Oak Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church is an active rural congregation with worship services, CPW, Crusaders, Young Peoples Group, Choir, and Sunday School.  Church people continue to gather and worship in the community. 

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Our History

Because early church records were burned in the house fire of Mr. and Mrs. John McElrath in September 1935, little is known of oak Grove during the early years.  The following information had been handed down by earlier members:

"Around the year 1875, 1/4 mile south of the present church, in a log school house named Friendship, several of the local families met to worship and organize a church.  They called the fellowship Friendship Church.  A few years later the congregation built a frame building near the school on property donated by Mr. G. B. McEltarh.  The congregation met in that building for several years."

October 12, 1878, W. J. (Siam) Lamb was sent as the first representative from the congregation to the fall meeting of the Obion Presbytery, West Tennessee Synod of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.  This meeting was held in Shilo, KY, in Calloway County.  On that Saturday afternoon, Oak Grove Church was received under the care of Obion Presbytery, and "W. J. Lamb took his seat." ¹  The congregation was received under the name of Oak Grove. 

Ministerial Candidate M. D. Jones, who is said to have organized the congregation, was petitioned as the first pastor.  Brother Jones was promised $25.00 a year for preaching one Sunday a month, weather permitting. ¹

Our earlier members also told us:

"In 1892, because membership growth and needing a better building that would be located on better roads, a new church location was sought.  Mr. G. B. McElrath gave one acre of land, 1/4mile north of the first location, for the site of a new church building.  It was reported that Henry Miller built the church for labor cost of $114.00.  Members furnished materials.  That structure is included in the sanctuary of the present building we are now using."

In 1951 the church structure was lifted, and original corner sandstones were removed, being replaced with a solid foundation.  From this date many structural additions and improvements have been made. 

The Dexter Cumberland Church, located at Dexter, KY, merged with Oak Grove on March 9, 1958.  Oak Grove accepted those members and elders of the Dexter Church that wished to become a part of the congregation. 

A church manse was built in 1964 on land given by Nell and Grady Gordon.  1975 and 1985 the McElrath heirs gave Oak Grove three acres of land for church use.  Two additional acres of land were purchased in 1978 and 1980; being dedicated in the summer of 1987 as the Oak Grove Friendship Park. 

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