On a single block of East Plum Street in the small town of Chesterfield, just south of Anderson, Indiana, a congregation that traces back to 1897 still gathers each Sunday around a plain sanctuary, a piano, and a table set for communion. Chesterfield Christian Church is best known in the area for its warm, come-as-you-are welcome, a worship service that blends contemporary songs with gospel and traditional hymns, and a calendar of community suppers (chicken and noodle dinners, fish fries, fall bazaars, and vendor markets) that draws neighbors from across Madison County. The congregation is part of the Disciple Heritage Fellowship and carries a simple motto on its doors: A Safe Place to Grow in the Knowledge that God, Above All Else, Is Here.
A Safe Place to Grow in the Knowledge That God, Above All Else, Is Here
The church's mission statement, written into its constitution long ago, sets the tone for everything that happens inside: "we at Chesterfield Christian Church, nurture and care for all of God's children. Through our worship, education, and outreach, thereby glorifying God and promoting spiritual growth." That three-fold rhythm (worship, education, outreach) is exactly what shows up in the weekly schedule and the annual calendar. Sunday is for gathering around word and table. Thursday afternoons are for digging into scripture together. Wednesdays are for the children and youth. The rest of the month is filled with small groups that meet over lunch, supper, or a good book, and fundraisers that send money and food back into the community.
From South Water Street to Plum Street: 128 Years on the Edge of Anderson
Chesterfield Christian Church was founded in 1897, organized mainly by two men named Emory Clifford and Joseph Seward. They met first in a structure purchased from a Methodist church for $500, located on South Water Street, a building no longer standing. Twenty-seven years later, in 1924, a group of sixty-five members literally "sold bricks" to raise money for a new building on the corner of Elm and Water streets. The new building was dedicated in January 1925.
Hard times came quickly. By 1927 the structure was being used only as a Bible school, and the church had to close its doors in 1936. Shortly afterward, most of the surviving records were destroyed by fire in the home of the secretary of the Eastern District of Churches, where they were being kept. In January 1938, a determined group of seven members reopened the church, and student ministers from what is now Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis served as pastors during the lean years.
The congregation called its first full-time minister, Reverend John Osberg, in 1940. Reverend James Dorman followed during the World War II years, and his wife Minnie organized the Christian Women's Missionary Society that became today's Christian Women's Fellowship. Several short pastorates came next, but everything changed in May 1957, when the church called Reverend Harold "Pete" Clark as its minister. Membership was around fifty and the annual budget close to $7,500.
By 1963 the congregation had outgrown its home and worshipped for the first time in the fellowship and educational wings of the building on Plum Street where it still meets. The sanctuary was dedicated in 1971, the additional educational wing and courtyard were completed in 1981, and the parcel east of the building, now known as Clark Field, was purchased later that same year. The last bond on the property was paid off in January 1989. Reverend Pete served for thirty-eight years and retired in September 1995.
After brief ministries by Reverend Tony Alonzo and Reverend Mike Webber, the church called Pastor Ned Clark, Reverend Pete's youngest son, as its next minister in August 2007. Today the active membership stands at roughly 150 people, with an annual budget close to $150,000. As the church's own history reads: "The hardships and struggles, sacrifices and labor, prayers and offerings of faithful, committed Christians blessed by an amazing God have resulted in 120 years of service and ministry in the Chesterfield and Anderson areas."
Sunday Mornings on Plum Street: 9:30 Sunday School, 10:30 Worship
The Sunday rhythm is simple and consistent. Sunday School meets at 9:30 a.m., and two adult classes run side by side. Both classes read through a book, devotion, or passage of scripture together, and they describe themselves more as life groups than as classes. The rooms are intentionally a place to grow, learn, and be yourself. Visitors are encouraged to drop in on a Sunday morning and find the fit that works for them.
The worship service begins at 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary on Plum Street. Greeters are posted to welcome newcomers, and the dress is casual, with jeans and a comfortable shirt entirely appropriate. Expect someone to introduce themselves, ask if it is your first time, and make sure you are settled. Communion is observed every Sunday near the end of the service, and the table is open to everyone. The music is a blend of contemporary songs, gospel, and traditional hymns, with a strong choral and piano presence, and the preaching aims to apply the Bible's teaching to everyday life in a spirit of love.
Children are part of the service from the start. They stay for the first few songs and are then invited to Children's Church, where the Youth Director leads a lesson and a craft that the children can take home to share with their parents. A nursery attendant can also be made available on Sunday mornings for any parent who would like to use it.
