Era Church of Christ Marks 100th - Era, TX - News Article Locations on Waymarking.com

A copy of this article is available from me should the provided link go invalid. Andy needed a little proofreading here, which I've provided.

By ANDY HOGUE, Register Staff Writer Nov 6, 2006

ERA — Sunday was the 100th birthday of a building which many Era residents call a second home. Its congregation, however, is much older.

"We’re not here to glorify the building ..." said Era Church of Christ preacher Kreg Anderson, to more than 100 friends, former members and current members who showed up on Sunday for the centennial celebration of the church building.

According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, "church" translates to "ekklesia" —meaning "assembly" — in which the original Greek the New Testament was written.

Anderson said, in keeping with the exact definition, the "building" is 100 years old, which has housed many of the activities of the Era Church of Christ.

But that’s not to say the building isn't loved and isn't viewed with fondness by church members, past and present. Most recently, Anderson said, members scraped the paint off the long-obscured windows on the historic white chapel, located off FM 922. A fellowship hall, which members call "the new building," was built in 2004.

Co-preacher Jeremy Thompson, also the superintendent of Era ISD, said there are plans to remove a drop-ceiling and restore the original vaulted ceiling inside.

The church building has hosted many preachers over the years, including Ben Willingham — Sunday's guest preacher, who is currently the minister of Callisburg Church of Christ.

"Who knows what will be going on 200 years from now?" Willingham said. "No one here will remember Ben Willingham speaking on the 100th celebration."

Willingham drew from many Bible verses in his sermon, including James 4:14: "... For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

He said it is important, therefore, for Christians to focus on doing the work of the Lord rather than focusing only on the self.

A catered meal consisting of chicken fried steak was served to guests in the fellowship hall following the service.

* * *

Thompson, in a press release, said the early history of Era Church of Christ is hard to trace, but the understanding is that it began as house meetings in the mid-1800s. He said it is arguably the oldest Church of Christ congregation in Cooke County for that reason, and it has met in several church buildings.

Thompson said he was able to compile a brief history with the help for Willie G. Brown, the church's oldest living member, and information printed in the "Era Centennial" publication circa 1978.

He said the settlers of Era were interested in worshiping together.

"These men shared a common faith in Christ. They saw a need for a church in the new settlement," Thompson said. "There are no records of their first meeting place. We are told that they met from house to house. Thus, the Church of Christ came into being in what was later to become Era, Texas."

The first known church building in the little settlement was a log church that also served as a school and a place for social gatherings. The deed says D.S. Allen, T.J. Walling, and A.H. Hargrove bought six acres of land for $1 from J.M. Lindsay "for school and Church purpose, for the benefit of all who may desire to use the same," and is dated Feb. 1, 1877, according to Thompson.

The building was first called a "Union Church." Members of the Baptist, Methodist, and Church of Christ worshiped there.

Church listings in the Register archives list the building as simply "Era Chapel."

It is called Era Chapel in the Church of Christ record books and deed, Thompson noted. It was located roughly where the Era FFA barn now stands.

Records show that the Era Church of Christ congregation was officially organized on "the first Lord's day, November, 1879, in Era Chapel," Thompson said.

T.J. Walling and J.W. Austin were listed as elders. L.C. Hulett and William Barnes were deacons and N.S. Bayless was the evangelist. There were 23 members.

"In 1882, the men of the church saw the need to buy land and build a church," Thompson said. "The deed for this land, dated February 21, 1882 ... This property was located on the north side of the Era football field. A frame church was built on the property."

From Jan. 13, 1889, to Nov. 19, 1900, there were 239 members listed.

Again in 1905, elders saw the membership growing out of the small white frame building. On July 10, 1905, George V. McLaughlin, L.L. Segraves, and W.S. (Tobe) Pace, acting as trustees for the church, purchased one acre of land for $200. A church building was completed there in 1906. It was a large white frame building facing the east — the current building.

According to Thompson, "There were two doors with a bell tower over the north entrance. It is remembered that men always entered at the north door and say on the north side. The women and children entered the south door and sat on the south side. A number of years ago, the bell tower was removed. The north and south entrances were made into Sunday school rooms."

"The entrance is now in the center of the front of the building. A baptistery and rest rooms were added, the high ceiling was lowered, and central heat and cooling were added. Otherwise, the main building remains the same as when it was built.”

The membership from 1900 to 1924 was 278.

Thompson said accurate records of each minister are hard to come by, and full-time ministers were a rare commodity in the area during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Recorded names of ministers over the years include: Brother Busby of Fort Worth, F.L. Young of Cleburne, Brother Fitzgerald of Weatherford, W.A. Bentley and I.W. Phillips. Other ministers in later years were Henry Lynch Jr. of Gainesville, J.D. Rothwell of Chickashaw, Okla., CC. McLary, Tom Walker, and Stanley Singleton.

More recently, Gene Davenport of Gainesville and Willingham of Callisburg, both served as ministers for the church.

Reporter Andy Hogue may be contacted at andyhoguegdr[at]ntin.net

Type of publication: Newspaper When was the article reported?: 11/06/2006 Publication: Gainesville Daily Register Article Url: [Web Link] Is Registration Required?: no How widespread was the article reported?: local News Category: Society/People

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