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Our History
For years the church in Mt. Sterling was only a dream. In the early 1950's, A. T. Pate held meetings at the Upper Spencer Church of Christ and began encouraging the planting of a congregation in Mount Sterling. In the late 50's, George Rogers began preaching for the congregation at Camargo and interest in establishing the work in Mt. Sterling increased. In March 1959, the Upper Spencer congregation met to discuss the possibilities of a work in Mt. Sterling and a decision was made to begin looking for a suitable location. In late spring, the site at 10 North Queen Street became available with a 136 x 180 ft lot with a two story colonial brick house and small frame home. On May 8,1959, the property was purchased for $20,000 and the dream became a reality. Immediately the first floor of the brick house was converted into two rooms. One of them, with a seating capacity of approximately 75, was used for the worship service. Thirty-three were present for the first meeting on July 19, 1959. Fourteen placed membership, most of whom were from the Upper Spencer congregation.
By October the membership had grown to 31. Bill Phillips, supported by some churches in western Kentucky preached for the congregation from October of 1959 until June 1960 with the attendance averaging approximately 65 each Sunday. In July of 1960, Carroll Moore began working with the church and continued to do so until October 1961. During this period it was evident that the church would soon require bigger and better facilities. Therefore, in February of 1961 the two buildings on the property were razed to make room for a new building. During this time the church met in the Mt. Sterling City Hall. A new building with a seating capacity of 256 and 10 classrooms was completed by October 1, 1961 at a cost of $33,000.00. A. T. Pate held the first gospel meeting in the new building. The attendance by this time had grown to approximately 80. From November 1, 1961 until August 1962, Robert Lowry of Lexington assisted with the preaching. Attendance was up to 90. In August 1962, Everett Donaldson returned to Montgomery County from Kingman, Kansas. He preached for the congregation from August 1962 until January 1, 1968. In January 1964, the church at Queen Street became fully self-supporting and began to assist others as she had been helped over the past five years. In July 1967, a house on High Street adjacent to the original property was purchased for $17,000.00. The lot provided more parking space and made expansion of the building possible. The house was used as a minister’s home. During the time Brother Donaldson worked with the church, the attendance grew to 150. From January of 1968 until December 1970, Jarrell Tunnell served as minister. He was the first full time worker of the church. On August 10,1969, nine men and their families moved their membership from Upper Spencer to Queen Street to lend their efforts to the work.
In the fall and winter of 1969, a $55,000.00 educational building was built. The first floor and basement were finished providing nine additional classrooms. On January 1, 1970, support for a native minister in India was assumed. By the end of 1970, attendance had grown to around 195. John Starks came to preach in Mt. Sterling on March 5, 1971. Several new works began that year, including the first annual Christian youth camp and a daily 15- minute radio program. In September 1973, Harold Derr began working with the congregation. The second floor of the educational building was completed in the winter of 1973. On March 19, 1974, five men were appointed elders for the Queen Street Congregation. Those men appointed as elders were Earl Collins, Everett Donaldson, Roy Horseman, Edward Ingram, and Harold Derr. On March 17,1974, deacons were appointed. They were Wilburn Tipton, Don Wilson, Allen Willoughby, Vernon Moore, James Smoot, Eddie Ingram, Kenneth Donaldson, J.D. Moore, James Burden, Forrest Ingram, Gene McCarty, Jimmy Welch, James Brown, Bobby Davis and Henry Nixon. On July 1, 1974, Queen Street purchased fifty-two acres one mile north of Mt. Sterling on the Maysville Road for a price of $103,000. The planned use of the land included a children’s home, home for the elderly, and a future building site for a larger church building with more parking area. In July 1974, 100 acres were purchased for $8,000 in Menifee County to be used as a church camp. In the summer of 1975, a new house was built on the property on the Maysville Road. It was used as a home for the minister. On May 1, 1976, Harold Derr completed his work with the church and Everett Donaldson began preaching for the congregation. Attendance at this time had grown to around 235.
