First Christian Church of Crockett

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm just along for the ride. Now, the First Christian Church of Crockett, Houston County, Texas. Some congregations arrive fully formed, like they just stepped out of a church-supply catalog.

This one did it the honest way. These folks gathered together, met, worshipped, figured out who they were, and did all of that for about two years before they even made it official. Then, in 1901, under the leadership of the Reverend Harry Hamilton, they formally organized.

Same year, they put up a wood sanctuary. A real one. Wood walls, wood floors, probably wood everything, and it served that congregation faithfully.

For decades, it served them. All the way until 1949, when a larger brick church edifice was erected to take its place. The congregation was growing, and wood had done its job.

Then 1960 comes along, and they added a fellowship hall, because a church that feeds people spiritually tends to want to feed them in other ways too. Now, here is where the story takes a turn, and it is the kind of turn that makes a good story worth telling. Membership dropped in 1975.

The pews had more air in them than people. Things got quiet. And so it fell to ministerial students to come in and conduct worship services, keeping the light on, so to speak.

You might have looked at that church in those years and wondered. But here is the thing about a congregation that has already been meeting for about two years before it even had a name. These people know how to hold on.

By 1979, church membership had tripled. Tripled. And they built a new fellowship hall to prove it.

Today, that congregation supports domestic and foreign mission programs both, and continues to serve the community right there in Crockett. Some places just refuse to be a footnote.

What the marker says

Members of this congregation met for abut two years before they were formally organized in 1901 under the leadership of the Reverend Harry Hamilton. A wood sanctuary built in 1901 served the congregation until 1949, when a larger brick church edifice was erected. A fellowship hall was added in 1960. Membership dropped in 1975, and ministerial students conducted worship services. By 1979 church membership tripled and a new fellowship hall was built. The congregation supports many domestic and foreign mission programs, and continues to serve the community.