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In 1985, the Church of Christ meeting at the corner of Broadway and Madison Streets in Springfield, Missouri and the Scenic and Weaver Road Church of Christ just south of Springfield merged together to create the Sunset Church of Christ. The merged congregations met together at the Scenic and Weaver Road building until a new facility was completed at 1222 West Sunset Street on the southwest corner of the city. When the merged group began meeting in the new building in March of 1986, there were around 140 members, but over the next 20 years it continued to grow steadily, reaching 600 members by 1998. With the Springfield area growing rapidly, especially to the south of the city, the leadership at Sunset began to consider the possibility of starting a new congregation somewhere in the area. After some demographic research, it was determined that Nixa, Missouri would be an ideal location. Nixa, located between Springfield and the Country Music Mecca of Branson, Missouri, was the fastest-growing city in the fastest-growing county in Missouri. Other area congregations were consulted and also indicated their support for such an effort. Sunset researched the "planting" concept, consulted with church leaders who had led such efforts in other locations and visited both a "planted" congregation and its "planting" sponsor in Abilene, Texas. Next the committee began looking for a suitable property in the Nixa area and a search was launched for a minister to work with those Sunset members who would make up the core group of the new congregation. In March of 1999, 18 acres on the west edge of Nixa was purchased and in February 2000, Steve Martin, along with his wife, Amy and son Abraham, came from Wichita Falls, Texas to help develop the core planting group and serve as pulpit minister for the new congregation. The property on Nicholas Road west of Nixa was situated on a hill at the original site of the old Union Grove country school house, and many "old-timers" remembered a small community there once known as Union Chapel. Thus, the name "Union Hill Church of Christ" was chosen for the new congregation. The voluntary core group first began meeting separately on Sunday evenings at the Sunset building as they continued planning, preparing and praying for the actual planting. A temporary meeting place was secured, and with the support and encouragement of the Sunset congregation, the Union Hill Church of Christ met for its first Sunday morning worship service on December 3, 2000. Since that time the congregation has grown steadily and currently has over 300 members, with Sunday morning worship attendance averaging 350. We held our first service in the new location on Nicholas Road on May 7, 2006. The congregation is very mission minded and is dedicated to serving the community and teaching the good news of Jesus. Our missions and ministries page contains more information about these efforts thus far, and we look forward to the completion of our new building and even greater opportunities for growth and service in the future.
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