2009: Celebrating 100 years!

The Poplar Creek Community of Christ Church will be celebrating its 100th anniversary on October 25. Everyone is invited to attend.

• Pre-Worship services will begin at 9:30 am with members sharing memories of Poplar Creek.
• During the Sunday School hour (9:45 – 10:30 am) a video presentation of the past 100 years will be shown.
• Elder David Barksdale will be the speaker for the worship service at 10:45 am.
• Following the morning services pot luck dinner will be served in the fellowship hall.

For those who can not attend the morning services, the Church will be open until 2 pm, with refreshments served. The video presentation will be shown again in the sanctuary.

A brief history:

• On October 31, 1909 the Polar Creek Church was organized as a branch of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Elder John F. Henson was responsible for establishing the work of the church here. While a circuit preacher, he held monthly services at the Helm School. John was baptized at the age of 21 in 1869. Nine years later he was ordained to the office of Elder. John was elected pastor when the church was organized.
• Services were first held in a church built in 1908 across the road from the Helm School.
• In July of 1914 the Church was destroyed by fire. At the time of the fire, Hillard Henson was planning to build a family home and had the necessary materials to do so. Instead, he donated the material to rebuild the Church at the same site.
• In 1945 the Church building was moved to a new location on Route 161 Extension just east of the Wayne/Marion county line.
• In March of 1997, 5 acres of land was purchased just west of the Orchardville crossroads on Route 161 Extension. A new Church building was started that same year with the first service held on March 22, 1998.
• Several of the current members are descendants of Elder John F. Henson. There are many who have a past connection with Poplar Creek. They are spread all across the world and have a story to tell.

Everyone is invited to attend and share in the centennial celebration!