The History of Woodland Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Woodland Christian Church marks its beginnings with the devoted and

courageous work of Black Christians. In 1915, Elder Ben Conway tried to

establish a Christian Church but was unable to continue due to a serious

illness. In August 1918, Elder J.W. Evans was asked by the Ohio State

Commission in Dayton to organize Black members of the Christian Church

into a viable congregation.

Shortly thereafter, seven determined members met in the home of Mrs.

Carrie Coles, who resided at 1467 Granville Street. Several weeks later,

the devoted group held services in a storeroom in the Scott Building on Mt.

Vernon Avenue. By 1922, the members had grown and found a chapel at

154 N. Ohio Avenue to hold worship services. During this time, two lots

were purchased on Ohio Avenue with the purpose of building a new

Christian Church on the premises.

In 1926, the two lots were sold and a church building was purchased at

243-245 N. Monroe Avenue for the amount of $13,500. This church

became known as Monroe Christian Church. The dedicated church

leaders at that time were: J.F. Burrell, C.H. Bush, Mrs. Carrie Coles, Mrs.

Clara Cardwell, and L.C. Hairston.

The ministers who served during that era were Pastors C.W. Arnold,

George C. Campbell, James Conway, H.A. Cowans, C.E. Craggett, I.H.

Moore, Harry Smith, and I.H. Thompson. The hard-working and devoted

congregation was also instrumental in the success and growth of the early

Christian Church in Columbus.

1944 ushered in a new era with the installation of Elder L.L. Dickerson as

Pastor of Monroe Christian Church. Under his outstanding leadership,

membership increased from 65 to 350 strong. With the help of the faithful

and dedicated parishioners, Monroe Christian Church was able to purchase

a parsonage for the pastor and his family at 93 N. Ohio Avenue, and was

immediately drawn into a fight against Restrictive Covenants.

Restrictive Covenants were legal documents that were used to keep Black

from purchasing land and residing in predominantly White neighborhoods.

This was a common practice in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s.

This turned into a four-year long battle that went all the way to the United

States Supreme Court. This court action resulted in a landmark decision in

favor of Rev. L.L. Dickerson and the Monroe Christian Church. The

attorney who represented Monroe Christian Church was Mr. Frank

Shear-Bowen.

Property at 143-53 Woodland Avenue was purchased under the leadership

of Pastor Dickerson. Elder H.L. Kimbrough’s construction company was

contracted to build the new church. The cornerstone of the church’s

current house of worship was laid in 1959, and Woodland Christian Church

opened for worship in the spring of 1960. The congregation had the

blessed distinction to host the National Christian Missionary Convention,

which is currently the National Convocation of the Christian Church

(Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada, in the summer of

1960. Woodland was used to host various community meetings and

activities.

Pastor Dickerson participated in a variety of church and community affairs.

He served as president of many organizations, including the

Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, Christian Ministers Association,

and the Columbus Branch of the NAACP. The church also purchased a

lifetime membership in the organization. In May 1960, Pastor Dickerson

was named president-elect of the Ohio Society of Christian Churches.

Woodland’s History Cont’d...

After the retirement of Rev. Dickerson, Woodland was blessed to call Rev.

Ozark Range to minister the church in 1963. Women became elders under

Pastor Range’s leadership. Florine Hunt, Luzetta Moss and Mattie Redd

were Woodland’s first female elders. A house that originally sat on the

church’s south parking lot was purchased and used as rental property. The

Disciple Men’s Backyard Barbecue, which we enjoy today, began while

Rev. Range was pastor. The men also hosted a picnic and fish fry near the

Scioto River. Pastor Range was a member of the International Ministerial

Alliance. Pastor Range left Woodland in early 1977 to become the Director

of Black Ministry in the national headquarters of the Christian Church

(Disciples of Christ) in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Pastor A.T. Miller became the leader of Woodland’s flock in October of

1977. Woodland completed several major projects and activities during

Miller’s 23-year tenure. The 12 Tribes program was implemented to cancel

the church’s mortgage. The Lord blessed the church to burn the mortgage

in 1982, which was before the due date. A three-day mortgage burning

and homecoming celebration was held to mark the occasion. The activities

included a pig roast, and guest churches and their pastors and choirs were

on hand to celebrate. Dr. Emmett (Dickson), former Executive Secretary of

the National Christian Missionary Convention, was the keynote speaker for

the mortgage burning.

