A glimpse in time of of God’s Forever Story from 2025 to 2075. photo by Don Mooney
by Don Mooney
Memphis, TN—Oft referred to as the greatest story ever told the bible is not just a story that was – it’s a story that is!
Memorial Day is a societal reminder giving pause to reflect on the service and sacrificed lives of veterans that preserved freedoms Americans hold so dear. Midtown Church of Christ uses the occasion to remember past spiritual soldiers for their sacrifices and impact on the church’s legacy. This years Memorial commemoration was special. Midtown along with the leadership of Woodland Hills Church of Christ, envisioned a pivotal moment of significance. The building that houses the members today was established over 100-years ago as Union Avenue Church of Christ. A special four-day program brought together members from both Midtown and former Union Avenue congregants, to peep down memory lane of how God guided His people for the last 100-years.
IN THE BEGINNING WAS…
On the corner of Tucker and Union Ave, in the heart of downtown Memphis, Tennessee, stands Midtown Church of Christ under the spiritual stewardship of minister Harold Redd. The question begs, how’d we get here? The history of the original Union Avenue has a storyline similar to Acts 2 where Christ’s church was started. 100-years ago a seed was planted in Memphis that blooms a century later. What follows is a historical glimpse from former Union Avenue members unique perspective how the people of God impacted not just the city of Memphis but spread the gospel to nations abroad.
93-year old Betty Canon, whose time with Union Avenue Church traces back to the 1930s recalls the story, “the first assembly of members could all fit in an elevator,” laughs Betty who currently attends Highlands Church of Christ. Importantly, a retrospective peek back to the turn of the twentieth century supports her statement. On the wake of the Restoration Movement, a movement that fueled the modern day flames of churches of christ across the midwest and southern sectors of the United States. Memphis, considered the fastest growing southern city, approached the twentieth century with a population of slightly less than one hundred thousand. New Testament Christianity was almost new here. The Linden Avenue Christian Church, the “mother church” of the city, established in 1845 by Dr. B. F. Hall, had already accepted instrumental music and for all practical purposes was a full-blown liberal denominational church. In 1899 when J. H. Harden came to the city to manage a “manufacturing plant.”
John, Jim, Jasper W., G.A. (Gus), Tom. A family of preachers, the Dunn brothers preached the gospel in the early twentieth century throughout Tennessee..
Harden rounded up about thirty disciples to worship each Sunday, first in their homes, then in the Odd Fellow’s Hall. Harden’s removal to Anniston, Alabama, in a few months left the group without leadership, so by the time James A. Harding arrived in June, 1900, it was difficult to get a dozen people together to agree to meet regularly. Harding hoped “to create an interest in primitive Christianity in that city,” and pitched his tent in the hopes of attracting large crowds. Although he did this, when he left eventually, the few disciples dwindled again and interest lagged.
Tent gospel meetings were popular in the south. A public invitation to hear the gospel. photo by AI
After attending the historic Stark-Warlick debate in Henderson, Tennessee, John E. Dunn went on to Memphis where he spoke nightly in the Trinity Baptist Church and saw the great possibilities for the work. Dunn spent half of the next July in 1904 Memphis, preaching on the second floor of the Women’s-Building, corner of Jefferson and Third Street, two blocks northeast of the Court Square. On November 1, 1904, Jasper W. Dunn moved to the city and soon met with the thirty disciples, whom he described as meeting in the southwest part of the city, near the Mississippi River. Jasper, too, saw the possibilities. “A strong church established in this city, loyal and zealous for the truth, like the churches of Antioch and Jerusalem at the beginning, would do a great work in `holding forth the word of life.'” When he met the members, he found Lafayette Morgan, B. B. Goodman, W. B. Morgan, R. L. Carter, who lived in Memphis, and T. E. Tatum, who was there only temporarily to help with the work. Jasper plunged into the work with all his power. In three months he wrote to J. C. McQuiddy, “I feel like all will work out well here in the course of time. I am a firm believer that when I do my duty, live as the Record directs, preach the ‘unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ,’ God will care for me….” It took such faith to do the work.”
