Traveling Back to...

By Nila Harris

Seventy-five years ago, a group of friends started meeting in each other’s homes for church services. Four families began rotating where they would meet, eventually establishing the home of Elmer “Boss” and Clara Dunaway as the primary spot. The other three families were Denver and Golda Hornbeek, Mary Elizabeth and William Earl Gray, and George and Ruby Taylor. Mary Elizabeth would play the pump organ as the group sang hymns. 

Early 1949, the group made plans to build a permanent structure for their meetings. The Hornbeeks bestowed property to the congregation where the building would be erected. This building was completed in October 1949. Ten years later, the church had outgrown its original structure, and plans were made to build a larger, two-story structure next to the original building. After the larger building began holding worship services on June 10, 1960, the former building was converted into a parsonage. This second structure is the current home of Christ’s Church Eastside Park.

Several ministers have helped Eastside grow and flourish over the years. The first full-salaried minister was Joe Rex Kearns who served from September 1950 through December 1952. Prior to Kearns being established as minister, there were three other members of the congregation who stepped up to fill the pulpit from January 1948-September 1950:  Roscoe Adams, Allen Record, and Carl Miller. 

The current preacher Jesse Henderson has been serving for the past 27 consecutive years; however, Henderson also served from June 1965-May 1973, prior to working for the Bible College in Cincinnati. He also pastored Alexandria Church of Christ for 20 years before coming back home to Eastside. “He came to Eastside as a student at the Bible college and was hired for the job at that time, at first only on the weekends, but gradually it became a full-time position while he continued his graduate studies at the seminary,” according to Henderson’s wife, Kay. Henderson holds several graduate degrees, along with a PHD. 

Denver and Golda Hornbeek’s daughter Carolyn Pape is a long-time member at Eastside. She remembers meeting in the Dunaways’ home and getting baptized in a pond on the family farm by Brother Tom Barnwell. She shared that she remembers her mother and Mary Elizabeth Gray playing piano on Sunday mornings. “And when flowers were in bloom in her yard, Mary Elizabeth frequently brought a bouquet for the sanctuary on Sunday mornings.” 

Eastside is blessed to have three Timothys from the church—men who were members of the church, then went out to serve in ministry capacities:  Allen Record, Roscoe Adams, and John Robinson. Robinson, the only one of the three men still living, presented the message at the church’s 75th celebration on November 12, 2023. The building was full on that beautiful Sunday morning with several members and former members in attendance. A video sharing a multitude of photos, past and current, was created and shown by youth leaders Adam and Lisa McElfresh. Lisa’s mother painted a canvas picture of the church, and a commemorative postcard was created from that painting and given to attendees. Refrigerator magnets were made depicting the church in 1960 and as the church looks today. A record of marriages and baptisms over the years were available to congregants, as well as a book of memories written by several members. 

As one looks at photos and sees the names of members, you can’t help but notice the many families and extended families who have grown up in the church. Several young people met at Eastside, were married there, and raised their family in the church. 

Christ’s Church at Eastside Park is located at 106 Mader Road, Butler. Sunday School is at 9:30 a.m. with worship service following at 10:30 a.m.