In August 1977 the first camp session was conducted on the Menifee County property. In 1977, his wife suffering through the last stages of cancer, Everett Donaldson asked to be relieved of the responsibilities of the eldership, reducing the number of elders to three. Additionally, Forrest Ingram and Gene McCarty both moved from the Mt. Sterling area reducing the number of deacons to thirteen. In June of 1978, we had our first camping session on the property in Menifee County. A spiritual atmosphere existed as the young people of the congregation participated in the many Christian activities. Tim Hall commenced working with the congregation in June 1979. Plans were being made to build the necessary buildings on the camp property in Menifee County. On August 12, 1979, the elders burned a $78,000 note on the North Maysville property. The Queen Street congregation paid off in 5 years by making many personal sacrifices. A few months later the house on High Street (formerly the minister’s residence) was sold and the money applied to the camping facility fund.
Three additional deacons were appointed in July1980: Gerald Ingram, Clyde Abner, and Terry Ginter increasing the number of deacons to fourteen. Average attendance reached about 230. Spiritual growth was evident and the church was unified. The Menifee County property was found to be unsuitable for a camping facility, so it was sold in September 1980. A portion of North Maysville Road property was set aside to become a Christian youth camp. In the spring of 1981, an all-purpose building was constructed on the North Maysville Road property as a beginning of our camping facility. The dream to build a camp to serve a vast area of Kentucky and surrounding states was becoming reality. Camping would be just another way to teach young people about Christ, among the beautiful surroundings that God created. The camp was named Rolling Hills Christian Camp. In December 1981, Bro. Tim Hall left Queen Street and Everett Donaldson, Earl Collins, and Terry Ginter alternated filling the pulpit.
In January 1982, a Foster Care Program was initiated as the fulfillment of another long-held congregational dream. Terry and Shirley Ginter were named house-parents and moved into the four bedroom house on the North Maysville Road property to care for foster children. Terry also served as our camp director and overseer of all the property. In the spring of 1982, four cabins were constructed on the Rolling Hills camp property. In July 1982, Kevin Jenkins began full-time work with the Queen Street congregation. He, his wife Donna and their two sons, Benjamin and Joshua moved here from Lubbock, Texas. They are originally from Ohio. Several teaching and evangelistic programs were put into action.
In January 1983, Everett Donaldson, Earl Collins, Roy Horseman, and Ed Ingram were serving as elders. The congregation existed in peaceful accord with the desire to grow spiritually and numerically and to spread the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ throughout the world. Also, in 1983, additional improvements were made to our camping facility including an amphitheater and a softball field. By early 1984 our attendance averaged around 225 and the church continued to be unified in love with a desire to do whatever is to spread the gospel. The church was involved in many areas of work - visitation program for all members, the camping facility, classes for all ages, foster care, mission work, Stepping Stones (supporting Ohio Valley College), and many other programs designed to teach Christ. The love-line telephone program was initiated in September 1984. This system keeps the congregation well informed on the needs of all members. The year 1986 began with an attendance around 235. Bro. Jenkins had been with the congregation for four years and had become involved in many works: including a local TV program, weekly newspaper column, and radio evangelism. Mission work was expanded as were many other programs. An announcement was made by the elders in April that definite plans were underway to build a new church building. Average attendance in 1987 averaged 250 and the church was strong and firmly committed to spreading the gospel throughout this area and the world. Sadly, Bro. Ed Ingram, one of our elders, died on April 22, 1987,reducing the eldership to three: Earl Collins, Everett Donaldson, and Roy Horseman.
