Howard Street Christian Church

(Disciples of Christ)

Established 1891

Home

Our History

Activities

Youth Page

Construction

Original Building  built in 1891

Our History

In 1890 a group of about two dozen faithful individuals gathered to organize the Howard Street Christian Church. Meetings were held in the Cain’s Opera House and later the Presbyterian Church. 

 

1891, the congregation of about 50, decided to build a sanctuary at Howard and Locust Streets.

1892 the church was built and the only complaints recorded about the building were, “That it was too fine a building for Colfax.”  After that, the building of the church (both physical and spiritual) never stopped.

1893, a district meeting of central Iowa Disciples was held in our sanctuary, & in 1894 electric wiring was added.1

1900, community religious services began along with the Colfax Ministerial Association,

1910 our pastor was Jesse Bader who later headed the Evangelism Department of the National Council of Churches,

1911 church membership had grown to 243 members,

1913 Women’s Christian Board of Missions was well established.

1916 there were extensive repairs and decorating – (services held at Methodist / Presbyterian)

1920 the sanctuary basement was added – stucco was added also

1922 a women’s group called the Dorcas Society was begun and sponsored an annual chicken pie supper (at 35 cents a plate)

1925 a south door was put into the basement along with sidewalks

1945 the parsonage on Front Street was purchased

1947 remodeling was done along with the sanctuary’s North tower being lowered and again in the 1960’s

1950, evangelist Billy Graham spoke at a youth rally in our sanctuary

1957 the Junis property was purchased and the educational classrooms were built in 1959 (mortgage burned in 1961)

1961 a new parsonage was purchased on High Street (mortgage burned in 1966)

1964 paneling was added due to deterioration of the plaster walls

1966 talk began about building a fellowship hall amid cries of “We’ll never get it paid for,”

1968 the Fellowship Hall was built and the mortgage retired within 6 years

1973 adjacent ground was purchased from the Plummer family (pd. off in 1982)

1978 the puppet ministry began

In the 80’s a Wednesday night “family night” program began, along with  a clowning ministry, Sunday Night Lenten Concerts and  Easter Dramas written and directed by Duane Skidmore and performed by members of the congregation

1982, extensive remodeling was done on the fellowship hall

1983, the old church sanctuary was torn-down, and Sunday services were held in the fellowship hall

1984 work was begun on the new sanctuary with final payment made in January of 1991 ( 7 years at a final cost of over $200,000)

2000, the property west of the Church was purchased for future needs and the alley between the two properties was closed just this last year

2007, Construction has started on a new Family Life Center which will add over 7,300 sq ft to our present church ( at an estimated cost of $700,000)

 

And today we find ourselves using video in the church,  the Wed. night program ministry still flourishes, along with the restart of the puppet and drama ministries. (oh, yeah, clowns have also been spotted from time to time as well!)

 

So, as you can see, we have a rich history of visioning for the needs of present and future ministries. Our ancestors and most everyone here today, has been a part of this extraordinary journey.

 

Contact Us

Where Are We

Church Calendar