Bind Us Together with Cords than cannot be Broken
​ The history of the Saginaw Church of Christ was compiled from interviews with past and present members, newspaper articles, and other artifacts. A more detailed history, including photographs, is kept in the church office.
1910-1929
The Church of Christ began meeting in Saginaw between 1910 and 1913 in a two-story frame schoolhouse called The Old Brown School. It was located at what was then 120 West Watauga, now McLeroy Boulevard. After 1913, the city built a community center at the corner of South Hampshire and Watauga, which became the meeting place for the Baptist Church and the Church of Christ which met in the afternoon. Buck Buchannan preached to that group in 1920, followed by Ben West from 1921to 1926. In 1928, J. Willard Morrow preached the first gospel meeting, and 23 people answered the invitation to be baptized. Lacking a modern baptistry, they used a pool at the Martin Farm Place near Saginaw.​
​1929-1934
​Jessie Powell preached from 1929 to 1930 and C.J. True brought the sermons from 1931through 1934. Member volunteers worked together to construct a building for the church on the east corner of Watauga and South Hampshire during the especially difficult times of the Great Depression.
1935-1949
After 1934, the church lost momentum, but by 1938 it had revived. Preachers included Sam Patterson (1938). T.R. Boley (1939) and W.K. Rose (1940-1946). Gospel meeting helped the church to grow in spirit and number. An addition to the building provided more classrooms and space. T.R. Boley returned as minister from 1947–1949.
1950-1958
R.L. Yancy preached from 1950 to 1953, when the church began to offer a Vacation Bible School program. The first year, the children were taken to North Side Church of Christ, but the next year they kept the VBS in Saginaw. Bill Morris preached from late 1953 until 1956; the church grew and added two new classrooms. The auditorium was enlarged, and the preacher’s residence at 122 Watauga was purchased. Harlan Overton preached for a time during 1957 to 1958.
1956-1973
Alex Humphrey, Jr. preached from 1958 until 1963. In 1959 the present building at Western and Worthy and the preachers’ residence next door were completed. Also, in 1959, the first Ladies Bible Class was started by Daisy Pelton and Aleene Knowles. Daisy was the first teacher. Another long-time servant was Johnny Huddle, who led singing from 1947 until 1963. The church supported missionaries in foreign countries through the years and in 1960 began supporting the small congregation in Libby, Montana, continuing until they became self-supporting in 1968. Floyd Vider preached from 1964 to1988. During that time an accelerated Bible study for children was adopted and Bill Hughes was hired to teach classes and lead singing. Webb Fry worked the church from 1969 to 1973.
1973-1986
Roger Price worked the church from 1973 through 1986 during which time an active visitation program was implemented. A bus ministry was started and the “Joy Bus” brought children and adults from Saginaw and Blue Mound to morning Sunday School and worship over a period of 12 years. Buses also transported children (sometimes over 100) on Sunday nights to “Bible Hour”, a program begun by June Stevenson. Fruits from those programs are still evident in the congregation today. Six acres adjoining the building were purchased in 1977 for parking and future growth. In 1979, Richard and Gayanne Clemens and Bill and Susie Williams started a tradition of youth mission trips when they took five young men to help with a Vacation Bible School for the Libby, Montana, congregation. Since that time, Saginaw youth and adults have worked in Homestead, Florida, Old Mexico, Saint Louis, Missouri, Colorado, and are returning for a sixth year to Penasco, New Mexico to teach VBS, help with repairs to the church building, and reach out into the community. Another great program started during the early1980s was the ‘39ers group composed of senior members. ​
1986-1993
Mike McCloud preached from 1987 through 1993. The current auditorium complex, a 450-seat structure with expanded seating to 750, was dedicated on August 23, 1987. The church responded to the growing Laotian population of the area and hired Khene Intharansy as their minister. They became part of our fellowship. Another active group, The Widows, began meeting in 1989. Composed of Ruby Shires, Willie Tyson, Ruth Sullivan, Dorothy Scarborough, Mildred Clemens, Meryl Laird, Lona Mae Elkins, Lillian Glover, Meryl Hoggart, and Margaret Williams, they were always a welcome sight at Vacation Bible School and served in many other ways.
1994-2007
Duane Jenks filled the pulpit from 1993 to 1999. Joe Stewart preached from 1999–2001, and Robert Bostick served as the interim preacher from 2001–2004. In 2001, Missy Green inaugurated a preschool program for children of members and the community, using curriculum designed to prepare children for school and teach Bible principles. Kevin Parker was the pulpit minister from 2004 to 2006.Robert Bostick returned in the interim until Michael Orr came in 2007.
2007 - Current
Michael Orr is the current preacher. A unique Wednesday night program, Promiseland, for kindergarten through 5th grade began in 2008. This program, led by Phyllis Williams, allows the students to study the Bible using crafts, play acting, visual Bible stories, and computers. Promiseland is an effective tool for reaching neighborhood children. A Hispanic congregation began meeting at the building in 2011 with Jesus Marquez serving as their preacher. The church is supporting missionaries in Africa, Thailand, New Zealand, and the United States.
Elders Through the Years
Elders who have led the church through the years include W.K. Rose, Henry Hargus, Marshall Tyson, Joe Hemphill, Harvey Norton, O.L. Moore, A.D. Neal, Garland Ferguson, Herman Knowles, Herschel Elkins, Bill Glover, Weldon Newton, Garvin Burris, Charlie Carman, Mike Bullard, Bill Williams, Jackie Nethery, Mike Brookshire, Richard Clemens, Veo Lambert, Joel Chadwick and Jeffrey Chadwick. Bill Knowles, Brian Hart, and Chuck Knowles now shepherd the congregation.