By Jean Clark
Chronicle contributor
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The Pleasant Hill Community Church, UCC continued its 125th year anniversary celebration by acknowledging its mission and outreach. The church began as part of the American Missionary Association (A.M.A.), which sent pastors and teachers from New England to start a school in 1884 and a church in 1885. Many missionaries who served in foreign lands have found a welcoming home in Pleasant Hill. An International Dinner was held June 5 with foods from many lands created by people who lived or visited there.
Ann and Hal Schoup spoke about their years in Turkey working with students who went on to accomplish meaningful things for their country. African discriminatory practices in Rhodesia before and after it became Zimbabwe were related by Jeri Abbott. Following dinner, Marian Ziebell shared the challenges of leading choral groups made up of people from many nations in Cyprus. Joyce and Dick Reisz told of their sense of solidarity with faculty and students of American College in Maduri, India. Especially heartwarming was a program designed to train disabled Indians to learn computer skills. Lucius Walker from New York City, the founding director of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization, told of the beginnings of Pastors for Peace. This organization provides humanitarian aid for Chiapas, Mexico; Central America; and Cuba. He also preached at worship the following Sunday.
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Community Church history: In the 1940s and 1950s, the Community House on Main Street in Pleasant Hill was renovated and its second story removed. Many adult and youth groups came to visit Pleasant Hill. They were housed and fed at the Pleasant Hill Academy and meetings were held both there and in the Community House Church. After the Academy closed in 1947, it became increasingly difficult to hold church conferences. The A.M.A. used proceeds from the sale of the Academy to build a Community Craft Center. The Rev. Dr. Paul R. Reynolds from Illinois was the minister called in 1954 to inaugurate a new plan to unite the ministry of the church and the direction of the Community Craft Center. Dr. Reynolds and his wife Charlotte had served 14 years as missionaries in China until 1935, foreshadowing today’s former missionaries who are drawn to Pleasant Hill.
In 1954 a building committee, chaired by J. Frank Meisamer, Jr. was appointed to plan for the longed for new church building. The A.M.A. deeded land adjoining the Community House to the church. After many delays, much planning, contributions from many local craftspeople, and work by local stone masons; the congregation marched to the new church on May 3, 1959. By then Frank Meisamer and his family had moved away to take a new position. This year, the church is once again undertaking an expansion of its facilities. Frank and Anne Meisamer have returned in their retirement to Pleasant Hill and Frank is once more involved in the expansion.
The 1960s were years of transition and turbulence in the life of Pleasant Hill Community Church. Support of the American Missionary Association ended. The A.M.A. deeded the Craft Shop to the church in 1962. Church members voted to become part of the United Church of Christ. The extremely active Pilgrim Fellowship group grew up and left for college or jobs elsewhere. Repair and maintenance of a parsonage, community house, craft shop, Pioneer Hall, and church building kept the trustees busy and finances scarce. More residents were arriving in the retirement community. Some settled in comfortably, but others although well meaning did not understand the ways of the Mountain. The new U.S. 70 had bypassed Pleasant Hill. A log cabin from Smyrna, TN was reconstructed at the corner of U.S. 70 and South Sycamore St. to be a craft salesroom for items created at the Community Craft Center. It was not successful and the building and land were sold by the church in 1964.
The 1970s saw a changeover in membership as more retirees joined the church and young families with children dwindled. Many of the retirees had been ministers, missionaries, educators, and for most part people active in their former churches. The Craft Shop continued to lose money especially after long time manager, Earl Clark died in 1965. Because the heating system and other repairs were too expensive for the church budget, the Craft Shop was sold to Uplands Retirement Village in 1976 and its contents sold separately. Church offices and a meeting room were housed along side of Uplands’ Administrative offices in the renamed Heritage Hall.
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The Grab thrift shop on west Main Street in Pleasant Hill will hold a $1 bag sale on Saturday, June 26, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. They are seeking school clothing in good condition for grades pre-kindergarten through high school. In mid July they will be giving outfits free to schoolchildren.
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On Monday, June 28, a Candidate Forum will be held at 8 a.m. with refreshments at 7:30 a.m. in the Pleasant Hill Community House at Main Street & Church Drive in Pleasant Hill. Participating will be candidates for Cumberland County mayor—Kenneth Carey, Jr. (R) and Bruce Wyatt (D). Also in attendance will be candidates for Cumberland County Sheriff — Eugle (Butch) Burgess, Jr, (R) and Jackie M. Stevens (D), and Cumberland County Road Superintendent candidates — Scott Blaylock (R) and Wendell Houston (D).