In September 1987, Sister Lena Myers passed away naming the Queen Street congregation as the beneficiary of her estate valued at an estimated $700,000 intending the monies tobe used to minister to widows and disadvantaged children. In January 1989, Terry Ginter terminated his service as a deacon and moved Campton, KY to work as a full-time minister. In 1989, Gerald Ingram, Eddie Ingram, Wilburn Tipton, and Don Wilson were added to the eldership. The four bedroom house at Rolling Hills was renovated and The Lena Myers Home was completed in 1990. At a meeting in Camargo in May, 1991, the elders of Queen Street were asked to take oversight of a new mission work in Menifee County. This work began January 15, 1992 with Bro. Kevin Jenkins preaching at the first service. The first duplex was built at Rolling Hills in 1992. The 2 bedroom units serve the congregation in ministering to widows or other qualifying members of the Lord’s church. Kevin Jenkins resigned as minister at Queen Street in 1992.
In July 1993, Dan and Cyndi Murphy and two of their children (2 more were born in Mt. Sterling) moved to Mt. Sterling from Georgetown, KY. Dan’s work has included weekly preaching and teaching, summer camp, daily visitation, writing a weekly bulletin article, foreign mission trips, home Bible studies, and evangelism training classes. During this period, the eldership and deacons have remained relatively the same with just a few changes. Those serving as elders in 2002 were: Earl Collins, Eddie Ingram, Roy Horseman, Gerald Ingram, and Wilburn Tipton. The deacons were: Bobby Davis, Foy Ingram, Jr., Jimmy Welch, Don Wilson, Kenney Gulley, and Johnny Johnson, and Allen Willoughby. These faithful servants have accomplished much in their respective roles.
The summer camp ministry has grown in size and strength with a good staff and a lot of help behind the scenes. The attendance has been up over 200 for the past five camp seasons, with the peak reaching 260. The facilities have been improved with the addition of a boy’s shower house, the Jerusalem building, insulation of the cabins, moving of the picnic shelter near the camp buildings, and the building of new benches around a new fire ring. In 1998, Rolling Hills hosted the National Christian Camping Workshop. We have been very involved in mission works as well.
Through the years we have supported (and continue to support) several mission points in Kentucky, including Menifee Co., Carlisle, McCreary Co., Hazard, Campton, Berea, Campbellsville, Grant Co. and Owensboro. We also help support Larry and Kaye Little in Romania. We have also sent out our own on foreign mission trips. We sent Everett Donaldson and Dan Murphy to Russia; Kevin Jenkins to Nevis; Jimmy Welch, Erin Willis, Eddie Ingram, Doug McKay, & Doug Mansfield to Zambia; James Benton Pendleton to the Caribbean; and Dan Murphy, Garrett Murphy, and Everett Donaldson to Guyana, South America. Over the years we have made many one-time contributions to help send individuals to the Ukraine, Africa, India, the Caribbean, and other places in order to help teach the gospel. We are also involved in spreading the Word abroad through the Restoration Radio, Herald of Truth, and Heritage University (formerly IBC). This congregation has been very generous using nearly one-third of the weekly contribution to help others evangelize the world.
Some other ministries and activities in which we participate include the Secret Pal Program, transportation by van for those unable to drive to worship, singing at the nursing homes, visitation groups, youth activities, the Lena Myer’s estate and 4 duplex units, and educational learning centers for the Old and New Testaments for grades 3 through 6. Annual events include the Dinner of Thanks, a gospel meeting, and Heritage Sunday with services dedicated to reviewing our past as a motivation for the present. These are marvelous works being done by many service-minded members. In addition, we are supportive of these benevolent words: ChildPlace, Potter’s Children’s Home, and Disaster Relief. Beginning in October 2009, the congregation "matches funds" contributed by our children's Bible classes to the Diva Anbu Illam Children's Home in India.
Our attendance has steadily grown and now ranges between 270 and 320. Each year we have had new families join us. Several have been baptized and restored annually. We have a fall meeting the last Sunday in September with speakers such as Charles Moore, Stephen Rogers, Flavil Nichols, Mike Baker, Jerry Carmichael, David Pharr, Clarence DeLoach, and Charles Brown. In the spring for about 14 years, we were involved in an area meeting between congregations and their preachers (Smithville, Owingsville, Queen Street, Camargo, Menifee, Upper Spencer, and Stanton). We have also had to say, "See you later" to a host of good Christian brothers and sisters who have gone on to be with Jesus.
