From Bellaire Elementary to a Sanctuary on Trimmier Road
Central Christian Church traces its beginning to a small group of families with deep roots in Killeen. A group of longtime members of First Christian Church of Killeen - itself established in 1947 - felt called to plant a second congregation. Mr. and Mrs. A.H. Curtis and Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Kilpatrick were founding members of both churches. Oliver and Francis Kilpatrick traveled to Colorado to ask their former minister, Rev. Roy Brewton, to return to Killeen and lead the new work. On July 1, 1973, twenty-seven adults gathered at Bellaire Elementary School for the first worship service of what would become Central Christian Church of Killeen.
The congregation met at the school until 1974, when three acres and a building were purchased from Grace Lutheran Church. That older structure is now the church's fellowship hall. On January 6, 1975, three trustees were called: Gene Goodnight as chairman, with Oliver Kilpatrick and A.H. Curtis as chairpersons of the congregation.
After settling into the new location, Rev. Brewton began plans for a major building program in March 1981. Through pledges, fundraising, and loans, enough was raised to begin construction. In the first five days alone, volunteers - men and women together - logged more than 340 hours. The Curtis family, owners of the local lumber yard, supplied the highest-grade materials and the most beautiful wood inlays for the soaring ceilings of the new sanctuary, reaching more than fifty feet. Stunning stained-glass windows frame the room, and a hand-carved altar depicting the Last Supper anchors the front. The building was dedicated to the Lord on April 22, 1984, and it remains the sanctuary the congregation worships in today.
Francis Kilpatrick was a fixture on Sunday mornings well into her nineties, welcoming worshipers with a hug before each service. The congregation sums up its heritage this way: "Each member's love for Jesus surrounds the church and within its walls."
Sunday Mornings on Trimmier Road
The rhythm of the week at Central Christian centers on two Sunday gatherings. Sunday School class meets at 9:30 a.m., and the worship service follows at 10:45 a.m. Nursery care is available for infants through age three, and Children's Church is offered for kindergarten through fifth grade during the second service.
The service centers on the Lord's Table. The congregation's Preamble describes a community that gathers "with thanksgiving for the saving acts and presence of Christ." Disciples of Christ congregations practice open communion, and Central Christian welcomes all who confess Jesus as Lord and Savior to the Table. Music is led by pianist Elaine Garcia.
Reaching One More for Jesus
The congregation's vision is short and direct: "Reaching one more for Jesus!" The mission statement expands on that: Central Christian Church is "a family of faith that affirms one another and extends care, concern, and the love of Jesus Christ both inward and outward to our community."
The church's preamble, drawn from the Christian Church tradition, confesses Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, and proclaims him Lord and Savior of the world. It rejoices in God's covenant of love, celebrates new birth through baptism, and gathers at the Lord's Table with thanksgiving. Members hold a shared set of beliefs: that God is the eternal Creator and Sustainer of the universe; that God became human in Christ; that the Holy Spirit is at work in lives, the Church, and the world; that the Bible is fully reliable for matters of faith and life; that the Church is Christ's Body on earth; that Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of sins and rose again to give abundant and eternal life; and that baptism and communion are the two ordinances of the church. The beliefs page distills the heart of it: "Christianity is not about a set of rules and beliefs; it is about a loving relationship with Jesus Christ."
Bible Study Around Pete's Table
Midweek conversation and study move to the home of Pete Vanderham, an Elder in the church. The Wednesday evening Bible study meets at 6:00 p.m. and is open to all who want to join. Those who register online get the location and a personal welcome. Pete leads the group in person and also welcomes online participants, making the study one of the church's steady midweek rhythms.
Nurturing Children in Faith
Children's ministry at Central Christian is built on a conviction the church names openly: that children have souls that are yearning for God, even when they cannot yet put it into words. The goal is for every child who comes through the doors to experience God-centered programs and activities that nurture growing faith. Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. and Children's Church during the 10:45 worship service for kindergarten through fifth grade are the two main weekly touchpoints, with nursery care for infants through age three available during the worship hour.
Central Station Volunteers: A Hub for Central Texas
Beyond the congregation itself, Central Christian houses a community-wide volunteer initiative called Central Station Volunteers, or CSV. Started in response to a call to action from local schools, CSV operates as a one-stop shop where adults, students, local businesses, and philanthropy groups can find ways to serve together. The program tracks volunteer hours, maintains a calendar of events around Central Texas, links volunteers to scholarships, and offers apprenticeships and internships with experts in their fields.
CSV welcomes general public volunteers along with Killeen ISD and San Saba ISD students, and invites community partners to propose events or service opportunities of their own. The list of partners runs deep into the region: the cities of Killeen and Harker Heights and their parks, libraries, and senior centers; the Killeen, Harker Heights, and Black Chambers of Commerce; Hearts of the Globe, Boys & Girls Club, and the American Red Cross; Mathnasium, Bell County Health & Human Services, the Bell County Animal Shelter, the Salvation Army, the Killeen Food Care Center, the Williamson Museum, and many more. Marlo Vega, the church's pastor, also directs the CSV program.
Visiting Central Christian
For those planning a first visit, the church sits at 1301 Trimmier Road in Killeen, Texas. From westbound Highway 190, take the Trimmier Road exit and turn right at the light. From eastbound Highway 190, exit at Trimmier Road and turn left under the overpass. The church is a little over half a mile down Trimmier, on the left.
Visitors who fill out the "Plan Your Visit" form online can have a reserved parking spot waiting in front, meet greeters who will introduce them to others, get help checking children in, and receive a tour of the building. The church office can be reached at (254) 526-2179 or office@cccTexas.org. A Prayer Hotline, answered by the congregation's prayer warriors, is available at 254-526-7706, and prayer requests can be submitted online. Giving is available online as well.
Central Christian Church has been rooted at 1301 Trimmier Road since 1974, and the sanctuary built by hundreds of volunteer hands in the early 1980s remains the center of its life. Sunday School begins at 9:30 a.m., worship follows at 10:45 a.m., and Wednesday Bible Study gathers at 6:00 p.m., three weekly anchors that hold a community still working, in the words of its own history, "to show how God lives in us every day."