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When the Santa Fe Railroad organized Temple in 1880, it offered lots to any church that would erect a building on the site. In 1888 a group of Christian called an evangelist, the Rev. W. S. Lockhart, in an effort to organize a congregation. Within a year, they had secured a site for a church building between Central Avenue and Avenue A and had called the Rev. C. H. Strawn as their first pastor. The Rev. Mr. Strawn organized such church groups as the official church board, the Ladies' Aid Society, and the Sunday School. The congregation grew so rapidly by by 1903 its members had moved into a new building on the corner of 3rd Street and Adams Avenue. In 1909 the graded Sunday School system was adopted, and an educational annex was added in 1914. The next years saw active growth. The Bell County Convention of Christian Churches was formed, the Men's Bible Class flourished, the ladies of the church united to become the Women's Council, the church began to sponsor the Boy Scouts of America. Many devoted members willed portions of their estates to the church, and by 1948 a modern building was dedicated. Continued member support enabled the church to celebrate its centennial in 1988. (1997) |
