a short(ish) local history of united disciples of christ church
The United Disciples of Christ Church of Charleston, West Virginia, is a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a uniquely American denomination formed on the frontier with the Christian Church and Disciples of Christ movements which merged to form the current denomination in 1832.
The United Disciples of Christ Church is itself unique, a union of two congregations with long histories in the Kanawha Valley into a new and vigorous congregation committed to continuing the Disciples mission and to Christian service in the community of which it is a part.
First Christian Church
The first sermon by a Disciples Minister in Charleston was preached by George W. Ogden in 1888. Fifteen people decided to form a church and called a pastor in 1890. The Church was known as First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), one of the two ancestors of the United Disciples of Christ Church. First Christian met in several locations before purchasing land at the corner of Washington and Beauregard Streets in Charleston’s East End in 1917. A Church was completed in 1927, and an education wing was added in 1967.
First Christian served Charleston and the Kanawha Valley for well over 100 years. It provided opportunities for spiritual growth for its members and support for local social-action organizations; including a major role in the establishment of Union Mission in 1910. As is the tradition in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), First Christian was active in ecumenical activities. Its facilities were often made available to outside groups.
Boyd Memorial
The other ancestor congregation of the United Disciples of Christ Church was Boyd Memorial Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Boyd and First Christian had a connection that extended back to the beginning of the Boyd congregation. A Spanish-American war Captain, C.W. Boyd from Ohio, married Margaret McKeekin of Kentucky. Both had been raised in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). One of their six children, Mattie, married W.O. Daum of Charleston. The Daums became members of First Christian. Then, in 1916, Mattie Daum and a number of members of the Ladies’ Aid of First Christian established and supported a mission Sunday School on Charleston’s West Side, the new section of Charleston at that time. The Sunday School met in the old Indiana Avenue Baptist Church throughout the second half of 1916. On November 6, 1916, the West Side Church of Christ was chartered. The first services were held on December 3, 1916.
In early 1917, the Church location was moved to the New Light Church cottage on Delaware Avenue. Due largely to the generosity of Col. and Mrs. A.E. Humphreys (Mrs. Humphreys was a sister of Church founder, Mattie Daum), a building was constructed on the corner of Randolph Street and Delaware Avenue beginning in May 1917. A major addition was added in 1924-25.
At the request of Col. and Mrs. Humphreys, the name of the Church was changed to the Boyd Memorial Church of Christ. In 1925, the name was again changed to Boyd Memorial Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). As with First Christian, Boyd Memorial provided many organizations and activities for the spiritual development of its members and for addressing the social concerns of the community.
First Christian Church and Boyd Memorial faithfully served Charleston and the Kanawha Valley through most of the Twentieth Century. The geographical separation (Elk River) that in large part necessitated two separate congregations in a growing Charleston in the early part of the century no longer existed as the century came to an end. By the end of the century, both churches found themselves in deteriorating neighborhoods. Where once both had been neighborhood churches, now few members of the congregations came from within walking distance. Nevertheless, both churches remained closely involved in the communities in which they were located.
The Union
In the 1990s, a few members of the two congregations began to informally explore the possibility of a union of the two congregations to provide new vitality and resources for a stronger ministry. These initial conversations did not lead to any action but did plant a seed which would come to fruition in its season.
Discussions on Church union resumed in the early 2000s. In March of 2003, the two congregations each appointed members to a futures team to explore and make recommendations with regard to Church union. That team reported in January 2004, recommending a union of the two churches. Each congregation, in a meeting held on March 7, 2004, voted to approve the union. At a joint meeting of the congregations on November 7, 2004, a constitution and bylaws were adopted and an effective date for the union was established. The first services of The United Disciples of Christ Church were held on December 7, 2004.
The Location
United met for a brief period of time in the First and Boyd buildings. It was deemed important to find a meeting place that was not associated with either former church. United first moved to the Shrine Temple in Charleston where it held Sunday services while continuing to meet elsewhere for other matters. The Reverend Steven Smith was the first pastor called to serve the new Church.
In December 2007, United entered into a lease of the former Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Charleston. In February, 2009, United purchased 71 acres of land on Corridor G in South Charleston, West Virginia from Union Carbide Corporation. The Church then embarked on a capital funds campaign, the “On This Rock I Will. . .” campaign. The campaign was enormously successful, raising in excess of $600,000 over a three year period. A road was constructed to access the site in 2011 and construction of United’s new home commenced in October 2012. The first service in the new Church took place on May 5, 2013, which was a day of celebration for the congregation and the community. The road to the Church was paved the week of July 29, 2013 and has since been dedicated as a city street, named “United Disciples Drive.” New signage was recently placed at the entrance to United Disciples Drive.
