June 28, 1804 by Barton Stone
and was called the Christian Church.
John O’Kane and John B. New organized the Christian Church in Greensburg
on September 29, 1832. Meetings were held in the County Seminary and the
County Court House for awhile until a regular meeting place was arranged
for in the two-story log dwelling of Hugh Sidwell on East Main Street.
The first church building was built on what is now the corner of Railroad
Street and South Broadway. It was a brick building about 30 x 60 feet in
dimensions. The church seated about 200 people. It was constructed at a
cost of $3,000.
General James B. Foley was a prominent and influential member of the
Greensburg church from 1834 to his death on December 5, 1886. He obtained
the bell for the church on Railroad Street from an Ohio River Steamboat.
In 1856 General Foley was elected to Congress. He was a staunch friend of
the church and one of the last things he did was to contribute $500 to
free the church from an old debt. He was the great-great grandfather of
Brad DeArmond. Brad’s grandchildren, Ann, Michael, Susan, David and Shawn
Crawley are the seventh generation of the family to be members of this
church.
Barton W. Stone, one of the founders of the Christian Church, visited the
Greensburg Church in 1843. Butler University was started as a result of
the state meeting of the Brotherhood in Indiana held in Greensburg in
October 1847. A resolution was adopted for the “establishment of an
institution of learning of the highest grade.” The resolution resulted in
the founding of Northwestern Christian University, now Butler University.
Brother D. R. VanBuskirk, first preached at FCC on March 23, 1860. He
returned in May and held a short meeting in September, he accepted the
pastorate at a salary of $800. His five year ministry coincided with the
Civil War, and he preached with great power and threw his influence in
favor of the Union. While serving as pastor, he was elected to the lower
house of the State legislature in 1862 and in 1863 was elected to the
State senate. In 1864 he was appointed Chaplain of the 134th Indiana
Regiment.
During the second year of Brother VanBuskirk’s ministry, Alexander
Campbell visited in Greensburg. He was one of the great leaders of the
Christian Church.
In 1868 the church decided to move. A lot on the corner of Broadway and
Hendricks was purchased from W. H. Hazelrigg and B. W. Wilson for $1,500.
It was thought to be the highest point in Greensburg. A new church, known
as "the Friendly Church on the Hill", was dedicated February 20, 1870.
Costing $18,000, the structure was “an approach to Gothic in architecture
without it’s gloomy grandeur.” When the building committee reported that
$6,000 was yet due on the structure, in just a short time $6,650 was
pledged.
Image
courtesy of Marc Haston
During the ministry of James Mailley, 1905 – 1908, the Sunday School
addition was added and a heating plant installed at a cost of $13,000.
On November 10, 1968 a committee was appointed to survey the needs for the
building of a new unit for educational purposes. The survey committee
found the need for expansion was evident and on June 8, 1969, a building
committee was appointed. The official church board authorized an
Educational Building Fund Drive to get underway in July of 1970. By June
1971, the total funds on hand and pledged amounted to $115,959.53. The
Bentley property was razed during the summer of 1971 and a ground breaking
ceremony was held on August 18, 1971. The new unit, 40 feet in width and
103 feet in length, consisted of two floor levels, containing ten
classrooms, a library, ministers’ study, parlor, storage rooms and
restroom facilities. The total cost of the project was over $200,000.
The interior of the sanctuary was redecorated, new pews were installed and
a parking lot west of the church completed in 1972.
In December 1975, the downstairs social room of the church was completely
renovated and redecorated and a beautiful memorial garden between the
sanctuary and the educational unit was completed in 1976.
In 2000, the First Christian Church of Greensburg dissolved its
relationship with the Disciples of Christ and became an independent
Christian Church/Church of Christ.
In 2001 a strategic plan identifying the needs of FCC was presented. In
November 2005 FCC embarked on a capital gifts campaign, “Building on our
Christian Heritage.” The goal is to raise $1,800,000 for the purposes of
adding a new 11,700 square foot addition that has a multipurpose room
capable of seating 350 for receptions and use as an activity center. The
addition will contain added classrooms and a modern kitchen. Also in the
project the sanctuary will be remodeled to add extra seating up to 320.
The Educational Wing will have new windows installed. The current
sanctuary will have a complete new roof and the current assembly area will
be updated and a new entrance to this area will be remodeled.
First Christian Church continues to be a vibrant congregation in our
community. FCC family members are involved in community activities and
leadership roles which give us the opportunity to model our relationship
with Christ.
|
Worship Services:
Sunday 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Sunday School: 9:15
a.m. |
