Our story
Our history
Through out this part of Illinois, the county seat town churches seemed to opt for denominational structure during the years from 1926 to 1950. By the time, the lines were drawn. Over the next several years then, new independent churches begun in Robinson, Charleston, Effingham, Paris, Mt. Carmel and Lawrenceville. Meanwhile the county-seat churches in Olney, Flora, Newton, and Marshall had chosen to remain independent and Bible-centered.
It was the climate that the Lawrenceville Central Christian Church was formed. For several years many families had been driving to churches at Pleasant Ridge, Bridgeport, Sumner and elsewhere. It was decided the time was ripe to re-establish the old Jerusalem faith in the county-seat
After several meetings with interested individuals, Evangelist Larry Schnautz presided at a meeting in the pavilion in the Lawrenceville City Park on May 17, 1962. Well over one hundred people attended the afternoon service. Schnautz preached the initial sermon outlining the reasons why a new church was necessary. Philip Young, then of the Robinson Highland church, read a chartering statement and invited all who agreed to accept the Bible as the only rule of faith and practice and to wear only the divine name, to come forward as a hymn was sung. Twenty-three persons responded. Lord’s Day services were begun on the following Sunday with Larry Schnautz filling the pulpit until a regular minister should be found.