Rising Sun Church of Christ sits on the southeast side of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, a Des Moines suburb that grew up around a former stagecoach stop once called Rising Sun. The congregation traces its roots to a July 1854 meeting held under a stand of trees known as Union Grove, where neighbors gathered to legally establish the first church in their newly settled area. They named it the Church of Christ at Union Grove, donated labor and materials, and finished a log meetinghouse the following spring.
Two Oak Trees and 170 Years on the Same Corner
By 1866 the Civil War had ended and the original log building had grown too small. The southeast corner of what is still the church's present-day campus was chosen for a second building, and its dedication in 1886 was led by Pastor J.B. Vawter. The ground was donated by Anthony B. Sims and his wife Mary, daughter of charter members Thomas E. and Louisa Barlow. The pages from the Barlow Bible are still given as a commissioning gift to each new class of elders. The two oak trees that stood in front of the original sanctuary remain on the same corner of the property today, a living link to that 1886 dedication.
For decades, the town of Rising Sun included a post office, a general store, a harness shop, and a blacksmith. The town even earned a mention in Ripley's Believe It or Not. Many of the early preachers of Rising Sun were students at nearby Drake University, and there was once a pond underneath the present-day sanctuary, plus a boardwalk for loading and unloading worshipers on Sundays. The baptistry in the original building was set in the floor and had to be filled with milk cans, with the pulpit moved out of the way for each baptism. The stained glass features in the back of today's sanctuary came from the old stucco building that sat on the southeast corner of the parking lot.
When plans for a train depot moved from Rising Sun to nearby Altoona, the community began to shrink, and Rising Sun was eventually renamed Pleasant Hill. The church outlasted those changes. From 1854 to 1950 it had 49 preachers. From 1950 to the present, seven pastors have served, and from 1973 onward, three pastors have led the church. Some current families can trace their ancestry back to the original members. Rising Sun was established eight years after Iowa became a state, and the first Iowa State Fair was held just three weeks after the town was incorporated.
Sunday Mornings in Pleasant Hill
Worship begins at 10:00 AM each Sunday in the main sanctuary. Adult classes meet at 9:00 AM in two of the church's Life Rooms. Dave Bouchard leads a study called Hermeneutics in the Family Room, walking students through eight steps for interpreting Scripture and asking the kinds of questions that turn reading into real understanding. In Life Room 1, Joe Rowland teaches Apologetics, drawing on 1 Peter 3:15 to prepare Christians to give a reasoned defense of their hope with both clarity and gentleness. The church's leadership describes the congregation as a "large country church in the middle of the city," a multi-staff, multi-generational body with an average weekly attendance of about 325 people who gather amid a backdrop of corn fields and skyscrapers.
Children in pre-K through fifth grade are invited to play in the gym before Kids Worship at 10:00 AM, and junior high and high school students are encouraged to help supervise. For anyone who wants prayer before the service, an elder or deacon and their wife are available in the Prayer Closet, a small room off the south hallway. The most recent sermon series has been on the life of Paul, titled "A Little Faith Goes a Long Way," with weekly sermon notes and resources made available so people can keep studying between services.
Hebrews Coffee and a Warm Welcome
The church runs its own in-house coffee shop called Hebrews Coffee, open on Sunday mornings from 8:45 to 9:55 AM in the foyer. Free coffee is also available nearby for anyone who wants a quick cup before the service. A monthly gathering called Blessed and Brewed meets in the same spot on Saturday mornings, inviting friends to buy a favorite drink and stay for fellowship, with nursing babies always welcome alongside their mothers.
For those exploring membership, the church periodically offers a one-day "Welcome to Rising Sun" class in Life Room 1. The Elders lead the conversation, sharing the heart and values of the congregation over a provided lunch. Anyone interested in the church's formal beliefs can pick up a copy of the Essentials document, and a podcast called More than Sunday Morning on Spotify features Q&As, testimonies, and sermon commentary from the staff.
The 2:42 Groups
Small groups at Rising Sun are called 2:42 Groups, named after Acts 2:42, where the early church devoted itself to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. The groups are intentionally open to every stage of life: singles, newly married couples, parents with infants, growing families, blended families, single parents, empty nesters, retirees, and widowed members all find a place.
Each group has two kinds of leaders. Facilitators guide the discussion and pick the curriculum, while Hosts open their homes or arrange a meeting place and share a meal. Current teams include Chuck and Chris Hurley, Cindy Melvin, the Worcester and Crocker families, and Mike and Tina Rains. Training is offered for anyone who would like to start a new group, and the church notes that 2:42 groups are defined less by demographic or study topic than by the relationships they form.
Family Ministry and HomePointe
Family discipleship is one of the stated pillars of Rising Sun, and the church has built an entire resource center around it. HomePointe, the "big house-looking center" in the main foyer, is staffed by trained hosts before and after each service on Sundays from 8:30 AM to noon. It offers free "Pointers" with a biblical perspective on common family challenges, recipe cards for bringing faith into the home, and the Faith Path, a birthday-driven coaching program that walks parents through spiritual milestones from early childhood through the teen years.
Topics covered range from living the single life and getting ready for marriage, to building strong marriages, introducing a child to Christ, preparing for adolescence, succeeding as a single parent, and blending families. Books and devotionals are also available for purchase. The center is open to anyone with questions, and a separate email line at homepointe.rscc@gmail.com connects families to volunteers. Family Minister Roger Howard oversees the work, and the church teaches that the home, not the building, is the primary place where disciples are made.
