Our Story

More than a century has passed since Elder Clifford Monroe preached on that first Sunday in October, 1890, to a group of forty worshippers gathered in a small store building at 23rd Street and Broadway. Calling during the day from house to house and preaching some nights, the congregation soon doubled. Many expressed a desire for a more permanent work, and with this in view, Evangelist Monroe offered to remain as pastor at a salary of $50 per month. A Sunday school was organized, and a prayer meeting established.

In March, the congregation moved to a larger store building at 17th Street and Broadway, and Articles of Incorporation were filed April 24, 1891. Thus was formally organized the Christian Church of Council Bluffs. The first Board met May 10, 1891, setting up the general policy of the church.

Desiring a permanent location, committees were named to buy a lot and arrange the building of a Tabernacle. With a 265 membership, the congregation moved to the Masonic Temple for services. The "Church Mirror" was published and mailed to 400 homes. Baptisms were performed in the old Baptist church.

In 1905, the Tabernacle mortgage was burned-the church debt free, but crowded. In 1907, the Tabernacle was razed and a larger, modern church building was built on the same site, dedicated October 31, 1909.

By 1917, great strides followed in all areas. The Bible School met in the city auditorium during a contest of nearly 1500 attendance. With an 800 average Bible School, classes were meeting everywhere; four in the balcony, one in the choir loft, two in the sanctuary, and Primaries, Beginners and Cradle Roll in the basement with Junior boys in the kitchen. The huge Men's class was forced to meet in the Strand theater. World War I called several from the Loyal Sons class-one did not return.

Soon, another building program was underway and classrooms built adjoining the church to the north, were dedicated in 1928. Pastor Kellison left with a number of members to form the Broadway Christian Church in 1927. Pastor M. P. Pringle was called in 1930 serving with love and compassion during the Depression years. Financial problems were acute, for many homes were without work or income. The KOIL radio station offered their used pipe organ for $50, which was purchased replacing the piano.

Once again we were in war, and boxes of cookies and candy sent to church boys in service while the church sorrowed with those who lost loved ones. A survey was taken, a store building rented at 11th Street and 20th Avenue and the Southside mission was started. Elders of First Christian assisted with the church service. Today Southside Christian is a thriving church with a membership of several hundred. Finances had improved as the war continued and First Christian was out of debt.

In 1961, a group of 31 persons (including some from Southside and under the blessing of both churches) established East Side Christian Church in their newly dedicated building at Bennett and Madison Avenue.

In 1962, Richard D. Hogan came to serve First Christian Church at Council Bluffs. With vision, energy, dedication, and God's guidance, great things began to happen at First Christian. All money-making projects were discontinued, and individual tithing encouraged to meet financial responsibilities of the church.

In 1964, our pastor, Dick, served on the Executive Committee that brought the Billy Graham Crusade to Omaha. There was great concern and many prayers for the safety of our living link missionary family, the Clifford Schaub family, who were pictured in LIFE magazine, in the Congo, Africa, whom rebels held captive for many months before being liberated by Dutch paratroopers.

With attendance soaring and the Bible School filling every nook and corner, including two adjoining houses, a committee was named and a building fund drive begun for a new educational building and fellowship hall. Ground was broken and the dream of many years realized as the $350,000 modern, air-conditioned educational unit with large fellowship hall, kitchen and offices was completed and dedicated June 4,1967.

Beginning with a dream in 1965 of taking Christ to the deaf, Duane and Peggy King began Deaf Missions (incorporated in Iowa law 1971) and established Christ's Church of the Deaf. Meeting in the small chapel of First Christian, only one person came. Soon attendance reached nine worshippers. They now employ their own pastor, and carry full responsibility for their church.

First Christian with area churches purchased the missile base at Louisville, Nebraska, and established the Camp of the Risen Son. Glen Stemple, along with our pastor, served on the MSCEA responsible for the project. With improvements through the years, a beautiful facility is enjoyed by Christian churches in the area.

Attendance records were set in the early 1970's with 1527 persons in morning worship and 1524 in Bible School. Two identical worship services were required as attendance continued to soar, and between the two services Pastor Hogan taught a large adult Bible class in the sanctuary, often reaching 100.

We praise God and rejoiced as the mortgage on the new educational unit was burned, March 16, 1975. The Board, with vision and foresight, had purchased income property to Sixth Street for future expansion and knowing Kanesville Boulevard would take part of the old building.

In 1979, the congregation voted to construct a $1,800,000 sanctuary. We sold the old building to the Iowa Department of Transportation. DOT paid $473,000 for the old church, and bonds of $1,800,000 maturing in fifteen years were sold to members and friends. The beautiful new sanctuary was completed and dedicated June 21, 1981. The church continued to grow.

Again, First Christian is bursting at the seams - more space is needed. A projection ministry created by the Board, chaired by Dennis Gray, presented the architects' concept of proposed building expansion on Washington Avenue from Scott to Sixth Street, representing two years of study.

Exciting things were happening at FCC. During "LIFT UP CHRIST CRUSADE" 92 members were added to the congregation in a six month period. Recognizing the physical hunger within the city, Heart and Soul musical group directed by Joel Burkum gave concerts with the goal of "FEED 5,000." Incredibly 13,000 were fed within the city and county and the Sonshine Food Pantry was established. And the music department of FCC was also growing. With five vocal choirs from 6 years to 60 (Rock of Agers), and instrumental bellchoirs, chimes, and orchestra, nearly 200 persons are involved in the music program of the church.

Meeting with area churches in 1982, Dr. Hogan was elected chairman of a Steering Committee with a goal of establishing a retirement center. Overcoming innumerable obstacles, Risen Son Christian Village, of Christian Homes, Inc., was dedicated on November 4,1990.

With a local membership nearing 1,800, there were many ministries within First Christian for all who wished to serve. Three church buses provided transportation to Sunday morning services and were available for other church activities. Extension services were held each Sunday morning at three nursing homes with elders/deacons serving communion. Also, communion was taken to the hospitals or to home shut-ins. Women visited hospitals weekly, taking gifts, visit members in nursing homes, serving bereavement meals, wedding receptions, special church dinners, provided nursery care for all services, arranged mother/daughter teas, provided refreshments for all special services and assisted wherever needed. Several Bible Bowl teams competed in area, and national competitions. Not to be forgotten was the athletic program (softball, cub baseball and basketball) with honors and trophies won.

In 1993, and after 31 years of service, Dr. Hogan began a new ministry in Bella Vista, Arkansas, and Dave Erickson was called to the pulpit of FCC. Under his leadership the church has continued to grow. The three worship services have taken on their own unique styles, each reaching a different type of member. Once again, we are in need of more classrooms, a larger sanctuary, more meeting places, and more parking.

Over the next several years, studies on church growth and reconfiguration sparked many new questions about FCC future. In January, 1998, Operation Footprint was launched, a pursuit to expand the landholdings of FCC in downtown Council Bluffs. Properties were purchased next to the church building with the intentions of closing Sixth Street, building a Family Life Center, and increasing parking. However, obstacles arose, costs were weighed, and through much prayer and petition the congregation decided on May 20, 2001, to abandon Operation Footprint and begin looking for other areas in Council Bluffs to build a new facility that will meet our growing needs. So, on Sunday, February 17, 2002, we officially began our Step of Faith campaign.