Our History
Beginning March 22, 1964, Evangelist Raymond Bennett held a revival meeting with the Fruitland Christian Church of Fruitland, Maryland. His brother Dave Bennett was a minister there at the time. During the meeting a new work at Seaford was discussed. Dave Bennett knew no less than three families who were interested. Raymond Bennett was asked to consider the proposed Seaford work and he agreed to pray about it and let the brethren know. His next meeting began April 6 in Springfield, Kentucky. It was from Springfield that he made the decision to return to Delmarva.
The Christian Church of Seaford held its first meeting April 16, 1964 in the home of D.V. Knight. The service was conducted by Dave Bennett. Dave conducted prayer meetings and business meetings at Seaford until Raymond arrived.
The charter membership services were directed by David Bennett, Sunday June 7, 1964. On August 2 of that year, the church was incorporated as "Christian Church of Seaford". The property at 312 Third Street was rented for the church as a temporary location. Evangelist Raymond Bennett arrived at Seaford in November 1964 to begin a very fruitful five and half year ministry.
The initial growth of the Seaford congregation took place in the first few years at the small Third Street building. The congregation rapidly outgrew the small building. The church moved to Cannon grange in 1967 for one year. The first services in the new building were on January 28, 1968. And at that point the Christian Church of Seaford became financially independant from the Ocean View Church of Christ which had been helping to support the Seaford congregation in its beginnings.
Raymond Bennett left Seaford on April 6, 1970 and was succeeded by Robert Kidwell from New Miami, Ohio where he had been ministering for over nine years. Bob Kidwell moved to Delaware and began his ministry in Seaford on June 6, 1970. The Seaford congregation figures prominently in the planning of a congregation in Dover Delaware, The Capital City Church of Christ. Raymond Bennett felt God's calling to begin a new work on Delmarva and after raising support he returned and with two families who lived in Dover and attended Seaford, he began a new congregation in Dover.
The congregation continued to grow and worship together on Cannon until the purchase of property on Sussex Highway/ Route 13. With the new construction underway, the church property was sold and later the previously built parsonage in Blades was also sold.
After Bob Kidwell departed, Evangelist Frank Dye became the new minister at Seaford, then Matthew Sheep, Phil Sutton, Johnny Herbst 2005-2008, Pete Short became an interim preacher for 6 months in 2009, John Lanier 2009-2010, Neil Gilliland became another short term interim preacher until Kenny Zugg of Ohio became the minister in 2013-2016. Pete Short filled the pulpit again for a short time in 2017. At that time Art Decker, previously the minister in Ocean View Delaware, was attending Seaford and with the establishment of Elders, he being one of them, he became an interim Preaching Elder. In June 2022 Chris Maddox II was installed as the preaching minister for the Christian Church of Seaford.
Seaford has three Timothies: Bill Kidwell, Preacher at Gateway Church of Christ in Mardela Maryland; David McCants, Preacher at Two Rivers Church of Christ in New Bern North Carolina; and Dan Nichols, preacher at Glen Lyn Christian Church in Glen Lyn Virginia.
The Christian Church of Seaford held its first meeting April 16, 1964 in the home of D.V. Knight. The service was conducted by Dave Bennett. Dave conducted prayer meetings and business meetings at Seaford until Raymond arrived.
The charter membership services were directed by David Bennett, Sunday June 7, 1964. On August 2 of that year, the church was incorporated as "Christian Church of Seaford". The property at 312 Third Street was rented for the church as a temporary location. Evangelist Raymond Bennett arrived at Seaford in November 1964 to begin a very fruitful five and half year ministry.
The initial growth of the Seaford congregation took place in the first few years at the small Third Street building. The congregation rapidly outgrew the small building. The church moved to Cannon grange in 1967 for one year. The first services in the new building were on January 28, 1968. And at that point the Christian Church of Seaford became financially independant from the Ocean View Church of Christ which had been helping to support the Seaford congregation in its beginnings.
Raymond Bennett left Seaford on April 6, 1970 and was succeeded by Robert Kidwell from New Miami, Ohio where he had been ministering for over nine years. Bob Kidwell moved to Delaware and began his ministry in Seaford on June 6, 1970. The Seaford congregation figures prominently in the planning of a congregation in Dover Delaware, The Capital City Church of Christ. Raymond Bennett felt God's calling to begin a new work on Delmarva and after raising support he returned and with two families who lived in Dover and attended Seaford, he began a new congregation in Dover.
The congregation continued to grow and worship together on Cannon until the purchase of property on Sussex Highway/ Route 13. With the new construction underway, the church property was sold and later the previously built parsonage in Blades was also sold.
After Bob Kidwell departed, Evangelist Frank Dye became the new minister at Seaford, then Matthew Sheep, Phil Sutton, Johnny Herbst 2005-2008, Pete Short became an interim preacher for 6 months in 2009, John Lanier 2009-2010, Neil Gilliland became another short term interim preacher until Kenny Zugg of Ohio became the minister in 2013-2016. Pete Short filled the pulpit again for a short time in 2017. At that time Art Decker, previously the minister in Ocean View Delaware, was attending Seaford and with the establishment of Elders, he being one of them, he became an interim Preaching Elder. In June 2022 Chris Maddox II was installed as the preaching minister for the Christian Church of Seaford.
Seaford has three Timothies: Bill Kidwell, Preacher at Gateway Church of Christ in Mardela Maryland; David McCants, Preacher at Two Rivers Church of Christ in New Bern North Carolina; and Dan Nichols, preacher at Glen Lyn Christian Church in Glen Lyn Virginia.
Christian Church of Seaford
22581 Sussex Highway, Seaford, DE 19973 302-629-6298 officeCCSeaford@gmail.com |
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