The above photograph is believed to be one of the
first photographs
of the Delaware Church of Christ in Christian Union
at
162 Belle Avenue, Delaware, Delaware County, Ohio in
1959
Where
We’ve Come From …
There were arbor meetings at a
farm located at Route 42, at Smart Cole Road which later developed into Long's Chapel CCCU which was destroyed by a tornado in the early 1960's. The Arbor Grove, which became Long's
Chapel then moved to Eaton Street and was known as Hazleton Chapel CCCU. When Hazelton Chapel CCCU (now Morning Star Tabernacle) was built in 1924, the Welfare Building house adjacent to the church, was used as an outreach to the poor. There was a second CCCU church in Delaware located on Rheem
Street. In 1958, the Rheem Street CCCU and Hazelton Chapel
merged to create one CCCU church in Delaware. The new site located at 162 Belle
Avenue (which is the present location of the church) was called the First Church of Christ in Christian Union. Under different pastors, different properties were purchased. Today the church has 3 houses as well as several lots to utilize for ministry needs.
Hazelton
Chapel CCCU was built in 1924
Following
is a list of those
Pastors who have served
the Churches (CCCU) in
Delaware County since 1924
Rev. A. L. Terry 1924-1935 at the Hazelton
Chapel CCCU
Pastors
of Rheem Street:
Rev. Gerald (Dick) Edelbute
Rev. Garrett Heller
Rev. Alvin Conkey
Rev. Eddie Meyers
Frances Hatten filled in until the Rheem
Street Church merged with Hazelton Chapel
in 1959
Pastors
at Belle Avenue:
Thomas Hermiz
Rev.
Coppick
Floyd Shoemaker
S.G. Williams
Landon Frances
Floyd Kerr
Rev. Warren Goble 1970-1976
Rev. Alvin Conkey 1976-1978
Rev. H. David Cyrus 1978-1999
Rev. Gary Heinbach 1999-2001
Rev. H. David Cyrus, Senior Pastor and
Rev. Martha Adams, Associate Pastor
2001-2003
Rev. Martha Adams 2003-2005
Rev. Martha Adams, Senior Pastor and
Rev. Frank Robinson, Associate Pastor
2005-2007
Rev. Bill Benner 2007-present
Rev. H. David Cyrus came to pastor in 1988. His ministry was marked by a number of conversions, attendance highs, fugality and financial stability, and the church became a strong name in the community. In the mid-1990’s, our church started The Food Pantry, which is used as a referral by other community agencies. Approximately one year before exiting, Pastor David Cyrus permitted the use of overhead projection of songs for Sunday AM worship. The choir at that point was evolving into a praise team. During Rev. Cyrus' years at the church, three properties and several open lots
were added that now constitute the back field. Pastor David served here for twenty-three years, retiring after a struggle with leukemia.
Rev. Gary Heimbach became the pastor in 1999 and his years served were marked by
change. A dynamic Praise Team under the direction of Shelley Williams led worship with a new video projection machine and instrumental CD tracks. Hymns and Gospel Songs were still used with a blend of some contemporary worship choruses. A number of improvements were made to the Parsonage. Several new families were reached that joined the church. Pastor Heimbach had strong ties with the community through the Pray Delaware Pastors prayer group. In 2001, the Heimbach’s were called to pastor at the New Boston CCCU which was Pastor Heimbach’s home church.
In 2001, Rev. H. David Cyrus returned to DCCCU on the condition that he would stay only two years and that Rev. Marty Adams would serve with him as the full-time Associate Pastor. Pastor Adams was given the responsibilities of leading the Vision Team, the Youth ministry, developing outreach and assimilation, and doing some visitation. Attempts to either build, add-on, or purchase new property were revisited during these two years.
A Vision Team was formed by the DCCCU Board. For
eighteen months, they met monthly, prayed and studied God’s Word, and developed
a Mission Statement, Vision Statement, and Core Values. These were edited and accepted by the Board in 2002 and 2003. In 2004, these were compiled, along with tentative Goals and Strategies, and printed on visual signs. The black and white lighthouse graphic began to be used in 2004, as a symbol of our church becoming a leading beacon for Jesus Christ in the Delaware community.
