The first meeting of the Church of Christ in Monticello was on November 23,1958
in the IOOF Rebecca Dining Hall. Bob
Hampton, minister of the East North Street Church of Christ in Decatur, Illinois
gave the first sermon.
Families who were charter members
included Mr. & Mrs. Paul Cummins and son Don; Mr. & Mrs. Lee Chumbley
and son Robert; Mr. & Mrs. Bert Brian and daughters, Irma Jean and Lois; and
Mr. & Mrs. Jesse Wittig. With
several visitors, the first service had 40 people in
attendance.
In the early years, the congregation received
financial help from East North (now Sunnyside Road), Urbana (now Philo Road),
and Oblong. Other churches made cash
contributions.
On June 7 1961 the Church of Christ in Monticello was organized and
incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois in order to be able to
purchase land, etc. Paul Cummins, Lee
Chumbley, and Jesse Wittig were appointed trustees. On June 25, 1961 and later in May, 1962 lots
in Bell’s addition were purchased.
Monticello contractor Norman Hammerschmidt
erected the building during the summer of 1964.
Some of the work was done by local members and members of congregations
in Urbana and Champaign. The first
services were held in the new building on Sunday, October 4,
1964.
Many of the early preachers were graduate
students at the University of Illinois.
Frank Hollingsworth, Urbana, preached frequently in 1959, 1960, and
1961. He was supported by the Downers
Grove Church for six months full time work.
Among the graduate students preaching at this time were Billy Willbanks
and Curtis McKnight and Tim Tucker.
George Anderson
from Mattoon also preached here on occasion.
During the late
1960’s Bob Demonbreun, also a graduate
student, and Jack Kinser, local member often filled the pulpit. Shin Kang, a U of I professor and graduate
students Mike McDonald, Larry Calliouett, and Ed Neeley did most of the
preaching prior to the hiring of the first full time evangelist in
1972.
In
1972 the congregation purchased the home just North of the building and hired
Steve Dunn as the preacher. He was
followed by Jim Vansandt in 1973 and John Alexander in 1976. John preached until his death in
1986.
Tim Thompson served the congregation from
October, 1986 until October, 1989. The
church parsonage was sold at this time.
Ron
Bartenan was hired in April of 1992.
Ron left in 1997 and local member,
Ray Christman spent time as interim
preacher.
Doug Winder became the minister in April, 2002.
Monticello’s first elders were Lawrence Gregory,
Carl Rivers and Frank Turok. Later Jack
Kinser, Lynn Swango, and Amon White were elders. In 1998 Neal Wright, Steve Clarkson, and Rich
Vanderpool were appointed elders.
At this time the congregation does not currently have elders.