History
Our Heritage Eastside Church of Christ Florence, Alabama
Eastside Church of Christ, located at 600 East Tombigbee Street, Florence, Alabama (Formerly Westside Church of Christ) began its services the first Sunday in April 2004. Our heritage began in 1927 when the late Brother Marshall Keeble was asked to come and conduct a gospel meeting in Florence, Alabama. In that meeting Sister Rowell became the first black individual converted to Christ in Florence, Alabama. She was baptized in the Tennessee River by Brother Keeble. Their transportation to the river was in a taxi cab.
Sister Rowell was employed by a Mr. Southall, the owner of Southall Drug Store. Mr. Southall was a member of Poplar Street Church of Christ. After being baptized Sister Rowell attended services at the Poplar Street Church of Christ where she was allowed to worship in a separate room away from the rest of the congregation. The next year, 1928, Brother Keeble was asked to come back to Florence to hold another gospel meeting. During this meeting more converts were added to the Church. Those added were Sisters Mary Freeman, Sally Terrell, Lucy Neal, Roxie Martin, Sister Carter, Sister Leach, Brothers Bob Neal, Alfred Neal, Booker T. Martin, and Bill Martin. These new converts also worshiped at Poplar Street in the same room with Sister Rowell.
In 1928 these members decided to rent a building called Mason Hall located on East Alabama Street. During this same year they purchased a building on the corner of East Alabama and Poplar Street. For some time they had different ministers to come in and help with the work of the Church. The Christians that helped were Brothers Percy Ricks, H. Johnson, and Frank Hewin (from Birmingham, Alabama).
Brother O. L. Ackers was the first full time minister of this congregation. Brother Ackers served as minister of the congregation three different times.
In the mid nineteen sixties the East Alabama Street congregation moved to West Mobile Street and the name was changed to Westside Church of Christ. During the forty or more years that the congregation resided at West Mobile Street, a number of ministers preached there including Brothers John Harris, T. W. Rucks, O. E. Williams, Winston J. Messiah, William Davis, John Mayberry, Earnest Cobb, G. P. Lloyd, Thomas Holiday, and Thomas Robinson.
Under the leadership of Brother Holiday (who had the longest tenure of any of the ministers), the congregation made much progress: The congregation was able to pay all of the debts of the Church, the contribution rose from four hundred dollars per week to over twenty-four hundred dollars per week, the church became scriptually organized with elders and deacons, the Church established an exceptional benevolent program, and the Church helped a number of student preachers further their education to preach the gospel to the whole world.
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