How it all started...
The church was established in 1874 and celebrated its 125 year anniversary in 1999. This year (2020) we will mark 146 years as a congregation. So many changes have been made in the past 146 years. Our family moved within a mile of the church in 1948. We were blessed with two boys and a daughter a few years later. I took the boys to Sunday School, but that was about all. In 1955 the church was holding a two-week revival, by a young evangelist from Tulsa, Oklahoma. One afternoon the minister, Lee Buley and Evan Oscar Wells knocked on my door and invited us to Revival, not invited, but insisted that we come that night. My husband was working in the field, but said he would go the next night. That night we both accepted the Lord. Had Oscar Wells not been insistent, we might never have been members of East Harrison Street Church of God.
At that time, the church was a small one-room building with approximately 20-30 people attending. We had Sunday School classes in each corner of the church and all went very well.
Ruth Duckworth, who was a school teacher, was in charge of Jr. Church. She had four year olds through 8th grade, with no discipline problems. The nursery was in the basement.
Our parsonage at the time was the house across the road from the church, and of course at that time, there was no inside plumbing. Soon after we began attending, Pastor Allen Morgan and family moved into the parsonage. They had six children and a son-in-law. There have been many changes since then.
Carlin Ealy built the new parsonage in 1978. He told me it was the year of the "78 Snow Storm". Shingles were blown off and snow accumulated in the house -- they had quite a clean-up!
The original church was updated twice before building the "new church" and of course the attendance has increased many times.
Now about some of the activites that have occurred over the years:
Our first Ice Cream Supper was quite an event. I was Chairman of the W.C.S.C., so was responsible to see that everything was ready to go. We met one night with our freezers, and all had a great time of fellowship. We also made bar-b-que for sandwiches. It was a money-making project and was open to the public. We carried tables and chairs out onto the church lawn, and then all had to be carried back to the basement. Everyone pitched in, and they were soon back in place.
I must mention some special people. Gracie Lang was a lady of few words. She lived on the east side of Charleston, and never missed a Sunday School for over 25 years. One winter morning was so cold and her car wouldn't start. Rather than asking someone for a ride, she began walking, but fortunately someone came along and took her to church. It would be great if we had more "Gracie's" today! Gus Roby was another one who had 25+ years of perfect attendance in Sunday School. He had surgery during the week and was in the hospital on Sunday. We took our Sunday School Class to the hospital, and he still had perfect attendance.
We had a very active W.C.S.C. One of our activities was Gypsy Teas. We would load up a car load of ladies, who didn't know when we were coming, and they were required to go as they were. If it was early in the morning, they might be in their pj's. The hostess didn't know when we were coming either, so if they weren't prepared, you might get a glass of water and toothpick. A small offering would be taken for the treasury. Lots of fun!!
We also had an active Youth Group. They met on Sunday evening before Church Service. One year we had a revival close to Halloween. The Evangelist was well-liked by the young people, and they loved to have fun. When he was ready to leave, his car had been "TP-ed". I happened to see my daughter and the preacher's daughter slip out just before church was over.
If someone accepted the Lord during the Revival Service, the Roby's invited the congregation to their home for coffee, cookies and a time of fellowship.
The Don and Mary Thomason family were great workers in the church. There were three generations of Thomason's that attended regularly.
I must now mention our present pastor, Curt Weaver. I met him twelve years ago, and was very impressed with our first visit. He is so friendly and easy to talk to.
I am so glad to be back to my "Home Church".
Written by Lucille Pierce, October 12, 2019
At that time, the church was a small one-room building with approximately 20-30 people attending. We had Sunday School classes in each corner of the church and all went very well.
Ruth Duckworth, who was a school teacher, was in charge of Jr. Church. She had four year olds through 8th grade, with no discipline problems. The nursery was in the basement.
Our parsonage at the time was the house across the road from the church, and of course at that time, there was no inside plumbing. Soon after we began attending, Pastor Allen Morgan and family moved into the parsonage. They had six children and a son-in-law. There have been many changes since then.
Carlin Ealy built the new parsonage in 1978. He told me it was the year of the "78 Snow Storm". Shingles were blown off and snow accumulated in the house -- they had quite a clean-up!
The original church was updated twice before building the "new church" and of course the attendance has increased many times.
Now about some of the activites that have occurred over the years:
Our first Ice Cream Supper was quite an event. I was Chairman of the W.C.S.C., so was responsible to see that everything was ready to go. We met one night with our freezers, and all had a great time of fellowship. We also made bar-b-que for sandwiches. It was a money-making project and was open to the public. We carried tables and chairs out onto the church lawn, and then all had to be carried back to the basement. Everyone pitched in, and they were soon back in place.
I must mention some special people. Gracie Lang was a lady of few words. She lived on the east side of Charleston, and never missed a Sunday School for over 25 years. One winter morning was so cold and her car wouldn't start. Rather than asking someone for a ride, she began walking, but fortunately someone came along and took her to church. It would be great if we had more "Gracie's" today! Gus Roby was another one who had 25+ years of perfect attendance in Sunday School. He had surgery during the week and was in the hospital on Sunday. We took our Sunday School Class to the hospital, and he still had perfect attendance.
We had a very active W.C.S.C. One of our activities was Gypsy Teas. We would load up a car load of ladies, who didn't know when we were coming, and they were required to go as they were. If it was early in the morning, they might be in their pj's. The hostess didn't know when we were coming either, so if they weren't prepared, you might get a glass of water and toothpick. A small offering would be taken for the treasury. Lots of fun!!
We also had an active Youth Group. They met on Sunday evening before Church Service. One year we had a revival close to Halloween. The Evangelist was well-liked by the young people, and they loved to have fun. When he was ready to leave, his car had been "TP-ed". I happened to see my daughter and the preacher's daughter slip out just before church was over.
If someone accepted the Lord during the Revival Service, the Roby's invited the congregation to their home for coffee, cookies and a time of fellowship.
The Don and Mary Thomason family were great workers in the church. There were three generations of Thomason's that attended regularly.
I must now mention our present pastor, Curt Weaver. I met him twelve years ago, and was very impressed with our first visit. He is so friendly and easy to talk to.
I am so glad to be back to my "Home Church".
Written by Lucille Pierce, October 12, 2019
Expanding the vision...
We know that the future of East Harrison Street Church of God is dependent on training our current children and youth to become leaders in the church. Please join us in this endeavor in prayer and by joining with our congregation to train those that the Lord leads to us.
(Photo from Yee-Haw VBS, July 2019)
(Photo from Yee-Haw VBS, July 2019)
Where we are headed...
The Lord has blessed us with an addition of four acres of land adjacent to our current land. We know that the Lord will guide us as we determine His will for the use of this land.
