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Grandview was originally conceived as a neighborhood church. The congregation of First Christian Church in Johnson City dates to about 1871, with their old downtown building dedicated in 1906. Their growth was such that in the 1920s, they developed a plan to form neighborhood congregations in different areas of the city. These congregations were named Second, Third and Fourth Churches of Christ. Grandview's origin is in Fourth Church.
The congregation was founded in 1927 and first met in the home of
O. A. and Ida Sara Hartsell Dulaney at 1503 Virginia Street. On November 1st of that year, they gathered to discuss building plans. The Dulaney family gave the land across the street from their house for the church, and the men planned a building blitz'. Materials were bought and placed at the site. A day was set aside to put up the building, and it was framed and roofed in one day. That evening a prayer service was held in the unfinished building. On December 11th the first Bible school was held. Pastor D. Emmitt Snyder acted as
superintendent. On December 18th the building was dedicated. Bible School attendance was 100. Fourth Church of Christ was a reality.
Fred Dulaney, the son of O. A. and Ida, still lived in the old home place, , across the street from the Virginia Street church, at his death in 2003. Mr. Dulaney was the last charter member of our congregation. His two sisters were Helen Dulaney Preston and Mildred Dulaney, both of whom were very active in our church. As a child, Fred attended First Christian Church downtown. He still remembered when a few of the Virginia Street church members came to services with a horse and buggy.
The first elders of our church were J. E. Crouch, O. A. Dulaney, D. M. Lilly (Eugene Lilly's father), O. L. Mankamyer, J. B. Shoun and D. E. Snyder. Though not technically charter members, Eugene Lilly, born in October, 1917, and Thelma White Loggans, who died in September, 2002, were among the first to make their confessions of faith. For about ten years, until a baptismal area was added, all new members were taken to First Christian Church for baptism. Thelma's brother, Phil White, who was born in May of 1927, was a babe-in-arms and says he was probably on his mother's lap in those first services.
Other early church families include Phil and Thelma's parents, Ollie and Lucy White; D. M. and Katie White Lilly, Fred and Nora Hartsell Bailey, (a sister of Ida Dulaney); and Mrs. Bob Hayes, who lived next door to the church, and along with her two sons, were faithful members.
The congregation changed its name to Virginia Street Church of Christ on September 16, 1956. As the congregation grew, the city was also expanding. By the late 1960s city planners had decided to develop the old Grand Avenue into the present University Parkway. This new street would be laid out right behind the building's backdoor, taking about half of church's acreage. The congregation knew it would have to relocate.
As a first step, the name was changed to Grandview Christian Church on April 3, 1967.
The minister was Bill Bullis. An option was taken on lots in the Holly Hills subdivision, and the land was purchased at our present location. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on a cold February day in 1974. Pictured in the newspaper article were James Harrison, oldest elder, Mrs. O. A. Dulaney, oldest charter member, B. N. Collis, Gene Lilly, and the minister, James Fenderson. The last service at the old church was held on April 20, 1975. On the next Sunday was the first service in the new, but uncompleted, building. Gradually over the months, the floors were finished, pews were added and the building was completed. The educational wing was extended and enlarged in 1988, giving us the building as it stands in 2002.
More than two dozen ministers have served this church since 1927. The following have been pastors at Grandview on University Parkway: James Fenderson (1972-76), Ed Nelson (1976-77), Frank S. Smith (1977-87), Bob Hull (1987, interim), Gary Snavely (1988-91), Calvin Ross (1991, interim), Tom Swift (1991-92, interim), Ben Cachiaras, (1992-98), and Aaron Wymer (since 1998).
In December, 2002, this congregation saw its 75th anniversary. There is no better way that milestone could be celebrated than to be breaking ground again, with plans for a new sanctuary and additional educational space. Ground was again broken; trucks arrived in June of 2003. In 2004 the children's space opened on September 5, and we processed from the old sanctuary to the new on November 28. What was written in our 70th Anniversary Celebration pamphlet remains true:
"Faithfulness to God and his faithfulness to his people are what unites us in a stream of those who have loved and been loved by God. It is important to pause occasionally and reflect on the decades that have formed this congregation. As we look back, a great cloud of witnesses stands before us. They were not perfect; they made mistakes and experienced doubt, but we built on their prayers, their righteous lives and their faithfulness...May those who come behind us find us just as faithful."
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