Our History The first members of the church of Christ arrived in the area shortly before the turn of the 20th century. The church was formally organized in Shawnee for the first time in 1907. Children at the time, Vera Burton and Ruby Jones have gone to their reward since we last published our history; and with them has gone valuable information in the memory of the last two individuals living at the time. After meeting in various rented locations downtown, the building at 213 North Union was purchased in 1917 and became the permanent home of the small congregation. That building is now called the Stubblfield Chapel and may still be seen on the campus of Oklahoma Baptist University where it has been moved. The church grew rapidly while at met in the little white frame building and in 1920 was able to employ its first part-time minister. Central was still meeting at 213 North Union when the East Main congregation was organized and conducted its first worship service on June 25, 1939. Brother Floyd Perry, an elder at Central, preached the first sermon at East Main, and brother Perry Cotham, the minister at Central at the time, preached for the first gospel meeting. Central built its present building in 1941, and the first worship service was conducted on January 18, 1942. A new classroom annex was built in the mid-60's, and there was a major renovation of the auditorium in 1989 making it look as it does today. Central and East Main were reunited on September 27, 1992, and we have rejoiced in the love, unity, and strength and were renewed at that time. Central has always been interested in mission work and has assisted in such endeavors in many places throughout the nation and world. It has assisted the work from right here in the county to such domestic locations as South Dakota and such faraway places as Germany, Russia, and South Africa. Until his passing in August 2003, the church expanded its mission work by assisting Don Sullivan fulfill a longtime dream he had of returning to the mission field in Minot, North Dakota where he had labored in the past. This church has also engaged in extensive benevolent work, participating in the support of numerous children's homes. It has a large amount budgeted for the assistance of local needs and those who come knocking at our door asking for help. Central has participated in providing clothing, Bibles, songbooks, and Bible studies for people in many foreign countries. The church annually conducts a "Warmth from the Heart" coat give away as an outreach to the locale community. While considered by many to be a "senior" congregation, Central has a large and extremely active youth program under the capable direction of Bob Stephens. Local evangelists at Central have included Perry Cotham, Hulen Jackson, J.T. Marlin, Richard Black, Ed Lobaugh, Dwyane Dennis, and Don Sullivan. Many others have served as preachers, youth ministers, or evangelists in gospel meetings. It would not be possible to tell of all the many deeds done by faithful elders, Bible School teachers, and hundreds of other faithful Christians who have worked for the Lord at Central. Many of them have now departed this life, and others have gone to other congregations to help build up the church in various sections of the area. All of us should realize we can do nothing without God's help and that all praise should be given to His name for whatever has been done in the past. Central will celebrate its 100th Anniversary soon in 2007! Let us never be content to look at the past. Let us be encouraged to do more in the future. Let us invoke God's blessings on us as a congregation that we might be more worthy servants in His vineyard. In September 2003 Judy Hartley was going through her grandmother's things and found the program that was printed for the opening service of our building in January of 1942. This is an important document because it fills us in on some additional points of our history for which details were not fully remembered in recent years. To read this program, Click here.