| The Bachelor Creek congregation was first known as the Paw Paw Christian Church, organized into a church June 14, 1845. The history of that significant day reads as follows: |
| "This fourteenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-five, we the Disciples of Jesus Christ met at the home of Simeon B. Loyds in Noble Township, Wabash, County, Indiana. After singing and prayers, we proceeded to organize ourselves
into a church of Jesus Christ on the New Testament,
known as the Paw Paw Creek Church. And proceeded to
set apart our beloved brethren Simeon B. Loyds and
Otto James as Elders and William A. Breckner and Josiah
Watson as Deacons." |
| For 14 years these early disciples met in various homes
and in a log school house which was located a short
distance east of the first intersection north of the
present bridge at Paw Paw Creek on State Route 15.
This was about 2 miles north of the present site. |
| Communion was held every Lord's Day and they had preaching once
a month. Revivals were held every year in the month
of September. |
| In the year 1858 the church purchased the central portion
of the present site from William and Elizabeth Stone:
1.56 acres for the sum of $50, then in 1859 the deed
was recorded. The land where the auditorium and classrooms
are located was given by the three daughters of Mrs.
Vern (Stone) Ireland in memory of their mother who
was a descendant of William and Elizabeth Stone. |
| Before building the first church house the yard had to be
cleared of timber, since most of the surrounding community
was covered with forest. The first building was a
frame structure, painted white. A porch across the
front provided two entrances. The building was heated
by two box stoves and was lighted by oil lamps (three
on a side) with a hand lamp on the front stand. What
a contrast to the present modern structure and surroundings.
But the spirit that stood behind that first building
has been carried down through the years intact. |
| Active service describes the work of the church for 141 years.
Several of the present congregation are descendants
of those first loyal men and women. |
| The first house of worship, at the present site, was built
in 1859 by Sanford Honeywell, father of the late Mark
Honeywell. In a short while the name was changed to
the Plank Road Christian Church, since present highway
15 (originally an Indian trail) was covered with planks
at that time. |
| In 1903 the building was rebuilt with William Wysong
in charge. Dan Showalter, of Wabash did part of the
construction. The dedicatory sermon was given by L.L.
Carpenter, the grandfather of L.H. Carpenter of Wabash.
The name then was the Bachelor Creek Christian Church,
named for the creek that flowed at the north edge
of the property. |
| In 1938 work began on the addition to the old brick veneer
building with Fred Tomson in charge of construction.
This was dedicated in 1939 with Larry Brandon, state
senator, giving this dedication sermon. The name since
has been the Bachelor Creek Church of Christ. |
| On July 13, 1969, groundbreaking took place for the first
unit of the present building, consisting of the auditorium,
five classrooms, a small chapel, minister's study,
library, office and restrooms. Roscoe Kirtlan was
chairman of the building committee, with Goodman Church
Builders doing the construction. The dedication sermon,
"The Church Glorious" was brought by President Harvey
C. Bream of the Cincinnati Bible Seminary. To round
out the teaching and recreation program, the second
phase of the building was completed in December, 1974.
Roscoe Kirtlan was still in charge of the building
program with Goodman doing the construction. That
building consisted of classrooms, associate minister's
office, restrooms, kitchen, lounge and a fellowship
hall that was adequate for the time. |
| One acre of land to the south was purchased from the Wilson
family in 1981. Two additional acres of land on the
east edge of the property, donated in 1985 by Will
and Evelyn Dryden, provide the much-needed new parking
area. |
| The
present facility has a worship center to seat 475. There are
20 classrooms, 3 nurseries, a large kitchen, a kitchenette,
a secretarial office and work area, 6 ministers' offices,
and a functional multi-purpose, recreational and fellowship
center with sound system and lighting. The new room will seat
500 for special programs and over 300 for fellowship dinners. |