For over 145 years First Christian Church has been a worshiping, caring, Christ-centered congregation in Hoopeston, Illinois.  From its humble 1872 – 1873 creation of a 30 by 48 foot church building, this modern two-story church building now encompasses nearly a city block on East Main Street in Hoopeston, Illinois.  Strong, effective Christian leadership and a pleasant practice of hospitality by its members provide creative traditional and modern worship experiences, religious education for all ages, fellowship and mission opportunities.  These programs and activities are designed to enhance spiritual growth, and foster a sense of commitment to be loving witnesses of God’s presence and loving faithfulness to our communities.   Our glorious and faithful past has led us to a mission-centered and engaging present, which also points the way to an exciting future.
 
Interesting facts about First Christian Church, Hoopeston, IL:
  • The “Chronicle” dated January 2, 1873 states “The Christian denomination have about 30 members and have a neat Church nearly finished, 30 by 48 feet.”
  • The membership had increased rapidly with one of the largest Sunday School class in the city, a larger building was built on the Fourth and Main Streets in 1899.
  • The Hoopeston Chronicle Herald of December 18, 1953 gave this account: “Fire completely destroyed the First Church of Christ building at 502 East Main Street last night.  Supposedly starting from an overheated furnace in the basement, the blaze roared up to the roof where the wind quickly spread it throughout the entire building.”
  • Chronicle Herald, September 26, 1955 reported this: “Approximately 800 persons attended special services for the dedication of the new Church of Christ.”
  • Nearly 45 years later, this large church building has been renovated to include an elevator, central air conditioning, and a new furnace in the year 2000.
  • First Christian Church is not just a building, it is a loving Christian community that worships God, serves its surrounding communities, and spreads the gospel of God’s love throughout Hoopeston and around the world for over 145 year.
  • Although self-governing, FCC is affiliated with Regional Christian Church in Illinois and Wisconsin and The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. We hold that “in essentials, unity; in opinion, liberty; in all things, LOVE.”
 
Thank you to Willis Bird for providing many of these facts.
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