First Christian Church of Orange

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. The First Christian Church of Orange has a story that starts the way a lot of good Texas stories do: quietly, with a small group of people who just decided to show up. Back in 1885, a handful of residents in Orange started gathering together for worship services.

No grand building, no steeple catching the light. Just people, and faith, and a willingness to begin. Some of those charter members, when the time came to be baptized, they didn't need a font or a formal hall.

They walked down to the Sabine River and made it official right there in the current. Now that's a foundation. The church kept on in that spirit for nearly a decade before it took its formal shape.

In 1894, the congregation officially organized under the Reverend J.C. Mason, and the members didn't stop there. They got to work, and by 1895 they had built themselves a sanctuary.

A place of their own. But a congregation that's growing has a way of outgrowing its walls, and so the members spent several years raising money for a new structure. That's not a footnote, that's a chapter.

Years of effort, years of patience. And in 1954, the congregation moved here, to this spot, the fruit of all that work finally realized. In the time since, membership has grown.

The church has stayed active in community and charitable efforts, supported ecumenical and educational programs, and remained, after more than a hundred years, an important influence on the community it serves. Started at the river's edge in 1885, still standing in Orange today. Some things, when they're built right from the start, just keep going.

What the marker says

The First Christian Church of Orange began in 1885 when a group of residents started meeting for worship services. Some of these charter members were baptized in the Sabine River. The church officially organized under the Rev. J.C. Mason in 1894, and members built a sanctuary by 1895. After spending several years raising money for a new structure, the congregation moved here in 1954. Over the years, membership has grown, and the congregation has been active in community and charitable efforts. Members have also supported many ecumenical and educational programs. After more than 100 years, the church continues to be an important influence on the community it serves. (2006)