A Brief History of the Church at 21st and Eisenhower
The church began meeting at the corner of Eisenhower and 21st Streets, March 11, 1953 for a series of lectures by Dale Brooks, Harold Kennamer and Lee A. McCleskey, who was the first regular preacher for the church. The congregation was composed of 257 members on the first Sunday it met. Six months later the membership had grown to 340. Almost immediately the west building was begun to allow for growth.
Other men who have served as local preachers of the church include: Paul Rogers, Johnny Ramsey, Owen Miller, Dan Billingsley, Burt Groves, Loy Mitchell, Jim Gammon, Don Carroll, Paul Prescott, Mike Vestal, Eddie Parrish, Tyler Young, David Boren, Jeff Sweeten and Allen Weakland.
Additional ministers on the staff, in education, missions and youth include: Dee Carter, Joe Thompson, Jerrell Rowden, Cleon Dowlen, Mike Myers, Charlie Bassing, Tom Harguess, Lynn Money, Bryl Brockman, Larry Conway, Manuel Flores, Don Carroll, Vernon Williams,John Driggers, Paul Wheeler, Kevin Cain, Burt Groves and Denny Wilson.
Men that have served as elders include:Barney Alsobrook, Johnnie Bell, Bryl Brockman, Bill Brown, J. Y. Brown, Loel Brown, Wendell Hall, Bill Butler, Don Carroll, Paul Castleberry, Freylon Coffey, Cliff Coggins, Wayne Coggins, Miles Eckert, J. L. Evans, D.L. Fenter, Ken Herbert, George Hoover, Charlie Howard, Chuck McHargue, Donald Ray, Cecil Robertson, Barney Ruffner, Al Squire, LeRoy Thomas, Bill Tolbert, Jack Sullivan, George Warren, Lon Howard, Mike Roemisch, Charles Wood, Mike Smith, Jeff Wesson, Larry May and Allen Weakland.
Many of the former members of this congregation are gone. Many have gone on to await the reward of a faithful Christian. Others have left their first love. There will be, however, a significant number in heaven because faithful members of this congregation in the past 57 years have taken God's word to heart when He said "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mk 16:15) We will miss them because of the influence they have been on all of our lives. We look forward to the day when our 50 year reunion will pale in comparison. The Eisenhower congregation has proclaimed the gospel in Odessa, Canada, Cuba, India, Indonesia, Africa, Mexico and has had a part in establishing preaching schools in Indonesia and Mexico.
May God continue to bless each family and each person, then and now, that have been touched by God's love through the efforts of faithful members of the congregation of saints that meet at the corner of Eisenhower and 21st Streets in Odessa, Texas.
