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.

Building: 1884

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.

Building: 1942

Congregational Photo: 1948

Congregational Photo: 1955

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:

1948 August: A.H. Kennamer

1949 July: A.H. Kennamer

1950 August: A.H. Kennamer

1951 August: A.H. Kennamer

1952 August: A.H. Kennamer

1953 August: A.H. Kennamer

1954 August: A.H. Kennamer

1955 October: A.H. Kennamer

1956 August: A.H. Kennamer

1957 August: A.H. Kennamer

1958 August: A.H. Kennamer

1959 July: A.H. Kennamer

1960 July: A.H. Kennamer

1961 August: A.H. Kennamer

1962 August: A.H. Kennamer

1963 August: A.H. Kennamer

1964 August: A.H. Kennamer

1965 August: A.H. Kennamer

1966 August: Melvin J. Wise

1967 June: A.H. Kennamer

1968 August: Howard Horton

1969 June: A.H. Kennamer

1970 June: Carl Sigenthaler

1971 August: A.H. Kennamer

1972 June: J. Farris Baird

1973 June: A.H. Kennamer

1975 June: A.H. Kennamer

1977 June: A.H. Kennamer

1978 June: Robert W. (Bob) Gray

1979 June: A.H. Kennamer

1980 June: Carl Sigenthaler

1981 June: Wallace E. Skipper

1982 June: Robert W. (Bob) Gray

1982 March: Walker Whittle

1983 June: A.H. Kennamer

1983 March: Charles Williams

1984 June: Robert Starling

1984 March: Mike Fox

1985 June: Wallace E. Skipper

1986 June: Robert W. (Bob) Gray

1987 June: Mike Fox

1988 June: Charles Williams

1988 March: Guy N. Woods

1989 September: Guy N. Woods

1990 March: V.P. Black

1990 June: Raymond Elliott

1991 October: Guy N. Woods

1992 June: David Pharr

1993 June: V.P. Black

1994 June: Rick Jones

1995 June: David Pharr

1996 May: E. Claude Gardner

1997 June: William Woodson

1998 June: David Pharr

1999 June: E. Claude Gardner

2000 June: Tom Holland

2000 October: Edwin Jones

2001 June: Bill Dillon

2001 October: David O'Connell

2002 June: Winford Claiborne

2002 October: Bill Greer

2003 June: David Pharr

2003 September: Roger McKenzie

2004 June: David O'Connell

2004 September: Patrick Gray

2005 June: Winford Claiborne

2005 October: Roger McKenzie

2006 June: Winford Claiborne

2006 September: Patrick Gray

2007 June: Bill Greer

2007 October: Tom Holland

2008 June: David O'Connell

2008 October: Jeff Trotter

2009 June: David Pharr

2009 September: John Tracy

2010 June: B.J. Clarke

2010 September: Ben Flatt

2011 June: James Watkins

2011 September: Patrick Gray

2012 June: Ben Flatt

2013 June: B.J. Clarke

2013 September: James Watkins

2014 June: Chris Clevenger

2014 September: Reid Perry

2015 June: Caleb Colley

2015 September: Bill Greer

2016 June: Jeff Trotter

2016 September: David Smith

2017 June: Cliff Goodwin

2017 September: Dalton Gilreath

2018 May: B.J. Clarke

2018 September: Marvin Crouch

2019 June: Caleb Colley

2019 September: Brad Harrub

2020 May & September: Cancelled due to pandemic

2021 May: Cliff Goodwin

2022 May: Matt Wallin

2022 September: Allen Webster
2023 May: Ty Rhymes

2023 September: Keith Parker

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 July 2023:

The elders are Steve Fletcher, Hugh Glaze, Dan Logan and Tim York.
The deacons are Justin Glaze, Carter Logan, Adam Morgan, and Jerry Reaves.
The minister is Hugh Glaze, who has been serving the congregation since 1982.
Adam Morgan directs the singing.