Eastwood Christian Church stands at 1601 Eastland Avenue in East Nashville, a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) whose roots reach back more than 150 years. The story begins in 1871, when the Woodland Street Christian Church was organized in East Nashville, meeting in the Odd Fellows Hall under the leadership of David Hall, E.G. Sorrell, and David Lipscomb, the same David Lipscomb who later founded David Lipscomb College. For seven years the Woodland Street congregation worshiped without a pastor, holding itself together by shared faithfulness.
Meanwhile, Woodland Street and other Disciples congregations in Nashville helped sponsor a mission congregation called Eastland Christian Church. On Thanksgiving Day in 1910, members gathered to build what became known as "the church built in a day" on Gallatin Road.
By 1930, leaders from Woodland and Eastland began talking about a merger. The union happened quickly, and a new name was chosen: Eastwood, a blending of Eastland and Woodland, symbolizing two communities becoming one church family. Just a few years later, the merged congregation faced a devastating setback. In March 1933, a tornado destroyed the Rice Home, where the church was worshiping. Instead of disbanding, members built what became the present Educational Building, which served as both worship space and Christian education hub for nearly two decades while the congregation weathered the Great Depression. By 1951, the present sanctuary was dedicated.
"All Means All": A Confession of Welcome
The phrase "All Means All" is at the heart of how Eastwood understands itself. As the church states, every person is created in the image of God and worthy of love, dignity, and belonging.
As an Open and Affirming congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Eastwood affirms the faith, baptism, and spiritual gifts of all Christians. The church joyfully welcomes into fellowship, worship, leadership, and service people of every race, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, ethnicity, marital status, physical or mental ability, economic circumstance, political perspective, and theological background.
Church members describe this as a faithful confession, not a political one: "When we say 'All Means All', we are not making a political statement. We are making a faithful confession that every person bears the image of God and is welcomed into Christ's love. We seek to live out that confession by welcoming all people, building community, and serving God and neighbor."
The Disciples Confession
Eastwood is part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a movement rooted in a simple confession: "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and we proclaim him Lord and Savior of the world." The congregation shares in the wider Disciples commitments to baptism into newness of life, communion at the Lord's Table, the ministry of the whole people of God, and a covenant of love that binds the church to God and to one another.
Sunday at Eastwood: Traditional Worship
The week centers on traditional worship each Sunday at 10:00 AM. The service is livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube, and a printable bulletin is posted online so worshipers can prepare in advance.
Adult Sunday School meets each Sunday morning from 9:00 to 9:45 AM, with weekly Bible study or book discussions and seasonal classes that go deeper into faith and conversation. For those wanting to know more about the Disciples tradition itself, Pastor's Class, called Disciples 101, is a three-week class offered each quarter, exploring the history and beliefs of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the story and mission of Eastwood, and what membership means. The class is open to anyone, whether new to Eastwood, considering joining, or simply curious.
Reaching for Justice
From the 1970s onward, the church widened its vision of leadership, installing its first women deacons in 1970 and its first women elders in 1983, a sign, members say, of a growing trust in God's call on all people. In the 1990s the church began participating in Room in the Inn, welcomed a refugee family from Sudan, and joined affordable housing and Habitat for Humanity projects, living out a faith rooted in justice, dignity, and hospitality.
Children, Youth, and EC3 Parents Day Out
Children are treated as a gift and an important part of the church family. Nursery care is available for children from birth through Kindergarten beginning at 8:55 AM and remains open until worship concludes, and the nursery is staffed by both caring volunteers and paid workers. Children's Worship, for children in Kindergarten through fourth grade, takes place during the service itself: children begin with their families in the sanctuary and are then invited to age-appropriate Bible lessons, prayer, music, crafts, and hands-on activities.
Safety protocols include a secured Education Building once worship begins, background checks for all volunteers and staff ages 18 and older, appropriate adult-to-child ratios, and a parent contact number at check-in. Parents are welcome to visit the nursery, ask questions, and become involved.
During the week, EC3 Parents Day Out serves families with younger children, directed by Abby Griffin. The program is a weekday ministry for parents and children beyond Sunday morning.
For middle and high school students, the Youth Ministry gathers for Sunday School from 9:00 to 9:45 AM during the school year and for a Sunday evening Youth Group from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. The evening gatherings include games, fellowship, Bible study, prayer, and conversation. During the summer months the regular schedule pauses to make room for church camp, retreats, lock-ins, service projects, fellowship outings, Vacation Bible School volunteer opportunities, and other seasonal events.
Adults Growing Together
Beyond Sunday School and Disciples 101, adults connect throughout the year through several regular rhythms:
- Fun Adults: monthly fellowship outings, recreational activities, day trips, and shared meals.
- Fellowship Events: church-wide lunches, local trips, seasonal celebrations, the 5th Sunday Luncheon Fellowship, and an annual picnic.
- Mission and Service: putting faith into action by serving neighbors through the church's outreach ministries.
Outreach in East Nashville and Beyond
Eastwood's outreach is rooted in its East Nashville neighborhood and reaches beyond it. The church's Mission and Service teams partner with community organizations working on everything from feeding and housing ministries to broader justice initiatives. As the congregation puts it, "Outreach ministries offer various services to our neighbors in East Nashville and beyond. Through service ministries we attempt to bring joy, comfort, peace, and justice to our brothers and sisters."
Volunteers can serve either through community partners or by helping within the church itself. Sign-ups are available, and the church is quick to express gratitude for everyone who makes its ministry possible. Weddings hosted at the church and pastoral care for members are part of the same commitment to walk through life together.
Sharing Generosity Beyond the Walls
Every gift to Eastwood carries a shared dimension: ten percent of every gift is given to mission partners beyond the congregation, extending the church's reach into the wider community and around the world. Annual stewardship pledges, Venmo, and checks made payable to Eastwood Christian Church and mailed to the Eastland Avenue address sustain the church's ministry throughout the year.
Pastoral Care and the People Who Lead
Pastoral care is taken seriously at Eastwood. The prayer request page offers two ways to share a joy or concern: speaking it during Sunday worship as part of the congregational prayers, or keeping the request confidential and shared only with the pastor. Anyone can also request a pastoral visit, hospital visit, home visit, or a phone call.
Senior Minister Rev. KJ Kim leads the pastoral team. Daryl Johnson serves as Music Director, Dr. Jidong Zhong as accompanist, and Marci Mazza-Fredley as Ministry Resident. The wider work of governance is shared by an Elders class, a class of Serving Deacons, and a Board of Trustees, all under the General Board.
Visiting Eastwood Christian Church
First-time visitors will find a Plan Your Visit page that gathers the practical details: what to expect, where the children's wing and nursery are located, and how the morning flows. Sunday School runs from 9:00 to 9:45 AM, the nursery opens at 8:55 AM, and Traditional Worship begins at 10:00 AM. Those who cannot attend in person can join the service through the church's Facebook or YouTube livestream.
For families with younger children during the week, EC3 Parents Day Out is the church's weekday program for parents and children together. Visitors and members alike are invited to subscribe to the church's weekly email for current updates, and giving to support the church's ministry is available online, by mail, or in person.
Eastwood Christian Church has been part of East Nashville's spiritual and civic life since 1871, through mergers and storms, through changing neighborhoods and a changing world, and its members continue to describe their life together with three simple commitments: welcoming all people, building community, and serving God and neighbor.