First Christian Church on Crane Ave. supported a single lady missionary in the early 40’s. When the United Christian Missionary Society (UCMS) took over, the church and the church and this church was started, her support was continued by us. Her name was Ethel Jones and her partner was Miss Schimmel. They worked in the Philippines and went thru Japanese internment for several years. The church continued her support thru that time, putting in a savings account for her. It was presented to her upon her release and return to the states. The Philippines were deemed too dangerous for singles ladies to be in, so they finished out their lives working at Sunset Beach Christian School. It still exists and has a website which affiliates it with Church of Christ (which we were called up until a few years ago). The current enrollment is around 110. It is a boarding school.

In the late 40’s we supported Woodrow Phillips while he, his wife Marjorie and their 4 children were in Jamaica.

In the late 50’s while Jim Phillips was in his first ministry with us, he met Australian Evangelist Doug Willis either by accident of as we prefer, by God’s leading. It was, I believe, in Seattle, Washington where Doug had just arrived ashore from working on a ship full of sheep in order to get to America and see how Christian/Churches of Christ were doing in America. That “chance” meeting led to a long relationship with one of the finest, most unselfish, hard working, true to the Gospel Preachers you would ever find. He held several Revival Crusaders for us – very successful & well attended. We bought him an Aerosphere Tent, which he used for many years in Australia before reaching out to Africa, Asia and many other parts of the world. He is big on training native preachers to be self-supporting while reaching out to their own people without needing outside support – hence the church grows on its own many places in the world. He also has corresponding courses and other ways of sharing the true Gospel to lots of the world.

Over the years we also have supported many other missions, a few that I remember are; a man who went to Pakistan in the 60’s or 70’s, an orphanage in Mexico, Theon Bigelow and Glendora Phillips near Brownsville Texas, an orphanage in the Philippines, San Jose Bible College, Encounter Ranch, Heavenly Hills Christian Camp and a Children’s Home in Oklahoma and Revival Fires TV program in the 70’s.

Our church has been called the following names: beginning with The Church at 310 W. Main, Eastside Church of Christ at Canal Drive then at Monte Vista, finally Sunrise Christian Church, but we have always tried to follow the New Testament teachings and the example of the early Church. May that never change.