Worship Online and on YouTube
Each Sunday's service is recorded and posted on the church's YouTube channel the following Tuesday at 10 a.m. Anyone who cannot be in the sanctuary, whether traveling, homebound, or simply curious, can search "Chesterfield Christian Church" on YouTube and watch the most recent service along with an archive of earlier weeks. The channel also carries recordings of special services and the church's seasonal musical events.
Children and Youth: Wednesday Nights Around the Table and a Sunday Children's Church
Chesterfield Christian takes seriously its conviction that "church is for everybody." Children's Church runs during the Sunday worship service, with a lesson and an activity for any child who would rather not sit still through the sermon. Parents are welcome to keep babies with them in the sanctuary or send them to the nursery; either choice is treated as normal.
On Wednesday afternoons from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., the youth group meets at the church and all ages are welcome. Parents and guardians are invited to come along, meet the staff, and share dinner together. Throughout the year the youth calendar adds Vacation Bible School, a Mother-Daughter-Friend Banquet, a Christmas party for the youth, and seasonal retreats, including a "Sweet Life Cafe Retreat" and a "Sea Side Retreat" that the congregation has enjoyed in recent years.
Thursday Afternoons at Bible Study, and a Table for Eight at Lunch
Bible Study meets every Thursday at 2:00 p.m., led by Pastor Ned Clark. It is open to all ages. The format is unhurried; typically one chapter is read and discussed at a time as the group works through a book of the Bible together. Clark describes the time as more than a class: "There is no one right way to read the Bible and it is important to come together and share interpretations." People are encouraged to bring their problems, worries, and questions, not just their Bible.
Small groups add a second layer of fellowship through the month:
- Lunch for 8 meets once a month for lunch at a local restaurant.
- ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out) gathers weekly at Eva's Pancake House.
- JULIETS is the ladies' counterpart, a day out together once a month.
- Book Club meets at 1:00 p.m. on the last Friday of each month to talk through the book of the month.
Christian Men's Fellowship and Christian Women's Fellowship
The Christian Men's Fellowship gathers on the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. A member often cooks a special dinner, and a guest speaker is invited to share wisdom and fellowship. Together the men support the work of the church, including the local Boy Scout troop.
The Christian Women's Fellowship is the older of the two fellowships. Its roots go back to the Christian Women's Missionary Society organized during World War II by Minnie Dorman, and the group became the Christian Women's Fellowship in 1953 with Emily Emshwiller as its first president. Today the CWF meets monthly and runs several fundraisers a year (a rummage sale, a fall bazaar, a chicken and noodle dinner, and a cookie walk before Christmas), with the proceeds going back into the community through the Anderson Christian Center, Alternatives Inc., and the Madison County Fire House. The women also prepare bereavement dinners and, occasionally, wedding receptions for church families.
In Community: Food Pantry, Chaplains, Scouts, and Church Suppers
Chesterfield Christian is woven into the everyday life of the town. The church works alongside the Chesterfield Union Township Food Pantry, the Anderson Christian Center, the Madison County Sheriff's Chaplaincy Department, the Chesterfield Police Department, the Chesterfield Fire Department, and Boy Scout Troop 230, which the Christian Men's Fellowship actively supports. Each spring the church holds a Community-Wide Drug Awareness Event, and it opens its doors regularly to gatherings that bring the wider neighborhood in.
The annual calendar of fundraisers and suppers has become something of a tradition in itself. A fish fry in late September, a harvest festival in October, a bazaar and vendor market with a chicken and noodle dinner in November, a cookie walk in December, a Spring Tea in March, and a rummage sale in early summer. Holy Week brings Palm Sunday worship, a Maundy Thursday service, a Good Friday service, and an Easter Sunday celebration, along with a multi-night Holy Week Revival that has featured guest preachers from neighboring pulpits.
Giving and Getting Involved
Online giving is available, with separate funds for the General Fund, a Memorial Fund, the Joseph Coat Fund (a discretionary benevolence fund the minister administers to help neighbors in need), the Youth Fund, and a New Roof Fund. Donations can also be brought to the building and placed in the drop-box near the front glass doors, or mailed to the Plum Street address.
Anyone interested in joining a small group, volunteering with the youth, serving on the music team, or supporting the church's outreach partners can find a place here. The weekly email and Facebook page keep the wider congregation up to date on what is coming up next on Plum Street.