History and Building

50+ YEARS AND GROWING STRONG!

Prior to the morning of Sunday, February 10, 1957, there were only two Christian churches in Jefferson County, located in Hematite and Festus.  This particular February day was the first meeting of De Soto Christian Church. A building was not yet purchased, so the services were held at the Knights of Pythias Hall at Boyd and Second Street for a cost of $7.50. Homer Thebeau fired up the pot belly stove for heat while George Gahr, the minister from Fairview Christian Church in Festus, preached the first sermon to a group of 43 people. The first collection was $49.40 with a special offering taken consisting of $17.00. This was all in hopes of purchasing a church building of their own.

(Former Knights of Pythias Hall)

Only a month later, on March 16, 1957, the group decided to buy the building and property at Third and Boyd, which was previously Frieden's Evangelical Church. With $250 earnest monies and a mortgage of $61.29, the members of De Soto Christian Church moved in to their new home. Over the next decade they replaced the furnace, added on more classrooms and enlarged the sanctuary.

This was all due to a dream which first began during a meeting at Mr. & Mrs. Bert McGuire's home for the purpose of finding out how many people would be interested in a New Testament Christian Church in the De Soto area. Twenty-four people were present, including four elders from Fairview Christian Church and their minister. The decision was unanimous, and arrangements were made to secure the K.P. Hall until a building could be purchased.

This statement was then made by Mrs. J. L. Wilkinson:

“This was a wonderful meeting in every way, showing that there has been some thought already about another church being started in the community. This will call forth quite a bit more effort than we have been putting out, but I know that we will receive a greater blessing out of this than we have ever known.”

(Former church at 2nd and Boyd)

In 1998 the a committee was formed to set plans for an aggressive building fund program. In April of 2000, the Building Committee met at the property to pick the location for the building and then sought congregational approval on their decision. The congregation voted to move forward with the building plan and land purchase.

After the ground breaking ceremony on July 16, 2000, the present church was built with pride and continual dreams of evangelizing the lost, edifying the saved, ministering to those in need, and being a conscience in the community. The current location at 4151 Fountain City Road now contains the original church bell in hopes of one day putting it to use once again.

Throughout the last fifty years, De Soto Christian Church has grown as expected. What started a meeting of 24 people grew into a membership of 44 by the end of 1957.  Mrs. Wilkinson's statement was followed by 50 years of blessings and many more to come.

DeSoto Christian Church's home has recently been dubbed "The new church on the hill!"

(The current church building on Fountain City Road)

We soon added a nursery unit and a double wide trailer for classrooms to make room for a growing congregation.

Unfortunately, in November of 2005 the old church building at 2nd and Boyd burned to the ground.  The old church bell was saved, however, and it is now safe in the new building with the hopes of some day using it once again.

(Church on fire at 2nd and Boyd)