Having no house of worship, this little group of disciples met each Lord's day at the homes of the members for the observance of the Lord's Supper.
The meeting held by the Kendricks resulted in the addition of nearly a hundred names to the membership. Coming mostly from the Baptists, they claimed a share in the ownership of the Baptist church building, and met there for worship on Sunday afternoons until their own house was completed, in 1845. This was a tasteful, comfortable brick structure on the site of the present building, was dedicated to God's service by Benjamin Franklin, in the summer of 1845. At that early date they had no regular preacher, but the simple service was conducted by the local members, with an occasional visit from President Shannon and Prof. Robert Milligan, of Bacon College, at Harrodsburg, only ten miles distant. Alexander Campbell visited the church and preached two sermons in 1855. The services were usually conducted by James Graves, and after his death, Dr. Sumrell Ayres was virtually the only preacher the church had for some years. He was a man of exalted character, of splendid mental gifts, and deeply devoted to the church. In the later years of his life his claim of certain prerogatives as senior elder was disputed, and troubles of a serious kind fell upon the church and crippled it for some years.
Unhappily, the records of the early history of the church are lost, and what is known of its younger life is largely traditional. The first regularly employed preacher, the writer believes, was Curtis Smith, not long after 1850, and since that time, save when interrupted by the Civil War, the congregation has had regular preaching.
The first building was destroyed by fire in 1860, but steps were promptly taken to rebuild, and the present house was far enough advanced by October, 1862, to be used by the Federal Army as a hospital for their wounded at the battle of Perryville. The interior had to be renewed after this occupation, and this house was dedicated in 1866, as was the first, twenty-one years before, by Benjamin Franklin, of Cincinnati. Following is a list, complete, and in regular order, as far as can now be ascertained, of the ministers who have served this congregation:
Dr. Ayres, Curtis Smith, John I. Rogers, O. P. Miller, W. W. Carter, W. H. Blanks, A. M. Streater, John I. Rogers, (a second term) J. B. McGinn, J. C. Walden, W. R. Taylor, S. W. Crutcher, O. A. Bartholomew, Wm. H. Stanley, J. S. Kendrick, and H. C. Garrison, who has been with the church since October 1, 1899.
The present membership of the church is about 450. It is a "Living Link" church in Foreign, Home, and State missions.