By 1907 about 50-members were meeting regularly on Habert Avenue. By 1923 Union Avenue had a bulging 250 members. The leadership, ministered by JA Hudson, envisioned a larger membership. Shortly after, with $900 in the bank, the church secured a $100K loan, equitable to $2-million in today’s money, to build a 1200 seat auditorium…Union Ave Church of Christ. Considered at the time audacious, the decision proved to be spot on as the membership swelled to over 1300 members by 1939.
Union Avenue by, all accounts in 1939 the largest church in the brotherhood had paid off all debt by the depression. From the 1940 through the 80s the primary thrust of the leadership and its 1300 membership focused on mission work, both domestically and abroad. According to Union Avenue history the church supported at minimum of 16 sister congregations in various ways across the Memphis area.
Memphis became a beacon of light across the brotherhood for its commitment to christian education. Institutions such a the Memphis School of Preaching and Harding Graduate School of Theology cranked out generations of fresh gospel practitioners across the world starting in the mid-50s.
Union Avenue was one of the early mega-churches of Christ in America whose leadership was positioned to address the cause of Christ abroad. Despite financial disasters, national depression and two world wars, the early faithful congregation, that barely filled an elevator was prepared to elevate the gospel of Christ around the world.
Born in 1932, recounts her time as Sunday school teacher, church secretary, realtor and missionary, recounts her tenure at Union Avenue. photo by Don Mooney
Baptized at the age of eleven-years, married at eighteen, church secretary, realtor, teacher, author and former missionary to Ukraine, Betty Canon can best be described as a Union Avenue living treasure. Canon’s narrative provided a peek behind the regal columns and ascending steps at early Union Avenue Church of Christ. During her time as church secretar,y which ranged from 1950s-80s at $2.00 per hour, Canon witnessed and participated in the growth of the church outreach to far away places as Asia and eastern Europe.
“Thankful to be a piece of the celebration this weekend.” Matthew Mitchell minister at Woodland Hills Church of Christ
Matthew Mitchell’s ancestry, particularly on his fathers side, is a testament to church servitude and a generational family affair. Current pulpit minister at Woodland Hills Church Mitchell can trace his fathers family five generations to the mid-20s at Union Avenue. “My great-grandfather, E.D. Mitchell was in the 1929 Union Avenue directory was a member here, says Mitchell. My grandfather Roy was a elder here at Union Avenue and Woodland Hills. My father was a deacon here at Woodland Hills and now I’m the minister at Woodland Hills.” Born in the late 80s to parents whom were members of Union Avenue he considers himself a child of Union Avenue. “I was born here at Union Avenue in 1988,” boasts Mitchell. It was shortly after 1993 Union Avenue became Woodland Hills. “I remember the basement and how kool it was to have a fountain under the stairs. My mom worked at the day school and I was here at the day school as well.”
THE BIRTH OF MIDTOWN
Oddly enough the Midtown story has a local, organic beginning as well. Official history indicates Midtown starting on November 27, 1954. A young man with a reputation as a fiery song leader around the African-American brotherhood in Memphis was invited to help out with the morning song service. Bro Moses Hull showed up to help sing but the preacher was a no-show. Thus Midtown’s first sermon was preached by its new song leader kicking off Bro Moses Hull 37-year tenure as the first minister of Midtown Church of Christ. History suggest the initial thirteen former members of the Klondyke Church of Christ accepted the challenge of planting a work by meeting in members homes before moving to the United Rubber Workers Union Hall on Firestone Boulevard – thus Firestone Church of Christ. A year later the church bought a house at the corner of Firestone and Coker Streets but retained the Firestone name.
By 1975 membership had grown to 125 members filling the building to capacity. While swirling rumors proved to be accurate that Jackson Avenue Church was planning a move to Sycamore View. This move prompted action from Firestone, whose building was beyond capacity to negotiate purchase of the property at 2212 Jackson Avenue. Finalized with a name change to Springdale Church of Christ members held its first worship service on March 12, 1978.