Beginning in 2003, Rev. Marty Adams was voted in to serve as Pastor of DCCCU. Several members including former three Elders left at the end of the church year. Change continued to mark Pastor Marty’s ministry. The first major decision that the board recommended to the church membership was for the sale/purchase/relocation process of the DCCCU. In November of 2001, church members decided to look earnestly for new land with the intent of selling the DCCCU properties and eventually relocating to a new property. The consensus of the board at that time was that the church was at a growth impasse on Belle Avenue and that the church needed new facilities to reach the increasingly upwardly mobile demographics of Delaware County, Ohio. Thirty-four acres of land were purchased. Facility changes were significant with the handicap accessorizing of the upper level sanctuary with the purchase of a chair lift and the renovation of the coat closet into a handicap/special needs restroom. The nursery was turned into a hospitality room to act as a Welcome/Information Station during services and a kitchen to serve dinners and refreshments for a variety of ministries. The entire building was repainted by people doing court-ordered community service. Other updates or repairs were made to all existing properties.
Other ministries were started that were specifically targeting the impoverished and at-risk children and families in the community. Celebrate Recovery operated in a trial ministry mode for eighteen months with the goal of bringing healing to our present congregation and training for leaders to reach the large at-risk population. LifeCamp (Summer ’06) fed an enrollment of twenty-four children with free food from the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Children’s Hunger Alliance. Abba’s House, a contemporary youth and young adult service, started at this time on Saturday evenings followed by The RightWay Café which continue in operation to this date. The Food Pantry was evaluated and expanded. All of these ministries have been enhanced or have the potential of growing because of the removal of the pews and the purchase of movable seating during Rev. Adams's time with the
DCCCU. The traditional sanctuary space is now understood to be multi-purpose.
In 2007,
Rev. Bill Benner began his ministry at the DCCCU.
He and his family served for nearly twenty years in
Papua New Guinea and the Caribbean for twenty years
as missionaries. They were responsible for the
relationship and communication between the homeland
missionary department and the West Indies national
church during their transition from a mission field
to a district of the Churches of Christ in Christian
Union. Rev. Benner served as pastor for the
new church outreach in St. Croix from 1992 to
1996. From 1977 to 1992, he supervised six
district mission stations, 15 plus missionaries, 68
local churches, Nembi Bible School and Ol Medical
Center. The congregation welcomes Rev. Benner
and his family to Delaware and to DCCCU.
Our
MISSION
“F.A.I.T.H.
for Life!”
We
exist to:
F
-
FOCUS
on God,
A
-
ATTRACT
people with the Truth,
I
-
INVOLVE
all in His Family,
T
-
TOUCH
the whole Person, and
H
-
HUNGER
for Holiness.
Our
VISION
“We believe that God wants us to become a church center for Christian leadership that is pursuing, nurturing, and equipping disciples for Jesus Christ who are reproducing by living out their F.A.I.T.H. in Delaware County,
Ohio and beyond.”
Our
local church is a member church of The
Churches of Christ in Christian Union,
with its world headquarters in
Circleville, Ohio. Circleville Bible
College, established in 1948, has trained
hundreds of leaders, in every ministry
field, to serve around the globe.
CCCU
or 3CU, as we lovingly call it, was
birthed out of the historical Methodist
movement. The teaching of holy living made
possible through “sanctification” or a
fully surrendered and Spirit-empowered
life, is our hallmark.
3CU
churches are congregationally governed by
representation on a local Board of
Administration. Each member has a vote.
The
Churches of Christ in Christian Union
traces its origin as an independent body
to the year of 1909 at the council of The
Christian Union Churches which was held at
Marshall, Ohio. A prominent breach
was present among the churches of that
district. The point of controversy
was the preaching of holiness as a second
definite work of grace subsequent to
regeneration. Those opposed to such
preaching, being in the majority, enacted
certain legislation to silence those upon
whose preaching they frowned.
Instead of being silenced, this group, led
by the Reverend J. H. McKibban, withdrew
by compulsion and took the name "The
Churches of Christ in Christian
Union".
On October 27, 1909 a convention of this
group was held at the Christian Union
publishing house at Washington Court House,
Ohio with the Reverend E. S. Cartwright
presiding. At this convention a
charter of The Churches of Christ in
Christian Union was read and endorsed by the
ministry and members present. There
was also a Declaration of Rights written and
presented.
Being no longer members of the council of
Christian Union Churches, this new group was
compelled to establish their own
council. The first council of The
Churches of Christ in Christian Union was
held at Jeffersonville, Ohio October 28 to
31, 1909. The Reverend E. S.
Cartwright was moderator of this
council. Annual councils have been
held from that date.
At the thirty-seventh annual council at
Circleville, Ohio in 1945, legislation was
enacted amending the Articles of
Incorporation and resolutions passed
permitting the organizing of other state and
district councils and their incorporation in
this body of believers.
