ATHENS, TX - At the end of September, First Christian Church of Athens donated $100,000 to the Trinity Valley Community College Foundation to establish a scholarship endowment, creating a lasting legacy of educational support for future generations of TVCC students. 

Kandi Jones, Director of the TVCC Foundation, emphasized the long-term impact of the contribution and the opportunities it will create for students.

“This endowment will provide scholarships to multiple students every year from now on, allowing the First Christian Church’s legacy to continue forever,” Jones said. “Any student with a 2.5 grade point average or higher can qualify for this scholarship.”

The contribution is part of a larger effort by the congregation to give back to the community it has served for more than a century. As church membership has declined in recent years, members have chosen to redirect their financial resources toward organizations that continue to make a difference throughout Henderson County.

Barbara Schmidt, Board Secretary and Disciples Women’s Ministry (DWM) President, said the congregation wanted its contributions to have a lasting impact.

“I think one of the key things is that we wanted a legacy for the church that would be ongoing,” she said.

When considering organizations to support, the congregation sought institutions with an established presence in the community and the potential to make a lasting impact. Barbara said TVCC stood out because of its continued commitment to serving the area.

The church has contributed to approximately 30 churches and organizations or is in the process of distributing donations to them. In addition to monetary contributions, they have also donated physical items from the church, such as furniture, Bibles, and hymnals. Church members Carol Wehmeyer and Leona Bruce have coordinated the distribution of these items in hopes to provide anything they can for other local churches and organizations. Barbara explained that the decision followed years of prayer and reflection about the congregation’s future.

“We realized that we didn’t have the manpower, but we had money,” Barbara explained. “There were a lot of organizations in town doing good work that needed financial help, and we thought that this is what God intended us to do.”

The congregation ultimately determined that supporting established organizations would allow the church to continue its mission of service in a meaningful way.

First Christian Church of Athens has a long history of community involvement. Established in 1887, the congregation has supported numerous initiatives throughout its history, including helping establish the Henderson County Food Pantry and founding Labor of Love, an organization that provides home repairs for elderly and disabled residents at no cost. Their women’s group, DWM, has held an annual ham dinner and bazaar open to the community for 53 years, as well as many garage sales, to fund their numerous outreach projects.

The church also operated a Christian preschool from 1965 to 1986, helped establish Disciples Clinic, and supported Disciples Crossing Christian Camp and Lila Lane Outreach. Its community involvement has included hosting programs for military veterans, recovery group meetings, and assistance for Hurricane Katrina evacuees.

The congregation recently sold its property on Robbins Road to Athens ISD and plans to relocate to Disciples Crossing in Athens. Barbara emphasized that the transition does not mark the end of the church.

“We are not disbanding,” she said. “We are relocating.”

Before leaving its longtime home, First Christian Church of Athens will host a celebration service on Sunday, December 6, at 10:30 AM in the church sanctuary, located at 900 Robbins Road.

The service will recognize the church’s history and its contributions to the community and organizations it has supported over the years. The event is open to the public, with fellowship and food to follow.

Guided by its motto “Loving People, Loving God,” First Christian Church of Athens has spent generations serving the Athens community. Through its scholarship endowment at TVCC, that spirit of generosity will continue, creating educational opportunities for students and ensuring the church’s legacy of service lives on for years to come.