Our History

Farmhouses dotted the Pickett County hills in the early 20th century.  Mules dragged plows across the rocky soil, and families planted what crops would grow between the poplar woodlands and two meandering rivers.  Young people who could leave their chores attended the schoolhouse which was built on the ridge.  The same building that served as a school housed worship services on occasional Sundays–given a traveling minister was in the vicinity, or a revival had been scheduled.  
One such revival took place in the early autumn of 1912.  Charlie Coop and William Smith led a rousing camp-style meeting, which resulted in 62 decisions for Christ.  The spiritual fervor was still strong a month later (27 October, 1912) when a group of believers met in that church-school building to establish the Bloomington Christian Church.  
In a very short time, a blueprint was presented for the first Bloomington church structure.  Two brothers, H.E. and Frank Amonett, donated property on the rocky ridge opposite the schoolhouse.  The one-room frame building was constructed with donated timber.  A.Y. Tidrow’s old white oak tree was sufficient for the church roof.  John Cross and Jim Jones made the roofing boards.  The siding came from yellow poplar trees  which forested local hills.  Church members and their neighbors donated labor for the building; two gracious ladies, Lydia Cross and Kate Amonett, prepared midday meals for the laborers.    The structure was complete in 1913, just weeks after the congregation was organized.  The new church building cost less than $100.  
 

The white frame structure served the Bloomington Christian congregation for 48 years.  It was dismantled to make way for a brick building with modern amenities.  (The old lumber was sold and used to build a house for a local family.)  

The brick church building was enlarged in the late 1970’s with a wing (known as “the Shed”), an indoor baptistry, and room for storage.  Another addition, built in 2007, provided a large fellowship hall and extended classroom space.

The Bloomington Church was a small part of a very large group associated with the Restoration Movement.  Independent congregations from this group were known as Christian Churches, Churches of Christ, and Disciples of Christ.  These various titles, which were generally attributed to congregations with different practices, but also changed colloquially, have caused much confusion.  The Disciples group determined to become a denomination, which became effective in 1968.   Many Christian Churches and Churches of Christ (approximately two-thirds of believers associated with the Restoration Movement, and including the Bloomington congregation) chose to remain independent at that time.  

The Church has matured spiritually and grown physically, but the congregation maintains the basic beliefs upon which it was founded a century ago.  We worship God our Creator, we believe His Son, Jesus Christ, was crucified and rose from the dead, and we are led by the Holy Spirit.  The inspired, infallible Word of God guides us.  

The Bloomington Church is a loving congregation that seeks to serve the Lord and the community in a way which is consistent with the Bible and how Jesus served the world in which He lived.