1844 Building
1844 BuildingThe history of Midway Christian Church dates back to 1840. During that decade, many great leaders and missionaries emerged in the Christian Church. Among them were men like John T. Johnson, James Ware Parrish, and Dr. Lewis Lettig (L. L.) Pinkerton in Midway. Although they met before it was formalized, the Christians at Midway were incorporated by the Kentucky Legislature on March 2, 1844, with 32 charter members.
1895 Building
The first services were held in an unfinished woolen mill on a site now occupied by a brick building at 206 Main (Railroad) Street. Dr. Pinkerton served as minister from 1844-1860, and preached the dedicatory sermon on Christmas Day 1844. Alexander Campbell was a guest preacher on January 8, 1850.
The congregation eventually outgrew the small church. It was razed and the present structure was built in 1895, on the original site, and dedicated on April 12, 1896. The beautiful stained-glass windows were purchased for $275. One of these windows was placed in honor of L.L. Pinkerton and another, the “Daisy Blackburn Memorial” is in memory of Daisy, who as the story goes, was getting into a carriage when a loaded gun went off and killed her.
For more about the history of Midway Christian Church and the Disciples of Christ, here are a few helpful documents.
A Brief History of Midway Christian Church
Key People and Dates in the Disciples of Christ
An Introduction to Walter Scott, Co-founder of the Christian Movement
Midway Christian Church Heritage Month, October 2011
Midway Christian Church 175th Anniversary Celebration, 2019
MCC Honors and Achievements
To acknowledge the history of Midway Christian Church, a historical marker (number 2280) from the Kentucky Historical Society was unveiled and and dedicated on December 7, 2008. The text on this marker reads:
“Early members of this church met on Main St. soon after the town was founded in 1833. Dr. L .L. Pinkerton dedicated first building on this site, Christmas Day, 1844. Pinkerton & members of the church founded the Kentucky Female Orphan School (chartered in 1847) which later became present-day Midway College.”
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On October 1, 2015, Midway Christian Church was honored by Midway University with its inaugural “Community Spirit Award” during its second annual “Day for Midway” event. Rev. Heather McColl, surrounded by several members of the congregation, accepted the award which recognized Midway Christian Church’s many contributions to the community.
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In 2010, a new era in the history of Midway Christian Church began as we became a Green Chalice congregation by entering into the Alverna Covenant. This distinction is available to congregations wishing to live out their faith by caring for creation and is recognized as being good stewards of God’s creation. In 2015, the Certified Green Chalice congregation level was attained by, in part, adopting the Green Chalice Covenant.
Midway Christian Church is proud of its association with Kentucky Power & Light, and to be a partner in creation care initiatives. In April 2016, Midway Christian was named runner-up in the Sacred Grounds category in the Cool Congregations Challenge by Interfaith Power & Light, a nonprofit organization working to inspire and support a religious response to global warming.
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Learn more about Midway Christian Church’s creation care efforts.
Further Reading
To learn more about the Disciples of Christ, who we are, what we are about, and the ministries we support as a denomination, lease visit the following web sites.
Christian Church (DOC) in Kentucky
Christian Church (DOC) in the US and Canada
Disciples Home Missions
Green Chalice
Christmount Christian Assembly