Emmanuel Church of God in Christ

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Emmanuel Church of God in Christ, standing in Arlington, Tarrant County. Now, before we get to the building itself, you've got to understand the ground it sits on. This corner of Arlington carries a name — The Hill.

That's what folks in the city's historic African American community called their neighborhood, and by 1895, residents were already gathering right here to form a community church. Eighteen ninety-five. Think about what that means — people coming together, pooling faith and intention, staking out sacred ground in the middle of a commercial district that would go on to hold grocery stores, restaurants, night clubs, schools, residences, and other churches.

The Hill was alive, and this congregation was part of its heartbeat from nearly the very start. Now, the church went by a few names over the years — the Church of God in Christ, Emmanuel Church of God in Christ, Holiness, Arlington Church of God in Christ. Different names, same roots, same people.

Early on, Elders Garrett and E.W. Battle stepped up as leaders, and the congregation held regular camp meetings for worshipers across the area. That's a particular kind of gathering — open air, extended, the kind where faith doesn't stay quiet.

The Holiness philosophy underpinning this congregation is worth a moment. It centers on Bible-based education and recognizes two distinct spiritual leaders: the pastor, and the church mother. That second role — the church mother — she serves as guide and teacher of children and new members.

That's not ceremonial. That's a living office, a tradition with real weight. Here's where the story gets interesting, though.

Oral tradition places this congregation at this very site at the turn of the twentieth century. But the church didn't formally own the property until 1937 — when trustees stepped up and purchased the land. Let that sit a moment.

Decades of worship, decades of community, before the deed was in hand. Within two years of that purchase, Jesse Pointer and other members constructed the sanctuary that still stands here today. Still in use.

The Rev. David Augusta Kelly was serving as pastor at the time of its construction. More than a century since those first gatherings in 1895.

The names have shifted, the decades have rolled through, but Arlington's Church of God in Christ has kept its place — in the physical landscape of The Hill, and in the spiritual life of the people who call it home. The founding members set something in motion here that never stopped moving. And it hasn't stopped yet.

What the marker says

In the heart of Arlington's historic African American community, "The Hill," local residents came together as early as 1895 to form a community church at this site. Known at different times as the Church of God in Christ, Emmanuel Church of God in Christ, Holiness, and Arlington Church of God in Christ, the congregation grew in The Hill's commercial district alongside neighborhood grocery stores, restaurants and night clubs, as well as schools, residences and other churches. Elders Garrett and E.W. Battle served as early church leaders of the congregation, which held regular camp meetings for area worshipers. The Holiness philosophy of the church includes an emphasis on Bible-based education, as well as the roles of two spiritual leaders: the pastor and the church mother, who serves as guide and teacher of children and new members. Although oral tradition locates the congregation at this site at the turn of the 20th century, it did not formally own the property until 1937, when trustees purchased the land. Within two years, Jesse Pointer and other members constructed this sanctuary, which remains in use. At the time of the building's construction, the Rev. David Augusta Kelly served as pastor. Since its beginnings, Arlington's Church of God in Christ has served local residents as a place of worship and community. It has been an important part of the physical and spiritual landscape of the historic neighborhood for generations, and it continues to uphold the traditions established by its founding members more than a century ago. (2005)