Looking Back to Our Beginnings

In the year 1937, C. A. Morgan and R.L. Maupin and other interested members conceived the idea that a profitable work for the Lord could be done by establishing a congregation on Riverside Drive.

After talking with various members, a meeting was held at the home of Sister Mollie Mills on February 14, at 3 p.m. Approximately eighteen members of the church attended this meeting. Another meeting was held on the next Lord's Day at Sister Charles Norman's home on Riverside Drive, which consisted of representatives from various congregations. At this meeting, the possibilities of a church were discussed and it was definitely decided to go forward with the plans for establishing a church on Riverside Drive. Sister Mollie Mills gave a lot to forward the movement.

On the following Lord's Day, February 28, 1937(Christians) met for the first time for worship as a congregation of disciples, twenty-five being present, at the home of Sister Norman.

While plans were being made for the erection of the building, permission was obtained for use of the Inglewood school building for morning services only and continued there until the third Lord's Day in May. At this time H.E. Phillips offered his services and a meeting was held (T.A. Nicks leading the singing) in a tent erected on the corner of Porter Road and Riverside Drive, which resulted in seven additions. During this time, cottage prayer meetings were held each week at the home of various members.

The location of the lot contributed was not suitable for a church building for various reasons. In March, we bought a lot 100 by 160 feet, located at the southwest corner of Porter Road and Riverside Drive, for the sum of $900 and the price of the lot that Sister Mills gave was applied on the one purchased.

The following trustees were appointed; C.A. Morgan, C.L. Voorhies, H.W. Mills, H.B Buckner, and R.L. Maupin.

The construction of a stone basement, 50 by 70 feet, was begun the first of May, 1937. It was completed and used for services the second Sunday of August, preaching by George Ryan. Brother Phillips held another meeting beginning the fifth Sunday in August, there being six additions.

Brother Phillips held another meeting beginning May 15, 1938. There were eight additions at this meeting.

In the summer of 1938, five Bible study rooms were partitioned in the rear of the building, leaving a seating capacity of three hundred fifty. Bible study attendance at this time was more than one hundred. On August 14, 1939, Harry Pickup held a two-week's meeting. The result was eighteen additions.

The basement part of the building served as a meeting place until funds could be raised to complete the upper floors. In the plans for the building was the construction of a balcony seating 160 and the auditorium to seat 331. Actual construction of this part of the building was delayed several years due to wartime (World War II) conditions and the scarcity of building materials. Finally the work was completed in 1950 and an overflow crowd attended the first service in the newly completed auditorium.

In the ensuing years a new office and more classrooms were built, along with the installation of a central air conditioning unit to cool the auditorium and balcony, with window units installed in basement classrooms. The parking lot was paved and a ramp built for wheel chair accessibility. New cushioned seats were installed in the auditorium. A copier machine, cassette tape duplicator, and a paper-folding machine were bought. A closed circuit television set, a VCR, and overhead projectors to be used in the classrooms and auditorium were also purchased.

For many years we mailed out a weekly bulletin but in June of 1994, this was discontinued. At the present we are publishing a weekly newsletter entitled "Down by the Riverside Drive" which is distributed each Sunday. The newsletter contains a Biblical Article, news of interest to members with listings of the sick, etc ­ also names of men to serve in public worship.

We currently have a Personal Contact Group program. Every member is assigned to one of the 4 groups. These groups maintain records of absentees, send cards to them and to visitors. We also have a calling plan in which each member is notified of death of other members and to inform them of cancellation of services due to severe weather conditions. We maintain a file of audio and video taped sermons, copies of which are available.

From the small beginnings in 1937 until the peak years of the fifties and early sixties, the membership grew to approximately 400. A decline started in the late sixties due to the fact that new congregations were being established in this part of town and some of our members helped in these new works. Other moved away from this neighborhood and sadly, some drifted back into the world. Most of the older generation of members has passed on but there are some that are still active in the work and services. Our present membership is about 160.

We celebrated our 74th anniversary on February 28, 2011. We owe a debt of gratitude to those who saw the need to establish a congregation of Christians in this neighborhood. They made many sacrifices in the endeavor and as a result, the Riverside Drive Church of Christ has been a beacon of light in the community in preaching the Gospel and it recognized through out the brotherhood for it's stand for the Truth.