A BRIEF CHURCH HISTORY 

Florence Boulevard church of Christ began on July 11, 1958 as the Lee Hi church of Christ. The Weeden Heights congregation had outgrown its facilities. There were two services each Sunday.  The decision was made to plant another congregation. The first assembly consisted of approximately 100 souls. Gilbert Kretzer, then minister at Weeden Heights, preached the first sermon. T. L. Elrod and Roy Newton served as the first elders.

Three men filled the pulpit on an interim basis during the first year of the church.  Gilbert Kretzer served as minister from April, 1959 to April , 1968.  He was followed by Kelby Smith from May, 1968 through June, 1991.

Lee Hi also outgrew its facilities.  When the new building was completed on June 4, 1972, the congregation became the Florence Boulevard church of Christ.  An educational building was completed in September of 1979.  We began to use the new annex in January of 1999.

Elders who have served this congregation include: Bradley Durham, Robert Clay, James Smith, Charles Woodfin, Dale Boren, Gilbert Kretzer, and Dale Lyons.  The current elders are Johnny Beasley, Harlon Goolsby, and Glen Mayhall. David Newberry served as associate minister from 1979 through August, 1982.  Bill Bagents served from September, 1982 until assuming preaching responsibilities in July, 1991.  Keith Davis served as Youth Minister from July, 1991 through June, 1996.  In August, 1996, Brad Adcock began to serve as Youth Minister.  Terry Broome became the pulpit minister in January, 2000.  Chris Kemp became the pulpit minister in March,2002.

The Florence Boulevard church of Christ has been blessed by an outstanding teaching program.  Bible classes continue to be a major strength of the church.  The cradle roll-preschool- primary curriculum is currently being rewritten.  It is already being used by several of our sister congregations.  A weekly visitation program has been active for nearly thirty years.  Mission work, both in the States and abroad, has continued to grow.  In recent years, the church has been heavily involved in Albania with Aubrey and Carolyn Stephens living in that country. Thousands of Bible lessons are mailed every month through World Bible School.  Lads to Leaders continues to grow as one important aspect of our work with youth.

Though conservative in doctrine and practice, the church continues to grow in the grace of liberal giving.  Four consecutive years of record giving have allowed the construction of the annex and the expansion of our mission work.  More and more workers have stepped forward to lend their talents to the cause of Christ.

It is our intention to grow in number, in spirit, and in work to the glory of God.  No matter how much we grow, we want to maintain a warm, family atmosphere.  Our aim is to do God’s work God’s way.  If we stay true to that aim, we know that we will have God’s blessing.

HISTORY OF WEEDEN HEIGHTS CHURCH OF CHRIST 

In the late thirties, there was only one congregation of the church of Christ in East Florence, and that was the East Florence church of Christ.  Jones and Jessie Murphy lived at 301 South Main Street.  They decided to canvass the Weeden Heights area to find people who were members of the church of Christ that were interested in establishing a congregation in the Weeden Heights community.  They had to walk or get a cab to attend the East Florence church of Christ.

In the early part of 1939, these members met on a vacant lot in the 300 block of North Orleans Street in Weeden Heights.  Brother C. C. Burns was to preach in a meeting, but he was unable to be there.  Brother Charlie McCluskey preached in his place in a brush arbor.  This was the beginning of the Weeden Heights congregation.  Some of the families who were members at this time were: the Ned Stevensons; the Jones Murphys, parents of our Mary Murphy; the John Cochrans, parents of our late Jim Cochran and grandparents of our Rotha Cochran Smith; the John Ramseys; and the Harvey Perrymans.

A short time later, brother C. C. Burns was asked to hold another meeting.  This was a tent meeting on the corner of South Weakley Street and Huntsville Road.  Oshell Goode, husband of Jane Murphy Goode, was baptized during this meeting.  By this time, the number of the church was about thirty-five.  There was a need for a church building.  A vacant two-room dwelling was donated by brother Roy Hunt.  This was located on the 300 block between North Orleans Street and North Eclipse Street (at the back of brother John Cochran’s house).  It was to be used as a church meeting place as long as desired.

By l94l, a larger building was needed.  Lots were purchased from Florence Land Company on South Weakley Street on June 3, l94l.  This was done by Trustees: E. L. Fenn, Sr., Frank McLemore, and Andrew Zayatz. A new brick structure, designed by H. F. Koonce, was built.  Records show that the first sermon was preached by brother C. C. Burns on March l, l942.  The subject of his sermon was "What Shall They See in Thine House?" The seating capacity was 150, with six classrooms.  In 1946 and again in 1949, extra classrooms had to be built and the auditorium enlarged to meet the needs.  Elders supervising these works were: Luther Thompson, Owen Farley, Sr., and Hollis Warren.  By 1957, two preaching services were started to relieve the crowded conditions again.  In 1958, the decision had to be made of whether to construct a larger building or to start another congregation.  The latter idea was chosen.  Lots were bought on the corner of Crown Street and Lee Highway. A brick structure was built with a seating capacity of 425 and eleven classrooms.  Lee Hi church of Christ had its beginning on the second Sunday of July, 1958 with Gilbert Kretzer preaching the first sermon entitled "We Are Debtors."  Elders who served at Lee Hi from the beginning were Roy Newton and Terrell Elrod.  The deacons were Roy Cantrell and Tom Green, while the minister was Gilbert Kretzer.

The following preachers worked with this congregation from 1944 into 1959 and helped make the progress that has been mentioned:

Gilbert Kretzer 1944-45

Glenn Hargett 1945-46

Jack Cannon 1946-47

Gilbert Kretzer 1947-49

Claude Lewis 1949-52

Lester Frawley 1952-53

Dan J. Ottinger 1953-54

Jack Hazelbaker l954-55

C. M. Tuttleton 1955-56

Gilbert Kretzer 1956-59