History of Rossville Presbyterian Church

In 1831 Indiana was the edge of the frontier. The first settler took up land in Ross Township in 1828. The area’s first gathering of Presbyterians for worship was held three years later at the home of Samuel Seawright, about one and one half miles northwest of Rossville. The minister was the Rev. James Carnahan who had founded the Frankfort Presbyterian Church early in 1831.

Rev. L.G. Bell succeeded Rev. Carnahan. Both men were missionaries sent into Indiana before the Civil War. Rev. Bell found pioneers who were intent on building more than homes and farms. In 1834 he met with nineteen settlers on the Middlefork of the Wildcat Creek to form a Middlefork Presbyterian Church. Their first building built of logs was actually just north of the county line in Carroll County on Prince William Road. In 1838 the congregation moved to Rossville and held services in the school house until a frame building was constructed at 61 W. Main St. During those years there was no settled minister. Presbytery assigned pulpit supply and services were held regularly but probably only once a month. In 1844 the Presbytery formally changed the name of the church to Rossville Presbyterian Church as it has remained since.

A number of pastors served the congregation over the next 38 years. In 1882, 20 members of the congregation became charter members of the newly formed Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church about five miles south of Rossville. The two churches jointly engaged the services of a pastor and continued this practice as yoked congregations until 2003.

In 1887, a brick building was built on the site at 61 W. Main St. at a cost of $7000. The building served the congregation well for over 110 years although improvements were added along the way. In 1941, the men of the church dug a basement under the sanctuary. In 1961 a Christian Education Building was added on the south side of the church. In 1959 the property to the west of the church was purchased jointly with Pleasant Hill to serve as a manse.

In 1996 a committee was appointed to study whether to expand the current church building or build a new structure. Accessibility was a key issue. While a committee studied the issue, Richard and Kathryn (K.T.) Roth graciously offered to donate five acres of land at the west edge of Rossville for the construction of a new church. A unanimous decision was made to build.

A building design committee worked with Fbi Builders of Remington, IN to design a structure able to serve the congregation and the community for many years to come. Ground was broken on May 3, 1998. Eight months later the doors of the old church were symbolically locked and worship began at the new site.

One of the main objectives in building a new church was to be able to house a state licensed childcare program. Rainbow Connection Childcare opened it’s doors to the community in July 1999.

As of 2003, both the old church and the manse were sold. The Rossville and Pleasant Hill congregations  dissolved their yoke arrangement.. The Rossville congregation  voted to hire their first female pastor, Rev. Gretchen Schneider, who began  her pastorate  on November 30. She is  the fortieth pastor to serve the congregation during the one hundred sixty nine years of its existence. The active membership of the church is 178. The congregation boasts of active youth groups, chancel choir, men’s choir, and a children’s choir.

Rev. Schneider left us in 2005. Although we have been without a permanent pastor, we have thrived and our mission life has flourished. Thirty six members of our church family have been on one or more missions to Mississippi aiding those affected by Hurricane Katrina. We participated in a Habitat for Humanity build with other Presbyterian churches in the area. 

We have hired Rev. Robert McAulay Jr. to serve as our interim pastor and currently have a pulpit nominating committee working to find a match for us as we continue our 175 year tradition as Presbyterians in our community. We are very proud of the fact that through the efforts of everyone, we were able to burn our mortgage in December of 2007. 

The church historian maintains a complete history of the Rossville Presbyterian Church including a listing of pastors who have served the church.