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About Traders Point | About the church of Christ | Visit or contact us | In His word | News |
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About Traders Point | About the church of Christ | Visit or contact us | In His word | News |
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At Traders Point Church of Christ, we earnestly serve God in the manner His word, the Bible, authorizes and commands. We are simply a group of Christians trying to live Christian lives. We gather regularly at our building to worship and study the Bible. As are all other faithful congregations of Christ's church, we are not part of any man-made organization. We are autonomous, answering only to Christ. As God commands, we have elders to shepherd and serve the congregation (1 Tim 3:1, Titus 1:5). This congregation can trace its roots back to 1834. Check out our history. "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." -- Mark 16:15-16 The Traders Point Church of Christ actively preaches the gospel of Christ. Our evangelist, Brian Anderson, preaches Sunday morning and evening at our building in addition to leading one of our three adult Bible classes. He also teaches special classes offered throughout the year. Several different correspondence courses as well as home bible studies are also offered.
Brian Anderson
"Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account." -- Heb. 13:17 Elders - (left to right) Ted Stauffer, Morgan Tharp, Keith Corder, Kevin Stockton
Adapted from historical documents researched and written by Molly Noe. Traders Point Church of Christ began in 1834 as the Ebenezer Christian Church, so named by R. W. Alexander Miller. The church's first two buildings were on the west bank of Big Eagle Creek, on Eagle Creek Road, about 1/8 mile south of where Fishback flows into Big Eagle Creek. The Church moved to Traders Point in 1886 to a new building on the east side of Lafayette Road, also known as Road 52. The church's name became Traders Point Christian Church. In the early 1890s, differences of biblical beliefs developed. In 1894, elder Thomas T. Glidewell and deacon John Black led several members to withdraw membership and form the Traders Point Church of Christ. The new congregation met in the homes of various members. The congregation met August 31, 1895, at the home of Thomas T. Glidewell, to take the legal steps of incorporation. Glidewell was appointed Chairman, and Elisha Hightshue was appointed Secretary. Trustees were Elisha Hightshue, John Black, and Amos Glidewell. The certificate to transact business as a legally authorized church was dated October 26, 1895. The 1895 congregation consisted, for the most part, of five families: John Black's, Henry Duncan's, Thomas T. Glidewell's, Elias Hightshue's, and Elias Shambaugh's. The first elders were John Black and Thomas T. Glidewell. The deacons were Elias Hightshue and Henry Duncan. Church services were usually held at the home of Thomas T. Glidewell. On May 8, 1897, Mancher F. Glidewell deeded the four-story grist mill known as Rual Mill to the Church of Christ for $150. The mill, built by John Jennings and Joseph Coughran in 1864, was on the east side of Lafayette Road in Traders Point. The deed to the property prohibits all worship practices not authorized by the New Testament. The building was built of hand-hewn timbers cut from the near forest2. The foundation was of fieldstone, laid up with mortar four feet thick. In preparation for use as a meeting house, the mill was cut down to one and one-half stories at a cost of $1,117.60. Two kerosene lamps were installed in the center aisle, and one kerosene lamp was installed in the pulpit. Elias Hightshue was in charge of all the work. The building was ready for worship in January, 1898. Daniel Sommer preached the first Sunday sermon there on January 30, 1898. Thomas T. Glidewell died January 29, 1898. He lived to see the Traders Point Church of Christ established, but not to attend services in the new building. He was buried on Monday, January 31, 1898. Because the weather was bitterly cold, only a few were able to go to the cemetery, Pleasant Hill, at Traders Point. The establishment and early success of the congregation was largely due to Glidewell's efforts; he personally financed the church's beginning. From 1895 to 1910, these visiting and regular preachers were influential in the church: Daniel Sommers, James Briggs, Alfred Elmore, E. M. Zerr, Homer Adamson, Will Elmore, O. M. Davis, Austin Sommer, John Frazee, Frank Kline, and A. F. Dalton. As was the custom in those days, services were held every Sunday. During gospel meetings, services were held weekday mornings and evenings. Contributions were small in those days, but fortunately so were expenses. In 1898, the total contribution was $67.38 and total expenses were $52.10. In 1899, the contribution was $41.03 and expenses were $4.61. In 1908, total Sunday contributions ranged from $1.25 to $8.00. In 1909, the range was $2.56 to $8.18. In 1918, the average Sunday contribution was $5.25. During World War I, four church members served their country: Forest Oden, Sterling Patterson, Eli Ward, and Edward Allen. Allen, who elisted in the Air Force, died of influenza at Great Lakes Naval Training Station in 1918. By 1945, the congregation had grown to 112 members. Services were held regularly each Sunday morning and evening, and the congregation met Wednesday evening for Bible study. The congregation held one or two gospel meetings each year. During World War II and the Korean Conflict, these members served their country: Carl Handell (Coast Guard), Marjorie Handell (Navy), Leroy Tague (Marines), Harley Eugene Wells (Marines), Leslie Ward (Infantry), Quentin Gwin, Jr. (Air Force), Robert Lane (Infantry), and Billy F. Ward (Infantry Medics). Ward was killed in action March 13, 1945. In 1965, the Indianapolis Flood Controls Board notified the church that it would take the church building by right of eminent domain in 1966. Eli Ward and Howard Noe were in charge of finding a new location. After much searching, they chose the Macedonia Methodist Church property at the corner of W. 82nd Street and Lafayette Road. Macedonia had built a parsonage, but then decided to sell the property. In April of 1966, Continental Church Builders of Nashville, Tennessee began construction on the new building. Vollie Lane, Glenn Handel, Quentin Gwin, Don Goodman, and Don Breedlove oversaw construction. The cost of the church building was $84,764.34, but because of work done before building, the total cost was $96,368.29. The congregation held its last service in the old building the morning of September 18, 1966, and its first service in the new building that afternoon. Preachers 1. Daniel
Sommers Elders 1895-1898 Thomas Glidewell |
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28-may-06 |
