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A Brief History Of The Church Of Christ In Sunnyvale, California
The Church of Christ of Sunnyvale had an humble beginning on October 1, 1949 being comprised at that time of 26 members, many of whom are still living in Sunnyvale. Their first meeting hall was in a rented store building at 146 E. Iowa Street which they occupied for some three years. In the spring of 1952 the present assembly hall was built being done almost entirely from voluntary labor on the part of the members. These present facilities are not adequate to seat the membership and the congregation has listed for sale with the Sunnyvale Realty Board. For the past year the congregation has had to have two identical services each Sunday morning in order to seat the crowds.
The church has been served by two evangelists during its existence, Mr. Otis H. Moyer beginning in 1950 and continuing through 1953. Mr. Peter J. Wilson, their present evangelist, began serving with this congregation in December, 1953. He and his wife Irene reside at 933 Bernardo Avenue with their four children, Danny, Nancy, Wendy and little Peter.
The present officers of the church are three elders and eleven deacons. Elders now serving are Mr. Joseph H. Hooper, 163 Ranchita Dr., Mountain View; Mr. Clarence L. Turner, 18863 Casa Blanca Lane, Saratoga; and Mr. Ernest L. Lewis, 838 W. Iowa Street, Sunnyvale. Deacons now serving are Mr. Dalton Griffin, Mr. James Lewis, Mr. Sam Griffin, Mr. Harold Horne, Mr. Harry Hendry, Mr. Jessie Nixon, Mr. Sam Royal, Mr. Oren Allen, Mr. Charles Boling, Mr. Bradford Melton, and Mr. John Collins. The present membership of the congregation now totals 293 members.
Plans for the new facilities were drafted by Mr. Ted Beever of Novato, California and are engineered by Mr. S. A. Soderstrand, architect, of Oakland.
In 1956 the property at the corner of Remington Avenue and Lime Drive was purchased by the congregation and plans began to be formulated to take care of the phenomenal growth experienced by the church in the last few years. This property has been improved during the interim by the paving of the streets and other work and reflects an investment of $35,000. The appraised value of the property at completion will approximate $175,000.
Robert C. Welch, 1801 N. 27th Street, Birmingham, Alabama: "The Brummett church near Corbin, Kentucky recently had me to preach in a short meeting. The interest was good. From all reports and appearances at that time the debate between brethren A. C. Grider and W. L. Totty on church support of benevolent societies did much good in teaching the people of the sufficiency of the church. The Dry Fork church near Glasgow, Kentucky engaged me to preach in a meeting, September 14-24. They appreciate the truth, having been hearing it regularly by Brother E. G. Creacy. Five were baptized."