In 2001, the elders announced that it was time to begin making plans to build a new meeting house on the Rolling Hills property. Questionnaires were handed out and committees organized in an effort to get input from the members. While floor plans were being considered, a sign was placed at the front of the Maysville Rd. property, Future Home of Rolling Hills Church of Christ. The land was surveyed and on April 6, 2003 a ground-breaking ceremony was held marking the beginning of a long time dream coming true. Construction was started and completed in February 2004 at a cost of 1.8 million dollars. We had our first gathering at the Rolling Hills Church of Christ on February 29, 2004. Open house and dedication was held on April 18, 2004 with George Rogers and Dan Murphy speaking. Later, in 2004, Bro. A.T. Pate, just as he had done in 1959 at the Queen Street building, held the first gospel meeting at our new location. Our beautiful new building is a blessing for all of us. In March 2005 the property on Queen Street was sold and the monies applied to the existing loan at Rolling Hills. As of January 2009, we have an average attendance of about 300 and the congregation had the following elders and deacons: Elders: Eddie Ingram, Mike Donaldson, Charles Smallwood, Jimmy Welch, and Charles Wills. Deacons: Clyde Abner, Wayne Bailey, Bobby Davis, Robert Garrett, Bill Gerstenecker, Dwayne Goldy, Kenney Gulley, Jim Kelley, Charles Moore, Paul Robinson, Gerald Vinson, Jerry Willis, Tommy Wills, and Don Wilson.
The year 2009 holds a special significance in that it marks the fiftieth year that Queen Street/Rolling Hills has been in existence. Sadly, it also marks a year when we lost two pillars in the church here. Bro. Roy Horseman passed from this life on January 3, 2009. Roy was one of the original elders at Queen Street. His peaceful personality and profound wisdom are sorely missed. On June 9, 2009 the congregation suffered yet another loss with Bro. Everett Donaldson's passing. He, too, was in the original eldership at Queen Street. Everett's abilities were numerous and unmatched. His preaching, teaching, and knowledge of church history were a blessing to any who sat at his feet. The church at Rolling Hills will continue to stand on the shoulders of these great men because of the truth they taught and stood for.
The year 2010 was a busy year for the congregation. In February, the elders announced that Brandon Coats had been hired to serve as our Associate Minister. Brandon preached full time for 5 years in Michigan before entering the Army where he served as an assistant chaplain. He and his wife, Leah, have two children, Eli and Emma. We had an evangelism campaign in May with Eddie Lawson and his “God’s Family” crew. Together, we knocked on almost every door in Mt. Sterling and taught numerous Bible studies. In June, our annual camp season took our attention and we had another successful year with approximately 320 young people attending. We continue to have an average attendance of 300 and the following elders and deacons serve the congregation: Elders: Eddie Ingram, Mike Donaldson, Charles Smallwood, and Jimmy Welch. Deacons: Clyde Abner, Wayne Bailey, Tom Caudill, Ronnie Cooper, Bobby Davis, Robert Garrett, Dwayne Goldy, Kenney Gulley, Jim Kelley, Paul Robinson, Gerald Vinson, Jerry Willis, Tommy Wills, and Don Wilson.
On September 19, 2010, the library at Rolling Hills was dedicated as the Everett C. Donaldson Memorial Library. Everett spent many years researching the history of the Lord’s church in Kentucky and before his death donated much of that research to the Rolling Hills library. As we continue our march toward eternity, may all we do bring glory to God, increase the borders of His Kingdom, and make the world a better place. The church looks to the future with great anticipation of what can be accomplished for the Lord. May God bless us in all of our endeavors.
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