A History of Rock Bridge
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Explore the history of Rock Bridge Christian Church.
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Our Relationships with other Congregations
Through all these years, we’ve enjoyed great partnerships
with other churches. Most significantly, we have a close relationship
with Fifth Street Christian Church. For 20 years, we’ve
observed Race Relations Sunday together, including joint worship
and fellowship dinners. For 13 years, we’ve celebrated
Maundy Thursday together with a simple supper, Tenebrae service
and — in some years — footwashing! We’ve inaugurated
an annual September picnic together and hope to institute some
event for the last quarter of the year — perhaps around
Thanksgiving.
Another important partnership is with Broadway
Christian Church. For ten years, we’ve done Vacation
Bible School together with them along with a variety of other
churches that come and go (Broadway and Rock Bridge are the
constants). We also formed a Regional AIDS Interfaith Network
team with Broadway, helping persons with AIDS. Since our third
care friend died last year, we’ve been on hiatus. We’ve
also had joint Bible Study groups and participated in Transforming
Ministries with them. Our youth group is exploring the possibilities
of participating in some of Broadway youth activities.
With Olivet Christian Church, we have staffed
the Wardrobe (a clothing bank) on a regular basis over the last
four years.
Every year for the past six years, we have had
from two to thirteen people participate in Memorial Blvd. Christian
Church’s Week of Compassion Hike Against Hunger in St.
Louis.
Our pastor has served on the boards of many non-profit
organizations to further our congregation’s ministry of
serving people. She has served as president of the Central Missouri
Food Bank, Missouri School of Religion, and Show-Me Central
Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. She is currently Vice President
of the Interfaith Council.
Founding Member Profiles
PROFILE ON NELSON SCHUSTER
(by his widow Ann Schuster)
Nelson Schuster and I are two of the founders
of Rock Bridge Christian Church. We lived in Fayette, Missouri
for about two years before we came to Lenoir. Since we knew
we would soon be moving to Columbia, we subscribed to the Columbia
Daily Tribune to become somewhat acquainted with our future
home. In one issue, Nelson saw a notice of a meeting of persons
interested in establishing a community church in south Columbia.
Among the names of the ministers attending the meeting were
two Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) ministers, Sam Langley
and Don Lanier. Nelson wrote Rev. Lanier that he was interested
in joining them in their endeavor. Soon after we arrived at
Lenoir, we discovered that the plans were not progressing. A
couple of the leading proponents were no longer in Columbia.
When Woody and Mildred Whitlow arrived at Lenoir,
Nelson soon discovered he and Woody were kindred spirits. Since
the original idea was no longer being pursued, it was decided
to plan for a Christian Church (Disciples) in south Columbia.
Both Nelson and Woody took an active part in the planning. A
search for a meeting place began. The proprietor of Jerry’s
Restaurant agreed we could use his facility on Sunday mornings
for our worship services. Our first service was held there on
November 1, 1981 with our Northeast Area Minister Clark Hargus
preaching the first sermon.
As the Advent season approached, we secured permission
from the proprietor to secure a tree and keep it in the restaurant
through the Christmas season. When Nelson suggested that we
should have a party and make Chrismons to decorate the tree,
Ada Sue Davis (another RBCC founding member) offered to host
it in her home — the first of many social gatherings Rock
Bridge Christian Church sponsored. The Chrismon Tree was one
of the first traditions begun in our first year of existence.
Another tradition was our monthly fellowship dinner, suggested
by Nelson.
As our members increased, a search for a larger
facility began. Conversations with Al Kalen, the administrator
at Lenoir, resulted in our using Epple Chapel for our Sunday
morning worship service and using three other rooms for church
school classes. At once the Community Room under the chapel
was designated as infants through elementary school children’s
classes taught by Ada Sue Davis and Kathleen Palmer. The Conference
Room at the north end of the Manor was used by the young adults
and taught by Woody Whitlow. The library was used by junior
and senior high youth and was taught by Ellen Kistler; and the
older adults — taught by Nelson — met in the chapel.
Among the Christian principles held by both Nelson
and Woody and incorporated into the Constitution and financial
practices of Rock Bridge Christian Church were tithing, over
and above giving, and giving half of our income for others locally
and worldwide. Nelson and Woody realized that when the church
entered its building campaign for its own church home, this
half and half division would have to be set aside, but efforts
to get back to it would be made whenever possible. That remains
one of our present day goals.
During the first four years of Rock Bridge’s
life, Nelson served in various capacities: chairman of various
committees, board member, preacher when we had no guest minister
available. God’s church was Nelson’s first love and
interest throughout his almost 50 years as a Christian minister.
A close second was his love of sports. He and his two brothers
who were close to the same age grew up in Baltimore near a city
park where sports fields were used by neighborhood children
year-round. In fact, he enrolled in the Teacher College in Greeley,
Colorado to become a high school coach. However, he discovered
that his strongest interests and more of his time were being
spent in church activities than in college. Consequently, at
the end of his sophomore year, he left Greeley and enrolled
in Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma.
Nelson used his knowledge and skill in sports
to great advantage among the youth in the churches he served.
He played his favorite sport (tennis) until the last two years
of his life when his right arm no longer could direct his fast
serve nor return balls where he wanted to place them. Then he
turned almost exclusively to golf which we had learned together
many years before. He and "Rosy" Robertson enjoyed
competing on the golf course at Stephens College.
When cable TV finally came to Lenoir, I would
find Nelson watching one game on the TV in the living room,
another on the small TV carried in from the bedroom, and a third
sport on the radio from the kitchen!
His sudden death on March 5, 1985 stilled his
voice of experience, but his influence on the early beginnings
of Rock Bridge Christian Church lives on in much that Rock Bridge
does and stands for today.
PROFILE ON WOODY WHITLOW
(by his widow Mildred Whitlow)
It could have been a church by any other name,
just so it was a new church. At the time the new churches were
springing up in St. Louis, Woody would say, "Oh how I would
love to be part of a church just coming into existence."
We came to Columbia in 1980, and became as involved
in church work as we were in St. Louis. Very shortly thereafter,
Woody let it be known he was a worker and he was asked to be
part of a New Church Committee. He readily agreed. Many meetings
were held and many prayers were said to launch a new church
which would eventually be located on the land owned by the Disciples
of Christ in the Rock Bridge (southern part) area of Columbia.
Very early in the group meetings, Woody suggested
we do a survey of the community to get an idea if the people
were interested in a church. A copy of the census was secured
and a calling program was set up. Every household was visited
and invited to meetings. Woody and the group working with him
felt there were enough interested people to go ahead with a
church. Woody, through the Northeast Area Minister, checked
to find a place to begin worship. We started in a pizza parlor
and did very well in our gatherings there.
We began by having volunteer speakers. Many were
so gracious to help us. Later, one of Woody’s minister
friends talked him into seeing if we could have our worship
at Lenoir. That was very good, but we ran out of room. During
this time, we started a building program. Many of the churches
in Columbia helped us and our Regional Office was also generous
with funds. They were very glad to see a church erected in the
southern part of Columbia.
The church became a reality in 1981. This was
the fulfillment of Woody’s dream.
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