Over the years Hull and Redd (minister in West Memphis) forged a great friendship centered by a love for the gospel, sauted on Tennessee river banks through the fine art fishing. Hull was instrumental in persuading Redd to lead Springdale as its full time minister in 1991. Remembers Redd, “I preached my first sermon, the first Sunday in 1991.” The church experienced rapid growth. The leadership accommodated the growth with two morning worship services. In 1993 leaders learned Union Avenue was planning to move and negotiations began to purchase the Union Avenue building. The purchase was completed on August 15, 1993. Several sister congregations helped in the transition: Highland, Sycamore View, White Station, and Brownsville Road Churches of Christ committed significant monthly support. With the absorption of the Union Avenue building, the two morning services, the church also expanded its leadership by adding additional deacons and elders.
LEGACY CONTINUES
Appears Redd and Hull’s evangelistic vision ran parallel with that of the original predessesors. While Union Avenue’s leadership flooded foreign shores with well equipped home-grown missionaries, Midtown focused on equipping and developing young preachers to continue to carry an effective gospel message throughout the world. In partnership with Harding School of Theology a $100,000 endowed scholarship in honor of M.A. Hull was created for training men to do what he committed his life – preaching the gospel.
The scholarship has provided young preachers spreading the gospel message throughout the brotherhood. Young men like 28-year old R.Tyler Mayo, describing himself as an introvert, recalls they didn’t care, in the best possible way of my introversion growing up as a youth in Midtown Church. “I was raised in Midtown from the womb. I didn’t have a choice but to be involved. By the time I was a freshman in high school I had participated in every aspect of worship,” said Mayo. Mayo thanks God for Redd who pushed Christian education and directing him in those service position before he went to high school. In a cheering tone, “bro Redd was always two steps ahead seeing in the future.”
100 YEARS LATER
At the 100-year junction of the mothership building friends, former and current members of both congregations gathered Memorial Day weekend to reflect on God’s guidance and direction of his people. Bro Matt of Woodland Hills congregation and Bro Redd, and others, organized a four-day Centennial Celebration. Day 1 an evening session assembled members from Woodland Hills, Midtown and Raleigh-Springs to orally review the history as they can best recall.
Day 2 was set aside for memories and panel discussions reflecting the many accomplishments and difficulties over the years from former teacher, deacons, elders, missionaries that created moments of the powerful 100-year past.
Day 3 the guest speaker during worship was Bro Shelton Gibbs,III. Bro Gibbs gave a biblical description from Acts 2 when the initial church was established and biblically illustrated the same process continues to this present day.
Bro Shelton Gibbs III provided spiritual message centered on Act 2. photo by Don Mooney
Former members of Union Avenue and and early Springdale reflect. photo by Don Mooney
Day 4 Memorial day tribute along with memories and prepping the time capsule. photo by Don Mooney
By 1993 the fastest growing city in the south was full grown. Attached with it the growing pains of urban sprawl. Expansions to the south and east offered residents new real estate opportunities which members of Union Avenue were not exempt. The church was not exempt from American prosperity. Canon, whom had moved her membership to Ross Road recalls getting a speeding ticket on Lamar Avenue en route to morning service aided her decision to move near her new church home avoiding future traffic violations.
Time capsule items. photo by Don Mooney
A glimpse in time of of God’s Forever Story from 2025 to 2075. photo by Don Mooney
As the weekend came to a close both Woodland Hills, Raleigh Spring members gathered to reflect and prepare the time capsule. The goal was to open it in 2125. Someone suggested 50-year intervals. Hopefully many in the above photo will be with us in 2075. There may be a witness or two to see the capsule reopened 100-years as well.
Woodland Hills as a church is still in the sending missionaries to the field. Midtown is still building leaders to lead. God’s forever story will forever be told.