On The Horizon…

Imagine being invited to a meeting approximately one mile south of (current) 6390 NE Rising Sun Drive in July of 1854. With chores to do, fields to plant, and livestock to take care of, would you go? The meeting would take place under the shade and protection of trees known as “Union Grove”. The purpose of this meeting was to legally establish the first church in this newly developed area. What would this church be called? What would it be known for? Who else would come? What would the building look like? Who would be the Pastor? At this meeting, they agreed to call this church, “The Church of Christ at Union Grove”.

Welcome to the story of Rising Sun Church of Christ.

Arrangements were made at this meeting to begin construction of a new building. Committees were appointed to look after the varying kinds of work. The labor and materials for the log building were donated by the original members of the church and volunteers got to work. The building was completed in the spring of 1855. The congregation would meet at the little “Union Grove” until 1866, the last year of the Civil War. A new start and a new beginning was needed because of growth.

The Southeast corner of our current location was selected for this new building site. As you look through the old pictures of the church building, look for the two oak trees standing in front of the building. These trees are still standing on the same corner of our campus today, connecting us to our history. The dedication service for this new location was held on July 4, 1886, by Pastor J.B. Vawter. The ground for this location was donated by Anthony B. Sims and his wife Mary, who was the daughter of Thomas E. and Louisa Barlow, two of the charter members. We still use the pages from the Barlow Bible as a commissioning gift for the new elders of Rising Sun.

From this humble beginning, the congregation grew and had a significant impact on the community and the world around them. Through the years, horses were traded in for trains, and trains for vehicles. It was thought at one point a Train Depot would be built in Rising Sun, but when those plans changed and the depot location was moved to Altoona, the community began to lose many of her residents. This change not only impacted the growth of our community, but our name. Rising Sun would eventually become known as Pleasant Hill. Through all these changes, the Rising Sun Church of Christ has been at the heart of this community. Consistently loving the Lord our God, loving our people, loving each other, organizing activities, and especially declaring truth for anyone who would listen. This is their story. This is our story. This is your story. Do you think those who came before us knew how much impact they would have on future generations? Do you think they knew how much influence they would have on you by attending that meeting way back in July of 1854?