The Church continues to grow and seek to discern and follow God’s plan for the future.
The United Disciples of Christ Church is itself unique, a union of two congregations with long histories in the Kanawha Valley into a new and vigorous congregation committed to continuing the Disciples mission and to Christian service in the community of which it is a part.
First Christian Church
The first sermon by a Disciples Minister in Charleston was preached by George W. Ogden in 1888. Fifteen people decided to form a church and called a pastor in 1890. The Church was known as First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), one of the two ancestors of the United Disciples of Christ Church. First Christian met in several locations before purchasing land at the corner of Washington and Beauregard Streets in Charleston’s East End in 1917. A Church was completed in 1927, and an education wing was added in 1967.
First Christian served Charleston and the Kanawha Valley for well over 100 years. It provided opportunities for spiritual growth for its members and support for local social-action organizations; including a major role in the establishment of Union Mission in 1910. As is the tradition in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), First Christian was active in ecumenical activities. Its facilities were often made available to outside groups.
Boyd Memorial
The other ancestor congregation of the United Disciples of Christ Church was Boyd Memorial Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Boyd and First Christian had a connection that extended back to the beginning of the Boyd congregation. A Spanish-American war Captain, C.W. Boyd from Ohio, married Margaret McKeekin of Kentucky. Both had been raised in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). One of their six children, Mattie, married W.O. Daum of Charleston. The Daums became members of First Christian. Then, in 1916, Mattie Daum and a number of members of the Ladies’ Aid of First Christian established and supported a mission Sunday School on Charleston’s West Side, the new section of Charleston at that time. The Sunday School met in the old Indiana Avenue Baptist Church throughout the second half of 1916. On November 6, 1916, the West Side Church of Christ was chartered. The first services were held on December 3, 1916.
In early 1917, the Church location was moved to the New Light Church cottage on Delaware Avenue. Due largely to the generosity of Col. and Mrs. A.E. Humphreys (Mrs. Humphreys was a sister of Church founder, Mattie Daum), a building was constructed on the corner of Randolph Street and Delaware Avenue beginning in May 1917. A major addition was added in 1924-25.
At the request of Col. and Mrs. Humphreys, the name of the Church was changed to the Boyd Memorial Church of Christ. In 1925, the name was again changed to Boyd Memorial Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). As with First Christian, Boyd Memorial provided many organizations and activities for the spiritual development of its members and for addressing the social concerns of the community.
First Christian Church and Boyd Memorial faithfully served Charleston and the Kanawha Valley through most of the Twentieth Century. The geographical separation (Elk River) that in large part necessitated two separate congregations in a growing Charleston in the early part of the century no longer existed as the century came to an end. By the end of the century, both churches found themselves in deteriorating neighborhoods. Where once both had been neighborhood churches, now few members of the congregations came from within walking distance. Nevertheless, both churches remained closely involved in the communities in which they were located.
The Union
In the 1990s, a few members of the two congregations began to informally explore the possibility of a union of the two congregations to provide new vitality and resources for a stronger ministry. These initial conversations did not lead to any action but did plant a seed which would come to fruition in its season.
Discussions on Church union resumed in the early 2000s. In March of 2003, the two congregations each appointed members to a futures team to explore and make recommendations with regard to Church union. That team reported in January 2004, recommending a union of the two churches. Each congregation, in a meeting held on March 7, 2004, voted to approve the union. At a joint meeting of the congregations on November 7, 2004, a constitution and bylaws were adopted and an effective date for the union was established. The first services of The United Disciples of Christ Church were held on December 7, 2004.
The Location
United met for a brief period of time in the First and Boyd buildings. It was deemed important to find a meeting place that was not associated with either former church. United first moved to the Shrine Temple in Charleston where it held Sunday services while continuing to meet elsewhere for other matters. The Reverend Steven Smith was the first pastor called to serve the new Church.
In December 2007, United entered into a lease of the former Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Charleston. In February, 2009, United purchased 71 acres of land on Corridor G in South Charleston, West Virginia from Union Carbide Corporation. The Church then embarked on a capital funds campaign, the “On This Rock I Will. . .” campaign. The campaign was enormously successful, raising in excess of $600,000 over a three year period. A road was constructed to access the site in 2011 and construction of United’s new home commenced in October 2012. The first service in the new Church took place on May 5, 2013, which was a day of celebration for the congregation and the community. The road to the Church was paved the week of July 29, 2013 and has since been dedicated as a city street, named “United Disciples Drive.” New signage was recently placed at the entrance to United Disciples Drive.
The Church continues to grow and seek to discern and follow God’s plan for the future.
