HISTORY OF CHURCH OF CHRIST, EAST 1ST STREET
CLEVELAND, TEXAS
The East 1st church of Christ congregation beginnings started in 1962 with two precious souls, brother Willie Riley and his wife, who lived in Cleveland, Texas. Brother Kelly L. Washington, Jr., who had just started preaching, asked brother Paul Settles, Sr. to conduct a gospel meeting. They had a gospel meeting out of Duncan Funeral Home in Cleveland. Brother Washington,along with his wife, Effie, their two daughters, Thalia and Naomi and brother and sister Riley were very faithful even though attendance initially was low. Also, Mrs. Duncan was kind enough to allow them to use the building free of charge.
On April 15, 1963, God blessed them to purchase a house and property where the current building as of 2025, is now located. It was purchased from Mrs. Carrie J. Gilder for the sum of $1,000. Brother J. C. Crain, an elder at the South Union church of Christ, help to convert the house into a building suitable for worship services. After the conversion, saints from the Houston and Conroe areas started to attend services in Cleveland and the work grew to approximately 25 souls.
The assistant minister of the congregation in Conroe, brother Steve Wilkerson, took over the work on East 1st street for about a year. The work continued to go forward when brother Clement Sloan, who was blind and lived in Cleveland, replaced brother Wilkerson. Afterwards, brother Walter Shepard ,from Houston, stepped in until he returned to Houston. Then brother Roy Murray, also from Houston, filled in to help the work to grow until he had to step aside because of family responsibilities, among other circumstances.
Brother Scott Cornett, a young preacher from 5th Ward church of Christ became the next minister for a while and then brother Henry Mills from the Northside church of Christ, was the minister after him. The Northside congregation, who became the North Houston church of Christ in 1980, supported the work. Brother Uris Roberson became the minister in 1989 and faithfully took charge in tearing down the old building and completing a new building on the same property. Many of his students from the local high school, neighbors, volunteers, and other saints from the surrounding greater Houston area also helped with construction by providing labor and donations.
In 1995, brother Edward Jamison and brother James Caswell, both from Houston, became co-ministers. Brother Caswell became the full time minister in 2001 when brother Jamison became an elder at a congregation in Houston. Brother Caswell faithfully served until 2022 and then brother Calvin Conner became minister and brother Anthony Banks and Dewayne Calloway became co-ministers. Today, the leadership has expanded to include brothers Leamon Daniels, and Dextral Adams.