Christ's Church of Effingham Celebrates 40th Birthday Sunday

A group of about 30 people met in September of 1984 to see whether a new church was needed in Effingham. From that meeting, Christ's Church was born.

This Sunday, the congregation will meet to celebrate the anniversary and God's grace and goodness through the years.

Church Pastor Jeff Michael said the congregation's first meeting at their current location on Veterans Drive took place in 1987. Michael said nine members of the original group are still a part of the congregation. He shared that many of those original members were one-time members of Willow Street Church of Christ. 

Sunday's celebration will take place on the Christ's Church campus at 10am. A big crowd is anticipated; 1,200 chairs are being set out and 1,000 tickets have been given out for a lunch to take place following the worship time.

The church has grown in many ways, and has established a campus in Flora. The congregation also sponsors Discovery Christian School in Effingham, which serves students up through eighth grade.

Dale Hunt was the original pastor of Christ's Church. Hunt was followed by Charlie Gard, then Jim Miller. Michael became the Christ's Church pastor in 1995. As to Sunday's celebration, Michael said they hope to celebrate the vision of those original organizers of the church.