The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kimball was built in 1901 and continued to hold services until 1966, when the branch merged with Petrolia and moved locations.
The Elder John H. Lake and Elder J.S. Snively were two missionaries who came to the Kimball area in 1868 and began to preach in schoolhouses and private homes. It was around this time that other families of the church also moved to the area. In the following year the group met at the home of Elder Robert Davis and it was decided that they would organize a branch of the church, called the Olive Branch. Robert Davis was chosen as the Presiding Elder.
Services continued to be held in private homes, and Sunday School was held in a room above Kimball Store. The building of a small church was completed after Brother David Johnson was spoken to in a gift, and told to “loosen his purse strings”. He then decided to pay for the construction of the church in its entirety, and it was dedicated in 1903.
Over the next several years, many improvements were made to the building, including the installation of lamps, addition of a basement and extension, installation of a furnace and electric lights. In 1955, it was decided that the branch would be renamed the “Kimball Branch” and the Olive Branch name would be discontinued.
Discussions began in 1966 about the possibility of merging the Kimball Branch with the Petrolia Branch, and moving to the Moore Line School Building. The building was inspected by members of the church in April of 1966. The Petrolia Branch purchased the building for $10,550.00 with the expectation that the Kimball Branch would join them. In June of that year the vote was taken and the decision was finalized to merge the two branches and sell the Kimball church location. The Women’s Department took on many projects to help fund the new branch, including bake sales, catering weddings and other events, quilting, hosting a bazaar and a luncheon. On Oct 16th, Petrolia and Kimball joined to form the LaSalle Road Branch.
The LaSalle Road Branch opened in 1966, and Harry Wellington was elected the First Presiding Elder. At the first meeting on October 16th of 1966, the group elected officers and named the branch officially. The Kimball Branch building was sold later that year for $3,400.00. Both branches transferred their separate funds to the new branch, for a total of $2,665.64.
The first wedding was held at the branch in the summer of 1967 and was performed by Elder Allan Badder. The Women’s Department continued to be extremely active, holding bake sales, receptions for weddings and funerals, bazaars, teas and even a senior members’ dance party.
In the 1970s several renovations were done to the building including adding a new heating system, installing carpet and repainting. Sunday School rooms were also built onto the church.
In 2001 the church changed its name to Community of Christ Church. This change was done, in part, to help make the distinction between the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who, despite the similarity in their names, subscribe to different beliefs.
The Community of Christ LaSalle Road Congregation continues to hold weekly events at the location on LaSalle Line, including discussion class, worship and kids club, under the guidance of Pastor Vonda Den Boer.
