HISTORY OF FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH UCC
Compiled by Linda Moore, September 2025
First Congregational Church of Prescott, Arizona was organized with ten charter members on September 26, 1880. This church is the oldest Congregational church in Arizona and in the Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ. The Rev. Theodore Conrad Hunt was the church’s first minister, accepting the call on October 10, 1880.
The church was incorporated on July 29, 1881, and the first small wooden church was built at a cost of $3,200 and dedicated on November 27, 1881.
The lot on which the original church was built was just across the street from the Territorial Capitol. The land originally was owned by the First Presbyterian Church of Prescott, which had been organized in 1876 and closed in 1879 without building on the property.
T.W. Otis, who was a member of the Presbyterian Church, was given the deed to the property when the congregation was dissolved. After the formation of the First Congregational Church, Mr. Otis transferred the property from his name to First Congregational. This lot from Mr. Otis, where the church office is located today, is where the first small church was built. This first church cost $3,200 and was dedicated on November 27, 1881.
On November 12, 1892, Mr. DuBois Demarest was ordained. He was the first minister to be ordained by the Congregational Church in Arizona, and he served as the minister of First Congregational in 1893 and 1894. Pastor Demarest died unexpectedly in 1894, and his family donated the Baptismal font that we still use in the church today as a memorial to him.
On November 24, 1894, the congregation purchased two additional lots on Gurley Street, adjacent to and east of the one on which the original church was standing. These three lots are the ones that the church and office stand on today.
In 1895, Founding Member Theodore Otis and First’s pastor the Rev. McLean began a school for the Chinese men in Prescott.
In1898, a parsonage was built on one of the lots that was east of the original small church. When the present brick church was built, the original church building was moved off the original site to the edge of the new eastern lots, and the parsonage was moved to its current location. [Was the parsonage a Sears Roebuck home?]
On June 26, 1904, the cornerstone was laid for the church that we worship in today, and this church, which cost $10,000, was dedicated on October 15, 1905. In 1916, the church was rebuilt/renovated and an electric reed organ installed at a cost of $3,500.
In 1916, First Congregational founded Boy Scout Troop 1, the first Boy Scout Troop in Prescott. The Troop celebrated its 100th Anniversary at First in June 2016.
Twenty ministers served First Congregational Church during our first 54 years, each serving two to six years. In February 1934, the Rev. Dr. Charles Franklin Parker was called to serve as pastor of First Congregational. He served the church almost 29 years, until December 31, 1962, when he resigned to accept the office of Founding President of Prescott College. In 1963, Pastor Parker was made Minister Emeritus.
During the almost 29 years that the Rev. Parker served as pastor, several improvements to the church property were completed. In June 1938, ground was broken for the new Youth Center building (now Perkins Hall), and a chancel was created in the sanctuary (now the Cury Room, where many historical records are stored).
Under Pastor Parker’s direction, the Yavapai Cooperative Parish was organized in 1947, which in turn led to the establishment of churches at Humboldt, Chino Valley, Crown King, Cottonwood, and First Church in Flagstaff. Pastor Parker also helped to organize a church in Sedona.
In 1957, three Protestant denominations joined together to form the United Church of Christ – the Congregational Christian Churches, the Evangelical and Reformed Church and an African American denomination. At that time, First Congregational Church became part of the United Church of Christ.
In 1959, as a memorial to her parents Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Helsa, Mrs. S.C. [Helsa] Gill donated funds to design and construct the lovely rose window that is above the Sanctuary altar today. Dr. Parker, working with Judson Studio, designed the window to the theme “The Light of Freedom.” It was completed in 1963, shortly after Dr. Parker resigned.
The Rev. Frederick B. James served as minister from 1963 to 1971. During his pastorate the sanctuary was completely remodeled, and the rose window and a new Rogers organ were installed. The George Library also was completed, and the kitchen was moved upstairs to Perkins Hall.
The Rev. John Brooke served as minister from 1972 to 1975. While he was First’s pastor, Head Start began using the church, and a ramp was built at the front entrance for those who had trouble negotiating the steps.
