Church of Christ at Carbondale

Classes - Sunday Morning/ Sunday Night/ Wednesd">Minister - Matt Crain

Elders -
David Halsted
Jerry Powers
Don Sedwick

Sunday Morning
9:30 AM - Bible Classes
(nursery through adult)
10:30 AM - Worship Service
(nursery and Children's
Bible Hour available during
worship )

Sunday Evening
5:00 PM - Worship Service

Wednesday Evening
7:00 PM - Devotional
7:15 PM - Bible Classes
(nursery through adult)

Our History-
The Church of Christ in Carbondale had its beginning in the year 1929. Prior to that time, the only congregation of the Church of Christ in the Tulsa area was in Midtown at 10th & Rockford. Five families of the 10th & Rockford congregation lived in the town of Carbondale, which is today a part of the city of Tulsa. During the latter part of 1929, a meeting was held to discuss the possibility of starting a congregation in the Carbondale area. This meeting was held in the home of Tom and Idella Evans. Brothers Evans, Conway, and Christenson from the Carbondale families and Brother Ernest Brown, one of the elders at 10th & Rockford, and Brother John Allen Hudson, the minister at 10th & Rockford were all present. The meeting resulted in the decision to begin a new congregation in this area. The Carbondale City Hall was rented and the first service of the new congregation was held in December, 1929. Brother Conway and Brother Evans took turns “giving talks” each Sunday. Brother Christenson led the singing. Later, 10th & Rockford sent Brother Williamson to preach for about a year. The new congregation grew steadily in love and numbers. An unused white frame church building located at 11th and Rockford streets in Tulsa was purchased in 1930. The building was torn down by the men from Carbondale and 10th & Rockford congregations and all the materials hauled to Carbondale where it was reassembled on a lot donated by Tom and Idella Evans. Tom Evans and Lester McCombs were both professional carpenters who worked and supervised the reconstruction of the building. The men of the congregation spent many weeks in the rebuilding process. Every evening and day off was devoted to the work by those who had steady jobs. The building was finally completed and the congregation met in it for the first service in December, 1930. The church grew slowly but steadily. There was a very active Ladies Class. They did a lot of sewing for the Tipton’s Orphan Home in addition to canning fruits and vegetables from their gardens to send to the Home. They also “adopted” at least one child from the Home that they provided all of the clothing needs of that child. Continued growth in the next few years necessitated an addition to the original structure. This new addition consisted of two much needed classrooms. However, even this additional space soon became inadequate to accommodate the gradual growth of the congregation. It was then decided to buy the two houses that were adjacent to the church building and use them for classrooms. This arrangement continued until 1954 when these structures were removed to make way for the construction of a new concrete block building with eight classrooms and an auditorium with a seating capacity of 310. In 1965 a new and larger auditorium was built adjoining the existing structure. A spacious foyer and hallway connect the two buildings. The old auditorium was converted into two floors of classrooms and office space. Early in the 21st Century, the Doctor’s Office of Walter Kempe, D.O. was purchased and remodeled for offices and community outreach. The church invited “Connecting Fathers and Families” to reside in this space in 2009 and added premarital counseling services, classes for new dads and life coaching by appointment. In 2010 the Southwest Tulsa Chamber of Commerce was invited to move their office to this building just prior to the construction of the QuikTrip at 51st and Union where the Chamber had been located for years. The Southwest Tulsa Historical Society meets quarterly on Sunday afternoons as do organizations like the Chevy Club and Cub Scout Pack 221 from the Allen Bowden community. Carbondale has been blessed with some of the finest preachers during its history. Albert Yowell - 1932-1936, Charlie Parker - 1936-1945 (part-time), Shaddon Edwards - 1946-1949, Roy Lanier - 1950-1953, Hoyt Thatcher - 1953-1958, Jack Hill - 1958-1987, Sam Sidders - 1987-1991, Marty Kessler - 1992-1997, Lee Keele - 1997-2005, Judge Morris - 2005-2013, Matt Crain - 2013- the present. Today there are no surviving members of the original group that met for the first time in December of 1929. Ruth Williams passed away recently and much of the data in this historical account was furnished by her. The congregation presently has an average attendance of about 120 and is reaching young families as well as enriching our “Senior Saints.” We pray that Carbondale will continue to build upon the foundation that was laid over 85 years ago in that historic first meeting in the Carbondale City Hall. Carbondale Church of Christ “Where Love Abounds”