History

The Indianola Church of Christ is an active part of the non-denominational fellowship of Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, known as the Restoration Movement.  In earlier years we were a part of the denomination, Christian Church - Disciples of Christ.

The exact date when the local Church of Christ began their first worship service is not known.  The founder and first preacher was A.K. Miller.  He made contacts in December of 1959 about the congregation meeting in the V.F.W. Hall on Sundays.  Wednesday evenings the church met in different homes for services.  The rent on the V.F.W. Hall was $10.00 per week.  Some great Vacation Bible Schools, revivals and monthly basket dinners were held in the Hall.  We also enjoyed fellowship with the Woodland Hills Church of Christ, near Des Moines.

In 1964 the congregation had grown to a point they were out growing the facilities and land was bought by a church family, plus an extra lot was purchased by the church at the location of 309 South D Street.  The Don Wilson family moved into the house adjoining the vacant lot where the building at 309 South D stands.  A large house north of Indianola was purchased.  The men tore it down and used the lumber to begin building the church building.  Plans to start building didn’t begin until the fall of 1969. 

A.K. Miller resigned as preaching minister in 1967.  He and his wife, Annabelle, were very special to the congregation.  Gary Cradic began his ministry with the Indianola Church of Christ in 1967 while he was a student at the Midwest School of Evangelism in Ottumwa, Iowa.  After graduation from college, Gary and Cheryl moved to Indianola, and it was during their ministry that the original building was built.

After obtaining a loan from People’s Trust and Savings Bank in the fall of 1969 the men of the church began building the new structure.  The first service was held on Easter Sunday, 1970, and the first revival was in 1971.

Within the next year, the church purchased the land west of the church building from Mr. Stemlier.  Shortly after this the New Virginia Church of Christ closed their doors and merged with us.  This allowed us to pay the newly purchased land in full.

Gary Cradic resigned in 1972, and George Conz came in June or July of 1972.   During his ministry, a steeple, sliding door in the cry room and air conditioning were added.  George resigned in 1977.

Marvin Ellwanger became our preaching minister in June or July of 1977 and about this time; First Christian Church of Indianola closed their doors and merged with us.  Marvin resigned in 1982.

Tim Haynie began his ministry in October of 1982.  During the mid 1980’s the Church’s attendance and outreach capabilities began to decline. In mid 1985 with the blessings of Rising Sun Church of Christ five families volunteered to leave the Rising Sun Church to join with the Indianola Church of Christ to help the Church grow and increase its outreach capabilities in the community.  These families were Harold and Evelyn Shivers, Larry and Tammy Shivers, Rex and Sandy Bloem, Leonard and Carleen Tipping and Steve and Kim Crocker.  By mid 1986 the church average attendance had increased to about 80.   Tim Haney resigned in the spring of 1986.  With the assistance of CEM (Christian Evangelistic Mission) the Church was able to hire a full time minister.

On July 21, 1986, Boyd Kuester began his ministry with the congregation.  During his ministry the congregation experienced consistent growth in attendance, with the Sunday morning service averaging near 100 people.  Boyd served as preaching minister until the fall of 1989.

In January of 1990, Bob and Cecil Scott moved to Indianola to serve as the preaching minister.

Because of the overcrowding of the original building, the congregation began construction of a new addition on March 12, 1990.  The original building had 2,800 square feet in it.  The new addition provided 2000 more square feet and was dedicated on May 3, 1992, new construction and remodeling cost $90,000.  The building now had seating for 125 worshipers, two restrooms on each level, fellowship area, seven classrooms, nursery, new stairway, offices, mechanical room and foyer.

During construction and in the time following the dedication service, the congregation was involved in an aggressive effort to pay off the construction and remodeling debt. 
In December of 1993, Tony Brandt became our preaching minister.  In July of 1994, the congregation celebrated a mortgage burning, paying off their debt over two years early.  The congregation continued to see growth and soon began holding two services each Sunday morning to help with growth.  The congregation also hired their first full time youth minister during this time. In the Spring of 1998 the congregation unanimously voted to look for new land and to relocate.

In October of 1998, the congregation purchased 8 acres of land on East Iowa Avenue in Indianola.  The land was paid in full in December of 1999.   The congregation continued to worship at 309 South D Street until December of 2002, when the property was sold to a local day-care provider.  Prior to the sale of the property, the congregation constructed a garage and office facility on the new property and the offices of the church were moved there while Sunday morning worship was held at Emerson and Whittier Elementary Schools.

In July of 2003 a contract was signed with Johnston Development Company of Altoona Iowa to construct our new worship and ministry facility at 1112 East Iowa Avenue in Indianola. 
In September of 2003, Nick Burgus joined our staff as Youth Minister.

The congregation held its first service in the new facility on Sunday, June 27, 2004.  The Grand Opening and Dedication service was held on Sunday, August 29, 2004.
Since moving into this new facility the congregation has seen consistent and steady growth in attendance to its current average of 185.  We also added a Children’s Ministry position to our staff.  Our first full-time Children’s Minister was Anne Thorsen.  Anne moved in the Spring of 2008 to assume a new Children’s Ministry in Wisconsin.