
History of The Pleasant Grove church of Christ
by Brad Hayes
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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.
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Building: 1884
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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.
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Building: 1942
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Congregational Photo: 1948
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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:
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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
2024 May: Don Blackwell
2024 September: Aaron Gallagher
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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.
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As of January 2025:
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The elders are Steve Fletcher, Hugh Glaze, Dan Logan and Tim York.
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The deacons are Justin Glaze, Carter Logan, Adam Morgan, and Jerry Reaves.
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The minister is Hugh Glaze, who has been serving the congregation since 1982.
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Adam Morgan directs the singing.



