History of Antioch
- In 1861, twenty-six members
of the "New Light Christian Faith" decided to start a church
of their own. Jane Kern, wife of Adam Kern, rode a horse east of Kirklin
Indiana, to get Reverend T. R. Allen to meet with them in their home and
to write a creed for their new church. The members met and decided on
the name Antioch, because that was where the Disciples of Christ were
first called Christians. The meeting with Reverend Allen took place on
March 21, 1861.
- The first services were held
in the Antioch brick one-room schoolhouse until the first church was
built about three-fourths of a mile north of the present church. The
first church was built on what is now the Boyer farm. A few years after
the first church was built, houses were built south of it. Hence, the
"village" was named Antioch.
- Services were held on
Saturday afternoon or evening and Sunday morning and evening. Sometimes on
Wednesday evenings a prayer meeting was held. The first minister of the
Antioch Christian Church was T. R. Allen, who served as minister from
1861-1864. The minister arrived by train into Frankfort, so if he missed
the train, services were canceled or another brother spoke. The first year
Antioch Christian Church increased in number to forty-one members. In
1862 there were forty-five members, and in 1863 there were fifty-nine
members.
- On August 20, 1864, two
delegates elected Leonard Shumacher to preach for the coming year and to
be paid $150.00 per year. On July 15, 1865, the delegates hired Elder Z.
M. Wilken to be minister and to be paid $150.00 per year. In 1866 the
new pastor was Elder William T. Warbington. He was the minister for
eight years and under his leadership members increased to one hundred
forty-eight. In 1875 Reverend John Carney was hired as minister and paid
$10 a trip. In 1876 J. T. Phillips was the pastor, but he resigned and
the pulpit was filled temporarily by different ministers. In 1877
Reverend J. T. Phillips returned and stayed eight years. The total
membership at that time was two hundred twenty-seven.
- On December 13, 1885 the Church was completely
destroyed by fire. In 1893 Adam Kern donated the land where the present
church is located. In the summer of 1896 the Church was rebuilt, and
dedicated on August 1, 1896. In 1893 the church was moved to its present
location. Adam Kern donated the land.
- In 1909 the Delta Alpha Class
was formed and taught by Mollie Potts. The Ladies Aide served dinners
for Corn Husking Contests in 1927 and 1928 and Threshing dinners in 1928
and 1929. Threshing dinners were resumed for four threshing rings in
September 1930 through 1933.
- On February 16, 1930 the
Church burned again. A piano, two songbooks and a chair were saved.
Sunday school had been help at 9:30 am with the congregation being
dismissed for about on hour. Smoke was seen at 12:15 p.m. The Church
officers were in the office at the time the church started to burn. On
May 18, 1930, the cornerstone of our present building was laid.
- A Seventieth Anniversary was
held on March 21, 1931. An all day service with a basket dinner was
held. The first parsonage was brought across the highway from the church
on State Road 39. Sunday, February 11, 1934 the parsonage was destroyed
by fire while Reverend Fredrick Cooper was pastor. The parsonage was
rebuilt in 1934 but later in 1955 was sold and a new parsonage was built
on the Church grounds.
- In 1980 renovation was
underway on the Church building. A stained glass window in memory of Lew
and Alice Myers was under construction and the steeple was placed in
memory of Rick Smith. A church dedication service was held on November
29, 1981. The Men’s Quartet, Junior and Senior Choir sang. The
Reverend David Faris of the Evangelical Community Church of Bloomington
preached. During the dedication service the cornerstone was laid. In the
cornerstone were items that had been in the 1930 cornerstone. Steve
Alles became pastor in 1987 and he retired in 2000. Kevin
Cunningham was the pastor from August 2001 through July of 2003.
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