Several capital improvement campaigns were implemented to improve the

church’s property while Rev. Miller was pastor. The Fellowship Hall and

kitchen were renovated. A storage room was refurbished and turned into a

nursery. A new parking lot was established in place of the house that sat

on the south parking lot. In 1999, the church was blessed to pave both

parking lots. A handicapped restroom was constructed on the church’s

main floor.

Active community involvement is another description of Pastor Miller’s

leadership while the pastor of Woodland. He was a member of the local

Metropolitan Church Board, the Ohio State University Campus Ministry, and

was President of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance. Pastor Miller

was instrumental in Woodland hosting the first Christian Church in Ohio

Black Pastor’s Conference.

After Pastor Miller went home to be with the Lord in 2001, a pulpit

committee was assembled and a new pastor was called in 2002. We are

blessed to have Dr. Eric H. Brown as our leader. He began his tenure on

July 28, 2002. He is married to the former Charlesia Byrd, and has two

adult children. Pastor Brown, a dynamic and committed individual, has led

Woodland to establish a vision and a mission statement, which focus on

building God’s Kingdom.

Under Pastor Brown’s leadership, an afternoon Bible study class was

implemented, in addition to Woodland’s evening Bible study class. Three

ministry teams were formed: the Evangelism Team, the Stewardship Team,

and the Political Action Team. These three teams are open to all members

of Woodland, and they work very hard for the Lord. Woodland also had its

own website developed: HYPERLINK

"http://www.woodlandchurchdoc.com" www.woodlandchurchdoc.com. In

2011, two new ministry teams were organized – the Membership Team and

the Church Life Team. Woodland is currently involved in a capital

campaign to raise money for a new addition to the building. In September

2013, Woodland purchased a van to bring children and elderly members to

Sunday School.

When the bond issue for new school construction was passed in 2002, the

Political Awareness Team met monthly with school board member, Mrs.

Karen Schwarzwalder, and Smoot Construction representative, Mrs.

Crystal Stowe, to ensure that African Americans in Columbus got their fair

share of contracts and employment opportunities in the design and

construction of the new schools in the Columbus City School district. On

November 15, 2005, the Columbus City School Board awarded Woodland

the Golden Ruler Award for our support of Columbus City Schools. Pastor

Brown and Brother William Banks received this award on the

congregation’s behalf. On August 10, 2006, Congressman Ted Strickland,

the Democratic gubernatorial candidate came to Woodland for a town hall

meeting with residents of the Near Eastside and residents from all over

Columbus. Ted Strickland was elected governor in November 2006.

Pastor Brown is also active in the community. Currently he is the president

of Eastside Fellowship Ministries. He was co-convener of WeBelieve Ohio.

He serves on the region’s Commission on Ministry and served on the

region’s Proreconciliation/Antiracism Team. He is currently co-moderator of

the General Reconciliation Commission. He was a member of the General

Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and a member of the

National Convocation Board of Trustees. He is also the administrator of the

Christian Church’s Black Ministers Email Network. In the past, he has

served as chairman of the Regional Relocation Implementation Team. He

has served as the president of the Christian Church’s Black Ministers

Fellowship, served on the Black Ministers Retreat Planning Team, and he

has served on the Regional Council of the Christian Church (Disciples of

Christ) in Ohio. He has also participated in the BREAD Clergy Caucus.

Pastor Brown currently serves as co-leader of the Coalition for Racial

Reconciliation in Columbus, Ohio.

Woodland Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has, from its inception,

served as a beacon of God’s light, hope and inspiration to its members, the

surrounding community, and throughout the City of Columbus. By faith in

the Lord, Woodland will continue making a positive impact in the

community and in the Body of Christ until Jesus returns...