During the Civil War, a new sect emerged, not because of religious differences but because of politics. It began in the Methodist Episcopal Church where most of the hierarchy were rabid abolitionists. It frequently manifested itself in tirades from the pulpit which many of the parishioners took exception to. The exception was that the national democratic policy was to avoid war, leave the slave states alone and prohibit slavery everywhere else whereas the others, mostly Republicans, wanted total abolition. The two sides became more and more polarized until some of the “Democrat Methodists” broke away and formed the Christian Union Church.

Soon, the new sect grew traction and started spreading across the country. It came to Madison County in 1866 when evangelists from Missouri began proselytizing in Iowa and drew away some of the Methodists who had been attending the Elm Grove Church in Scott Township. They grew from a few worshipers to enough to declare themselves a Christian Union Church (also known locally as the Olive Branch church), eventually gaining parity in size with the Elm Grove Church congregation. One of the reasons for the remarkable growth was a somewhat more laid back approach to the Christian Union church's religious proceedings.

The growth peaked out in the early 1870s and as the Civil War fervor was gone, many returned to the Methodist church, some moved away and some just quit going to church. By about 1876, it was totally dissolved although there still is a small national Christian Union church organization today.

There was no church building. They first met in local homes, eventually getting access to a schoolhouse for their services. They did start a building fund and were on the cusp of building a stone church in Scott Township when the decline in membership began and the plans were laid aside. There is evidence that at least two other groups in Madison County started Christian Union congregations but the Scott Township church is the only one fairly well documented.

Some of the preachers in Scott Township included Revs. Goode, Renfro, and K. D. Wolfe. Some of the families who participated were Landis, Allen, Kirk, Ogburn, James, Dorrell, and Pettit.

For a very lengthy, detailed account of this church, see the source listed below.

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