The first known meetings in the Evant area for the church of Christ were in two places: the old Cow House School building northeast of present day Evant, and the old one-room school building at Henderson Point. When the Henderson Point building was torn down, some families started meeting in the school auditorium. Some of those early members were: the Hills, Burneys, Elams, Gazaways, Epplers, Christians, Miss Ollie Preston, the Scotts, Newtons, Shaws, Singletons, Baizes, Carters, Faubions, and Flatts.
In 1928, a frame building was erected three blocks west of the square in Evant, consisting of an auditorium and four classrooms. What served as the fellowship area for the 1928 church was an old oak tree. Underneath this landmark tree, picnic tables were set up to serve meals and Vacation Bible School refreshments. Young people often used it as a gathering place. In 2011, the old tree was cut down, but what a shame those old branches could not talk!
An early church member, Eleanor Henderson, said, “We didn’t have a paid preacher. Esto Newton came on horseback. On Sundays, we had classes and communion. The Christians and Newtons were good singers. I remember going by wagon to a camp meeting at Turnersville, and camping there in the wagon.”
Our current brick church was built in 1965 and the 1928 church building was sold and moved. Among those families instrumental in the new church construction were: Kincheloe, Shave, Horton, Henderson, Sheldon, Smith, Lee, Johnson, Preston, Faubion, Slone, McKinley, Mitchell, Sugg, Harrington, Webb, and Atchley.
During the mid-1950s, before the church could afford a full-time preacher, Abilene Christian College students would come on the weekends to do the preaching. Some of those were Charles Hodges, John Gibson, and Joe Barnett, who returned on numerous occasions throughout the years to hold meetings.
Like most churches, over the years there would be times when the church would have large attendance and be very active and then there would be times when the attendance would be small.
Preachers were: Charles Hodges, John Gibson, Joe Barnett, O.O.O. Newton, Marvin Porterfield, Jon Jones, T. R. Bankhead, Marvin Rowland, Joe Wolf, Melvin Allen, Roy McGaugh, Boyce Edwards, Herman Beauchamp, Allen DeSpain, Pat McIntosh, David Boren, Mickey Chambliss, Joe Carrizales, Mark Kirby, Jon McCormick, Jess Whitlock, and William Vann.
Submitted by: Letha Sheldon, Cheryl Slone, and Calvin Burks.