Christian Temple (DOC)
First Congregational Church was established in 1856 by former Presbyterians. That congregation initially met in a space above a business that sold liquor. Over time, the congregation built a total of three buildings, remaining in one of them for just under 100 years. The building now used as the Worship Center for our Federated church was opened in 1968. The “FCC” congregation has been in its current building since 1969. The congregation was part of the United Church of Christ since the denomination’s formation in 1957.
One of the early pastors of the congregation was Stewart Sheldon, father of Charles Monroe Sheldon who wrote the Christian best seller “In His Steps”.
What became Christian Temple began in 1885, from its beginnings part of what became the Disciples of Christ denomination. The beginnings of the congregation first met above the local opera house under the leadership of the evangelist, H.B. Sherman. A more formal organizational structure was instituted in 1888, first named The Christian Church of Wellsville, then Broad Street Church of Christ.
In 1913 the cornerstone was laid for the Christian Temple building, shown at left, now our merged congregation’s Mission Center. Patterned after a similar structure in Baltimore, the building was conceived of as a community center for the village, built to facilitate recreation and fellowship.
+ First Congregational (UCC)
In 2012, after sharing various ministries for decades, First Congregational and Christian Temple began the process of merging so as to be more effective in our mutual ministry. In the spring of 2014 we agreed to temporary status as “federated” congregations. Our federation was celebrated with a special community worship service, involving a procession from the Christian Temple building, now named as our Mission Center, to the First Congregational building, now known as our Worship Center.
In 2015 we fully merged as a "union" congregation and in 2016 we adopted the name "Grace United Church"
= Grace United (DOC/UCC)
