LAKE SHORE DRIVE CHURCH OF CHRIST

(FORMERLY KNOWN AS HERRING AVENUE CHURCH OF CHRIST)

In 1870 two ladies, Phebe W. Moore and Sallie Skidmore, influenced B. F. Hall to come from near Sherman, Texas, to help organize a church in Waco. The population of Waco at that time was about 1200. There was no railroad in Waco at that time, and the suspension bridge had opened earlier that year. There were some denominational churches already meeting in the city.

On October 29, 1870, a group of eighteen adults banded together to begin a church meeting in Waco. They called themselves the CHURCH OF CHRIST IN THE CITY OF WACO, TEXAS. They pledged to be governed by the Bible as their only rule of faith and conduct. B.F. Hall then preached in a meeting in which twenty-nine members were added.

By 1886 this group built a meeting house at 11th and Washington. In 1885 or 1886 W.K. Homan came to preach for the church. In 1886, by one vote, he introduced the musical instrument into its services, and the congregation became known as the Central Christian Church. Those who could not accept the instrument began meeting at River and Cottonwood streets.

Those meeting at River and Cottonwood streets had three meeting places between 1886 and 1910. In 1910 they bought a residence at 324 10th Street and remodeled it into a meeting house. They took the name 10th Street Church of Christ. This group of people prospered, and in 1924 established the East Waco Church of Christ.  In 1926 the 10th street congregation moved to 16th and Columbus Avenue and became the Columbus Avenue Church of Christ.

In 1948, after four years of planning, raising funds, and construction, the Columbus Avenue Church of Christ established Herring Avenue Church of Christ. The first meeting of this new congregation was on the 2nd Sunday of June in 1948. 210 people were present, and the contribution was $268.98. Max T. Neel was the first preacher for Herring Avenue. Within ten years the average attendance had grown to 325.

In the late 1960’s it was evident that more room was needed, and it seemed wise to relocate rather than expand on Herring Avenue. Property was bought at Lake Shore Drive and Stewart Drive, and a new building was built. The name was changed to Lake Shore Drive Church of Christ. The first worship service in the new building was the 1st Sunday of August 1969.

Lake Shore Drive Church of Christ has had its up times and down times. Serious dissension arose in the early 1980’s. By the time peace was restored, the average attendance had dropped to under 120. The congregation survived the upheaval and grew to an average attendance of about 300 as of Feb. 2007.  It then fell into the 250 range before Covid hit in full force.  As of May 2021, the attendance averages about 160 with expectation of continued increases in the coming months.

The congregation continues to meet at the Lake Shore Drive and Stewart Drive intersection. In 2000 a multipurpose building (called the Annex) was erected in which various activities can be conducted.  In 2010 an Educational Wing was constructed.  In 2014 the original auditorium was expanded and completely updated along with the rest of the building.

Note: I arranged and edited the material on this page from information compiled by Durward Boggs (a member at Lake Shore Drive) and Harold T. Purvis (a member at Columbus Avenue). Other information can be sent to me by email (churchofchristlakeshore@gmail.com).

Ernie Christie

March 9, 2011

Updated June 2021