The first general council (composed of
all districts) was held at Circleville, Ohio
in 1948. General councils are held
every two yeras. Before the work of
redistricting was completed in 1959, there
were districts in Ohio, Michigan, West
Virginia, and the Northeast District
composed of New York, and northern
Pennsylvania, the latter district having
been formed by the affiliation and merger of
the Reformed Methodist Church of New York
with The Churches of Christ in Christian
Union. The Northeast District was
composed of churches in New York,
Pennsylvania, and Maryland. The other
three districts were divided into two;
namely, North Central and South Central, the
two being divided by a line following U. S.
Highway 40 from the Ohio-Pennsylvania line
westward to the junction of U. S. 22; thence
southwest and west on U. S. 22 to Washington
Court House and the junction of U. S. 35;
thence northwestward to the junction of U.
S. 40; and from there westward following U.
S. 40.
During 1972, the South Central District
was divided to form the Southern
District. Churches which remained in
the South Central District were in Ohio (see
northern boundary above), Kentucky, Indiana,
and West Virginia. The new Southern
District was composed of churches in
Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North
Carolina, and Florida. In 1979, these
two districts were reunited into a single
district known as the South Central
District.
On July 15, 1972 the North Central
District Council passed a resolution to
divide the North Central District into two
districts; namely, the Midwest and the
Medeast. The Midwest District was
composed of all Ohio churches in the North
Central District west of U. S. Route 23 and
all of the Indiana churches. The
Mideast District was composed of all North
Central District churches east of U. S.
Route 23 and all Michigan churches. In
1979, these two districts were reunited into
a single district which is known as the West
Central District.
In its missionary work, the church is
active in fields around the world.
Through partnership with World Gospel
Mission we have missionaries working in
Bolivia, Honduras, Kenya, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Uganda, U. S. Virgin Islands, and
The American Indian Field in Arizona.
A school has been built in connection with
the Papua New Guinea mission.
The official publication of the church is
The Evangelical Advocate.
Circleville Bible College (Ohio Christian
University) was established by council
action and began its first year in
1948. A new administration building
housing both the school and the offices of
the general church work was erected on the
Mount of Praise grounds in 1953. A new
library and laboratory building was erected
in 1958. In 1964-65, a new brick and stucco
dormitory was erected. Continued
growth of the school necessitated plans for
a new campus. After extensive study, a
forty acre campus was laid out on the north
side of U. S. 22 east of Circleville on the
church farm. Construction was started
in 1966 with the erection of an
administration building. A men's
dormitory, the chapel, and a combined
classroom-dining hall followed
rapidly. In September, 1969, full
classroom operations were started at the new
campus. In 1970 a student center
building was completed. Landscaping
and athletic fields have also been
provided. In 1972 phase one of the
campus development was completed with the
erection of the women's dormitory.
Townhouses were constructed in 1977 to house
married students. The Melvin and Laura
Maxwell Library was constructed in
1979. Since that time, a new townhouse
has been constructed (1998), upgrades to
both the women's (1997) and men's (1998)
dormitories, and an addition doubling the
size of the Melvin and Laura Maxwell Library
(1999).
Each of the districts conducts its own
annual camp meeting, youth camps, and
councils. The Northeast District
operates Lily Lake Campground near Port
Crane, New York. The South Central
District Campground is located in the
community of Nipgen, northwest of Waverly,
Ohio. The Mount of Praise camp meeting
is an annual function of the general
department. In 1996 the Mount of
Praise moved to the Circleville Bible
College (Ohio Christian University)
campus. The East Ohio Street location
was sold in 1998 and plans are progressing
toward the development of the new location
on denominational property located on U. S.
Route 22 east. In 2005 the
denomination completed a conference center
facility west of the Maxwell Library.
Youth facilities for the Mount of Praise
camp were completed in July 2006 with
accommodation for 90 plus students. In
corporation with Ohio Christian University
and the Churches of Christ in Christian
Union ground was broken for a new leadership
ministry center officially on August 13,
2006. This new facility will house
many of the university's sports and special
events as well as the worship center for the
Mount of Praise camp.
“Faith
View:
Keeping Our Eyes on Jesus”
We are
asking God to help us become a Church Center for
Christian Leadership that is pursuing, nurturing,
and equipping disciples for Jesus Christ who are
reproducing by living out their F.A.I.T.H. in
Delaware County.
Family
Leadership
Church
Leadership
Community
Leadership
Where We
Are Going ...
While we
continue to experience quantity and quality growth
in our congregation, we have a dream that God is
creating in us. We believe that God wants us to
reach our present community by providing felt-need
outreach. We have purchased 34 acres of land, right
off of Route 42 North in Delaware County, Ohio, where we plan to build facilities
to house multiple ministries in the future.
Delaware
Church of Christ in Christian Union (DCCCU)
162
Belle Avenue
Delaware, Ohio 43015
(740) 369-4943 Church Office