Children, Youth, and Bible Bowl
The children's ministry, led by Nancy Rogers, runs Kids Worship during the Sunday service and a week-long Vacation Bible School each summer, with the most recent theme, "Snowball Mountain Challenge," built around Philippians 4:13. VBS is designed for children ages 4 through fifth grade, with an optional family supper served before each evening session and T-shirts available for purchase. The Esther-Ordinary Faith Kids Spring Musical is another annual highlight, with students from kindergarten through sixth grade rehearsing in the upstairs kids area and performing for the whole congregation.
Older students have their own track. A Youth Bible Bowl team, open to students in grades 6 through 12, practices Scripture memorization for friendly competition. Junior high and high schoolers also help with the younger children on Sunday mornings. Each summer the church sends a delegation to Nationwide Youth Roundup, a Colorado-based camping conference held at Roundup Ranch near Sedalia. The trip, established in 1972, involves tent camping, worship, Bible study, and outdoor recreation, and the congregation helps support it by donating gallons of soup to feed the group each day. Godly Imitating Gentlemen, or GIG, is another youth-focused activity with its own movie nights and seasonal events.
Growing in Grace (55+)
Gary Cox leads the Growing in Grace ministry for adults 55 and older. The group takes its name from a long-running Sunday morning class and has become the church's hub for senior fellowship. Recent activities have included potlucks on the church lawn, outings to Iowa Cubs games at Principal Park, free concerts at Riverview Park, and a special Senior Saints Day at Central Iowa Bible Camp, the first camp day in the camp's history designed exclusively for the 55-plus community. Members of Growing in Grace also step up to lead movie nights featuring films like the Sight and Sound Theater production of Jesus, projected on the big screen in the youth room with popcorn provided.
Men, Women, and the Wider Church
Rising Sun's men's ministry gathers for an annual 24-hour conference called Uncommon Men, hosted on the church campus each fall. The event includes outdoor games, a car show, three teaching sessions, an overnight option with tents and RVs, and meals provided throughout. A separate Facebook group, "Rising Sun Men Doing Manly Things," keeps the men of the church connected year-round. A women's ministry runs its own Bible studies, fellowship events, and gatherings such as a recent Mama Bear Apologetics event with Hillary Morgan Ferrer, where moms learned to defend their faith and teach their children to do the same.
The church also hosts a Wednesday morning Bible study on the kings of Israel, led by Senior Pastor Steve Rowland, in Life Room 1, along with a monthly Board Game Night on the first Thursday of each month. A community-wide Garage Sale held in the church gym each summer raises funds for mission partners, and Holy Smoke, the church's annual backyard BBQ competition, has grown into an 11-year tradition with a car show, family activities, and meat tasting. A potluck celebrating the Iowa State Fair each August brings the whole church together for a "Food on a Stick" contest.
Kingdom Partnerships Around the World
Rising Sun supports a wide network of mission partnerships it calls "Kingdom Partnerships." Each one is evaluated by a missions team against a written process that weighs personal connection, theological alignment with the church's Restoration Movement heritage, strategic fit with the church's mission and vision, philosophical fit, and the opportunity to serve alongside the partner. The Elders make the final call after prayer and consideration.
Current partners include Campus Christian Fellowship at the University of Northern Iowa, Christian Evangelistic Mission, Christian Missionary Fellowship's Morden Ministry in Kenya, Central Christian College of the Bible in Missouri, Philippine Mission Churches of Christ, Literature and Teaching Ministries, Joshua Christian Academy in Des Moines, Central Iowa Bible Camp, Haitian Christian Mission, Lydia's Mission, and Iglesia de Cristo Puente de Vida, a Spanish-language church plant that meets weekly in Des Moines. Members of the Rising Sun missions committee, Bill Quinn and Steve Crocker, help coordinate volunteer and giving opportunities, and the church notes its traditional preference for being able to serve physically alongside the partners it supports.
What We Believe
The mission of Rising Sun Church of Christ is "Growing in Christ's Greatest Commands and Commission," and the vision is "Building Family Legacies Rooted in Christ's Truth." The Elders describe the church's posture with three short lines: "In Essentials, Unity. In Non-Essentials, Liberty. In All Things, Love." The congregation identifies with the Restoration Movement heritage, embraces a "No Creed but Christ" attitude in practice, and publishes a written statement of essentials for anyone who wants to study what the church teaches. The same page encourages transparent conversation about faith, inviting anyone with questions to reach out and chat.
The Elders' statement adds that the church believes God desires the congregation to build and send stronger families rather than merely keeping people in chairs. To that end, Rising Sun invests in family ministry, sends its people out to engage the surrounding culture with the love and truth of Jesus the Christ, and seeks to make disciples of all nations through its Kingdom Partnerships.
The Team
Steve Rowland serves as Senior Pastor and Roger Howard as Family Minister. Nancy Rogers leads the children's ministry, Gary Cox leads Growing in Grace, and John Ellis serves as a Chaplain Intern. Gracie Rowland serves as Ministry Assistant, and Tina Rains as Financial Assistant. Cliff and Kris Wolf oversee facility maintenance and care, and Daniel Birch handles lockup duties. The congregation is governed by a board of ten elders: Rick Dooley, Mike Rains, Chuck Hurley, Dan Smith, Brent Whitney, Steve Rullestad, Ron Melvin, Steve Rowland, Gary Cox, and Jordan Buell.
A team of thirteen deacons serves the congregation: Koby Shivers, Michael Gonzalez, Jeff De Vries, Dan Norton, Cliff Wolf, John Egli, Bill Quinn, Joe Patterson, Andy Birch, Tyler Curry, Nathan Shivers, Russell Whitney, and Kirk Nelson. The church is currently hiring for two staff roles, an Executive Pastor and a Creative Arts Minister, as it plans for the next twenty years of ministry and identifies new facility and personnel needs.