Church History
In 1954 the South English Street Church of Christ was initiated on Ireland Street with the help of the elders and minister of the Wendover Avenue Church of Christ.
The Ireland Street Church of Christ began at the corner of Ireland and Haynes Streets in Greensboro, NC. The congregation’s first minister was Brother P.K. Alexander. Along with Brother Alexander came his wife, Sister Marie Alexander and their three grandchildren, Rose, Marie and Pinkey Butler. Brother and Sister Alexander’s three grandchildren were baptized in the year 1956. The Alexander’s devoted full time to the Lord’s work in a one room building with no running water, no bathrooms and no place to baptize people. Early baptisms took place at the Wendover Avenue Church of Christ.
Worship continued in the Ireland Street building until the city redevelopment commissioner gave notification in 1964 that the church would need to relocate within six months because of city improvement.
The new site that was selected was in the Lennox Park Subdivision at 1417 Cottage Grove Avenue (now South English Street). The lot size was 215 feet in the front, 160 feet deep, having a dimension of 30/60. At this time a brick veneer basement was constructed for the services of the church. The total cost of lots, assessments and building was $19,256.25.
Before the move to 1417 Cottage Grove Avenue, about ten to twelve families (approximately forty people) were added to the body. Of those families still worshipping with the congregation today are Sister Johnsie Cowan and family, Sister Louella Turner and family, the Coleman family, Sister Bonnie Bell, Sister Louise McRae, the Richmond family, the Alexander family and Brother and Sister Robert and Maria Alston and family.
After going into the new building in 1965, the minister Brother P.K. Alexander, became ill and experienced declining health. Brother P.K. Alexander departed this life on June 24, 1966. The worship services continued with speakers from various brothers from other congregations. Among those were Brother Gene Peck of Wendover Avenue, Brother Jimmy Canup of Florida Street and Brother Ulysses Clinton of Olga Avenue.
In 1967, the congregation selected Brother Samuel Adams from Kannapolis, North Carolina to take the position as full time minister. He labored with much progress over eleven years driving 150 miles twice a week. During his tenure the upper story of the building was completed and many souls were baptized and restored to the Lord’s work.
With the growth of the work, the church suggested the need of a full time minister who lived I the city. Brother Samuel Adams, who worked a full time labor job in Kannapolis, did not accept the church’s offer. He resigned as full time minister in order for the church to hire a local full time minister.
During the latter part of 1978 and early 1979, a search for a full time minister was in progress. After due process and investigation, the church called Brother Paul L. Sanders of Paris, Texas to be the minister. Brother Sanders, his wife Claudie and daughter Tiffany moved to Greensboro in August 1979 and began full time work with the congregation.
Under Brother Sanders leadership, the church experienced tremendous growth. On average, fifty souls were baptized, restored or placed membership per year. The average Sunday morning attendance was approximately 250 people. The church growth deemed it necessary to have two Sunday morning services. Because of such growth, in 1983 the leadership decided to build an addition to the present structure. Sister Catherine Jordan, now deceased, gave the first $100.00 to start the expansion process. The addition was completed in 1985 at a cost of $262,000.00.
The work continued in this structure with Brother Sanders as the minister and Brother Zachary McChristian as assistant minister. In 1993, Brother Paul Sanders resigned as full time minister and Brother Zachary McChristian became the full time minister until 1994.
In June 1994, Brother Jerry Taylor, a native of Covington, Tennessee, accompanied by his wife, Patricia Bowden Taylor, formerly of Houston, Texas, assumed the work as the full time minister. Brother Zachary McChristian served as the assistant minister.
Brother Jerry Taylor came to South English Street Church of Christ with much enthusiasm and encouraged the church to stand for truth. During his tenure he instituted Tuesday and Thursday night Bible studies that focused on “How to study the Bible” and encouraged the congregation to create its first mission statement, “Loving God: Reaching, Serving and Building People For the Greatest Kingdom.”
1996, at the request of Brother Jerry Taylor, Brother Julius S. Greene, assistant minister from the Carver Road Church of Christ in Winston-Salem, NC became assistant minister of the South English Street congregation. He is married to the former Donna G. Summers and they have two children, Julius A. Greene and Nikki (Nicholas) Glenn.
After serving South English Street Church of Christ for five years, Brother Jerry Taylor resigned as minister and Brother Julius Greene became the full time minister in 1999. Brother Ronnie Goodman served as the assistant minister until a ministry opportunity became open at the Northside Church of Christ in Burlington, NC. In November 2002, Brother Nicholas A. Glenn and Brother Thomas Harrelson became assistant ministers of the congregation and presently serve in that capacity.
Brother Julius Greene has helped put the vision of the church into action and has worked diligently to build God’s kingdom. Under his leadership the church has installed elders and deacons, purchased land for the new edifice and established many ministries that serve the Greensboro community.
