History…The Seeds are Planted
Christian Chapel Church of Christ building, 2024
A complete historical journey of the Lord’s church would take us back to the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ—and beyond. Our interest here is to know how a congregation of the church of Christ came to be established in Anna, Illinois.
The Anna Church of Christ is an outgrowth of two preceding congregations: Christian Chapel and Dongola. Some of our early members worshiped with one or both of these congregations. The Christian Chapel Church of Christ was organized in 1865 or 1866 with seven charter members; their first building was constructed in 1875 and was replaced in 1905 with the structure which stands today as a historical monument to the congregation that ceased to meet in late 1979 or early 1980s..
The Dongola Church of Christ was organized in 1910 by W.F. Mathis and worshipped in a wooden church building on a hill with a bell that rang every Sunday. They later moved into a new brick building the congregation built taking the bell with them. The bell was later transferred to the Anna Church of Christ.
From Seeds to Reality
Anna Church of Christ building, 1960
In October of 1957, the Dongola Church of Christ made plans to purchase lots in Anna to provide the location for a new congregation. The lots were purchased November 26, 1957. A tent meeting was conducted on the site in the summer of 1958 with Frank Gould as speaker. A group of Christians living in the Anna-Jonesboro area, most of whom had been regularly worshipping in Dongola, met on the second floor of the Anna City Hall in January 1959. Attendance was 58, the contribution was $304.78, and Robert Waller, the Dongola minister, was the speaker. As the new congregation continued meeting in City Hall, a second tent meeting was held on the church’s lots with Jewel Norman as speaker. The Clements Street Church of Christ in Paducah was a monthly financial supporter for several years.
In the spring of 1960, a group of the Anna brethren led by Alfred Bishop met with the Clement Street elders to discuss the construction of a building. The elders encouraged the beginning of construction and promised help as long as it was needed. Construction began in April, 1960, with W.T. Harvick in charge. Brother Frank Gould conducted a summer gospel meeting in the half finished building. With much labor donated by members and others, the building was completed on November 6, 1960, with E.L. Eubanks as minister and F.W. Gould as dedication speaker. In September of 1965, John B. Shelton became the minister and served here except for five year term at the Wetuag Church of Christ during which time Victor Proffitt followed by Bob Adams served as Minister at the Anna congregation. In 1991, Joe Johnson became an Associate Minister and served for a few years. Westley Hazel, Andy Erwin and R.W. McAlister each served as Minister prior to Ryan Thornsberry..