History of the
Pleasant Grove Church of Christ

by Brad Hayes

The Pleasant Grove church of Christ is the oldest congregation in the state of Georgia. The congregation had its beginning in Walker County on May 8, 1848 in the Waterville community. The congregation was actually called the church of Christ at Philadelphia. The original church record states, "On the 8th day of May in the year of our Lord 1848 the church of Christ at Philadelphia in Walker County, Georgia was constituted on the Bible alone as the rule of faith and practice."

Reece Jones of Cleveland, Tennessee was the first minister at Philadelphia. Charter members of the congregation were: Bryan S. Rutledge, William Painter, Jack Clements (a slave), William J. Cathey, George Hall Sr., Joseph Hall, James Hall, Daniel Hall, George Hall, Jr., George W. Clements and A. Clements. The following men served as ministers after Reece Jones: Gilbert Randolph, Gillum Randolph, G. Witherspoon, George W. Bacon, James Love and Joseph Wheeler. The membership at Philadelphia grew to near 200 members before the congregation moved to the present site in Chattooga County.

The congregation moved to the present site in 1884. The land was deeded on September 26, 1884. The congregation was now called Pleasant Grove church of Christ.

The following men signed as trustees to the deed: James E. Hall, J. M. Hall, J. L. Hammond, J.T. Hendrix, F.G. Little, and R.T. Ramey. The deed was officially recorded in Deed Book K, page 141 at the office of the Clerk of Superior Court in Chattooga County on November 13, 1884 and signed by George D. Hollis, Superior Court Clerk. The church building is located on Old Hwy 27 about one mile north of Trion.

The following men served as ministers or held gospel meetings between 1884 and 1942: Nathan W. Smith, Charlie Jones, G.B. Stone, J.K. Walling, W.T. Kidwell, A.B. Lipscomb, David Buck, Malcom Hearn, R.N. Moody, N.J. Tumlin, James A. Perdue, A.J. Avery, W.H. Bird, J.D. Jones, Jr., J.A. Setliff, T.B. Larimore, W.C. Phillips, Gardner S. Hall, Jack McElroy, John T. Smithson Jr., W. Fanning, Sewell Hall, S.H. Hall, James Morton, Robert Reavis and Charles Holder.

The building that was built in 1884 was remodeled in 1942. A brick veneer was applied to the original building. A new building could not be built because of World War II. The elders of the congregation in 1942 were: F.A. Justice and J.H. Hendrix.

The following men served as ministers between 1942 and 1966: Sam M. Connally (1944-1950), Robert Atnip (1950's), Conrad Bates (1950's), Clark Sosebee (1955-1956), Joe Miller (1950's), Pete Mattis (1950's), Eugene Pitts (1950's), Homer A. Daniel (1958-1960), Robert W. (Bob) Gray (1960-1962) and J. Farris Baird (1962-1969).

The Pleasant Grove church of Christ celebrated its Centennial (100 year anniversary) on Sunday, May 9, 1948, with activities for all day. Sam M. Connally, the regular minister, preached in the morning on the subject of "Mother", since it was Mother's Day. Flavil Hall spoke to the congregation in the afternoon on the history of the church.

 
1948 -congregational photo

 
1955 -congregational photo

In 1966, a new building was erected which included an educational wing for classes, red brick, and a white steeple.

J. Farris Baird, the regular minister, helped design the new building in 1966. In April 1969, J. Farris Baird was the minister and the following men served as elders: Glenn Hendrix and Earl Tinney. The following men served as deacons: Fred Hall, Thomas Henderson and Homer D. McWhorter.

The following men served as ministers from 1966 to the present: J. Farris Baird (1962-1969), J. Frank Yates (1969-1971), Beryl Bodenham (1971), George C. Kreig (1972), Herman E. Lenderman (1972-1974), J. Farris Baird (1975-1982) and Hugh Glaze (1982-Present).

Area wide tent meetings were popular in years past. V.P. Black held two tent meetings in August 1965 and again in June 1968. Basil Overton held a tent meeting at the Trion Triangle Shopping Center in October 1987. The most recent tent meeting was in September 1990 by James W. Boyd.

Gospel meetings have been a huge part of the history at Pleasant Grove church of Christ. Since 1948, the following gospel preachers have held gospel meetings at Pleasant Grove:

The congregation celebrated "Homecoming" on May 7, 2006, marking the 158th anniversary of Pleasant Grove Church of Christ. Robert W. (Bob) Gray, former minister at Pleasant Grove, spoke to the congregation that morning and Grant Davison spoke that evening.

As of June 2008:

• The elders are Earl Tinney, Fred Hall, and Bobby Hayes.
• The deacons are Jeff Duncan, Dan Logan, Brad Hayes, and Adam Morgan.
• The minister is Hugh Glaze, who has been serving the congregation since 1982.
• Adam Morgan directs the singing.