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FCC History in Beaumont

 

For more than 100 years First Christian Church has been part of the community in Beaumont. In 1994 the church was presented a Texas Historical Marker in recognition of a century of being a religious congregation.

The church had its beginnings in 1894 when a small band of Christians invited a Dallas evangelist to the town for a meeting. The congregation first met in Temperance Hall, Fireman's Hall, the City Auditorium and a donated building until the first church was dedicated in 1905 on the corner of Magnolia and North. Over the years the structure was remodeled until finally in 1957 the congregation realized the need for relocating to a new building. In 1962 the present church was dedicated on a 20-acre wooded site in Caldwood Addition.

The current facility includes a sanctuary with impressive stained glass windows. A separate building houses the educational wing and Fellowship Hall.
From its earliest days the church has been an active part of the community through its many service and outreach programs. The congregation was instrumental in forming three other Christian Churches in the city: Washington Boulevard, Northwood and University.

In the 1950s the congregation recognized the need for camping facilities for our youth and built Camp Wildurr in Lumberton which was active until 1987 when the Beaumont School District purchased it for an outdoor education center. In 1969 the church became one of the founding sponsors of Some Other Place, a community-wide mission now supported by nearly 50 congregations which provides food, clothing and other help for the needy.

 

In 1971 First Christian enlisted four other churches of different denominations to participate in a "Lenten Interfaith Preaching Series". The program still continues with seven churches who annually bring a noted speaker for a series of sermons to the combined congregations. Responding to a need in the city, the church in 1974 made available a building on the church grounds for exclusive use by Alcoholics Anonymous. Numerous meetings a week are held at the building. The main church buildings have also been used over the years by many organizations.

First Christian Church has grown from a small band of Christians meeting in a borrowed hall to a congregation worshipping in a large, modern facility. The spirit of those early days remains, however, as we draw strength from our heritage to meet the challenges of the church in modern society and to be a viable part of the community of faith and of man.