Central Christian Church

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Eight years after the City of Austin was platted, in 1847, ten people sat down together — just ten — and decided they were going to build something that would last. They were members of the Disciples of Christ Brotherhood, and what they founded that day would grow into one of the oldest churches in Austin.

Now, ten folks doesn't sound like much of a crowd. But then again, most things worth talkin' about started smaller than you'd expect. The early records are scarce — the marker tells us that plainly — so we can't say exactly what those first years looked like, chapter and verse.

What we do know is that by 1852, regular worship services were bein' held in a local school building. The congregation called itself the Christian Church of Austin back then, and eventually it acquired its first real property, over at Eighth and Colorado Street. That became home for a good long while.

Now, no church history worth its salt goes without a little turbulence, and this one's no different. In 1888, an early dispute over theological and procedural matters split the congregation. Whatever the disagreement was, it ran deep enough to divide the fellowship.

And here's a detail that tells you something about how this church operated in those years: until 1896, the leaders of the church were selected from among the laity. It wasn't until that year that the Reverend S. D.

Dutcher was appointed pastor — the first to hold that role. Time kept movin'. Other Disciples of Christ congregations got organized around Austin, and somewhere in the early years of the twentieth century, the fellowship adopted the name it still carries today: Central Christian Church.

It's a name that speaks to where it stands — not just geographically, but in the life of the city itself. In 1929, the congregation moved to its current location, leaving Eighth and Colorado behind. And while much of Austin's growth has pushed outward into the outlying sections of the city, Central Christian has stayed put — a steady presence in the downtown area.

Its ministry has included the establishment of several other congregations, which means those ten people who gathered in 1847 planted something that kept branching out long after they were gone. Ten members. A schoolhouse.

A split. A pastor. A new name.

And nearly two centuries of service and leadership to the city of Austin. That's not a small story — that's the whole arc of a community, right there on one marker.

What the marker says

In 1847, Eight years after the City of Austin was platted, ten members of the Disciples of Christ Brotherhood met to organize this congregation. Although early records of the church are scarce, it is know that regular worship services were being held in a local school building by 1852. The Christian Church of Austin, as the congregation originally was know, acquired its first property at Eighth and Colorado Street and worshiped at that site until moving to this location in 1929. An early dispute over theological and procedural matters split the congregation in 1888. Until 1896, when the Rev.S .D. Dutcher was appointed pastor, leaders of the church were selected from among the laity. The fellowship adopted its current name during the early years of the twentieth century, after other disciples of Christ congregations had been organized in Austin. Although much growth has occurred in the outlying sections of the city, Central Christian Church has remained a vital force in downtown area, its ministry has included the establishment of several other congregations. As one of the oldest churches in Austin, Central Christian has provided the city with significant service and leadership.** (1985)***