by Rose Blatch
East Dallas Christian Church was established in 1903 and its first wooden tabernacle was located on the corner of Peak and Victor streets. The church is located in what was once the incorporated city of East Dallas, Texas. Some of the same founding fathers that built East Dallas Christian Church were also prominent in the building up of Dallas—many of them in real estate, insurance, manufacturing, merchandising and public office. Churches, hospitals, business establishments, and beautiful new residences were going up at a fast pace in this prosperous new development.
Some of the residents who had been members of Central Christian Church, Ross Avenue Christian Church or other Christian churches began meeting together to discuss the possibility of organizing a church. In September 1903, it was in Mr. and Mrs. Arthur A. Everts’ home at 265 Worth Street that a meeting was held that credited the Everts with being the founding members of the church. Mr. and Mrs. Everts had been involved in Christian Endeavor work for many years and leaders in Central Christian Church. (The Archive Room at the church contains a large painting of Mr. Everts which originally hung at the turn of the stairway to the second floor of the Arthur A. Everts Jewelry Company, established in 1897.)
But many others had been hard at work in the months leading up to September—the women. The women were concerned about Sunday school for the children and it was difficult to travel when the streets were muddy. Emma, wife of M. H. ―Mike‖ Thomas, invited seven women to their home on Worth Street to consider what they could do to get the new church on its way. The Ladies Aid Society was organized, which preceded that of the church. In attendance at the meeting: Mesdames Mike H. (Emma) Thomas, Arthur A. (Christine) Everts, F. S. (Mary) Roberts, H. M. (Bessie) Thetford, Jennie E. Murray (widow of Col. Thomas H. Murray), J. A. (Courtney) Caspary, Claude V. (Lorena) Holland, and W. G. (Florence) Achenbach.
In these months of 1903, the women held weekly teas in their homes to raise funds. In Local Notes of Dallas Morning News, October 10, 1903, this notice can be found: There will be a tea at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Achenbach, 200 Simpson street, on Friday from 3 to 6 and from 8 to 10 p.m. for the benefit of the Peak street Christian Church. All friends are invited. Some of the fund-raising in the early years, in addition to the tea parties, were bazaars and also on at least one occasion a handkerchief sale. And food! The women cooked and served meals at Scottish Rite Cathedral for many years. During the State Fair in October, Mary Roberts and other members of the Banquet Committee had their meals planned, food purchased, and their dining booth decked out with attractive signs which said, East Dallas Christian Church invites you to eat with us. Many people did. For seventeen days they cooked and served many people.
