Benfield Christian Church

A BRIEF HISTORY OF BENFIELD CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Benfield Christian Church began as a mission of the South Church of Christ in 1926.  Brother George L. Ashton was the leader.  In 1929 Joseph P. Daab took his place.  On January 1, 1933 the church was organized with 50 charter members and a total membership of 200.  The congregation of the Benfield Church met in the Fornof School while the building was being constructed.

The cornerstone of the new church was laid in 1935.  During the two years at the school our numbers increased.  In 1946 a new building fund was started to build what is now the main entrance and the rooms up and down to the east and the office area and the rooms underneath to the north.  In 1956 the building was completed and occupied.  The lower level of the annex has five classrooms and the men's restroom.  The main floor has four classrooms, offices, a large double room and the women's restroom.  In the original lower level there is a kitchen, fellowship hall and storage rooms.

In 1984 during the ministry of brother Merlin Peterson the main entrance was changed.  Other projects to improve the sanctuary were completed as time move ahead.  A chair lift up to the sanctuary was installed, carpeting was changed and other projects completed.  In 1997 the parking lot pavement was taken up and new pavement put down.

During 1998 the sanctuary was repainted.  Our offering on Easter 1998 was $3,353.55.  We paid for the parking lot, paint the sanctuary again.  In addition we replaced the siding at the main entrance.  We used our new hymn books for the first time on Easter.  Here it is the beginning of 2004 and we look back again and realize many improvements have been made in recent years, which include new glass block windows in the lower level.  In 2003 we have made three great improvements: new Larmco windows in the sancturary and new carpeting, in addition a chair lift to the lower level was installed.  With younger families attending we created a double size nursery.  We pray God will continue to bless us as we move further into this young century.   On 8-5-2007 new Bibles were given to the church.

When the church was built it had block on the exterior which had to be painted every two years.  Then we had siding installed and after a bad storm we had the siding replaced.  In 2008 we had the back steps redone.  Also we had new men and women restrooms built.  God has been good to us.

In 2009 and 2010 new air-conditioning was added and fix.  One air-conditioning unit was taken.  Work was done on heating systems.  Also we added an overhead projector and new computer and we setup networking.  We also had to install a new burglar alarm system to protect the air-conditioning systems and building and our new computer and new amplifiers and new lighting comtrolling system.