During the 1970’s, First Congregational Church began to support the Community Cupboard Food Bank to help those in need in the Prescott area.
In 1974, Prescott College declared bankruptcy and briefly closed. For the Spring Semester 1975, a core of determined faculty and students formed Prescott Center and continued to hold classes in homes and at Hassayampa Hotel. Over the next years the organization regained the legal rights to the name Prescott College.
In the Fall of 1976, while the Rev. J.W. Hollowell was our pastor, many needed repairs were completed to the sanctuary and to the Cory and Hazeltine Rooms were completed. The refurbished worship facilities were dedicated in November 1976.
In 1977, the General Synod of the United Church of Christ passed a resolution that that sexual and affectional preference should not be a basis for denial of human rights enjoyed by others. Over the years, UCC has encouraged its members to adopt Open and Affirming Covenants to support LGBTQ+ communities.
In 1993, the Congregation of First Congregational Church founded the First Congregational Church Foundation, a separate legal entity owned by its Sole Member, the First Congregational Church. It was founded to manage legacy gifts from our members and friends.
Note – Unable to find records for 1978 through 2003.
Pastor William J. Guise served First Congregational from 2000 to 2007. It was a time of change in the United States, and those changes touched the congregation at First Congregational.
In 2003 Carole Sue Linson was hired as First’s organist; she later organized and conducted the Bell Choir.
In January 2004, the Cabinet at First Congregational barred any same-gender unions from taking place at First Congregational. A few months later member Terry asked but was not able to have her relationship with her partner Lynn blessed by her church family. However, Pastor Guise participated in Terry’s and Lynn’s ceremony, which was held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Church.
That summer, a petition signed by 42 members called for a special meeting to consider whether Pastor Guise would continue as the pastor of First Congregational. Pastor Guise was not asked to leave, and he stayed for 3 more years, until June 2007.
In February 2005, a new Rodgers organ was installed in the sanctuary. To help cover the cost of the new organ, former FCC organist Henry Brooks donated his own Rodgers organ, and both his organ and the old sanctuary organ were used as trade-ins. A bequest to the Foundation from Ruth Ashenfelter “to acquire, improve or maintain any additional property for church” covered the remaining cost of the new organ.
In 2007, the church parking lot was built on property that had been donated to the church; congregational donations paid 18% of the total cost, and Foundation funds paid the rest.
After Pastor Bill Guise left in June 2007, interim pastors served at First for 18 months.
In May 2008, the basement was leaking, with up to 2” of water in some of the rooms. Engineers determined that the base the church is built on is very sound and solid, but the basement had been built underneath that base and water was leaking through the concrete. The Foundation funded the basement repairs.
Linda Note – Missing records for 2009 through 2012.
In 2009, First Congregational member Jane Cheek became pastor of the congregation, and she was their minister for 6 years, retiring in January 2015.
At the January 27, 2013, Annual Meeting, the congregation reached a consensus that we are now an Open and Affirming (ONA) Church. Our ONA Statement reads as follows:
First Congregational Church of Prescott, United Church of Christ, is an Open and Affirming congregation. We include all persons without regard to age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender identity, faith, marital status, and personal ability. We welcome all to share the celebrations and challenges of our congregation. No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.
An excerpt from a report by Pastor Cheek in the 2013 Annual Report: “We have learned that we depend on one another in so many ways; and our strength comes from shared responsibility and celebration under the loving eye of a God who remains the center of all we do.”
An excerpt from a report by the Chair of Pastor Parish Relations Christy Dinsman in the 2013 Annual Report: “After going through some difficult times in the years past, we have been able to all work together to create a loving environment of forward thinking people who are eager to see what God has in store for us in the future.”
2014 Highlights:
· Revisions to the FCC Bylaws were approved by the Congregation, after a two-year review by cabinet members and small-group discussion meetings of congregation members.
· Pastor Jane Cheek was granted a two month Sabbatical in May and June. Pastoral responsibilities were covered by congregational members Pastor Gary Gard, Al Beeson, Marilyn Kerstine and Lee Ruether.
· Extensive furnace work was done in the basement with the cost covered by the Foundation.
· The south copper-clad doors on Gurley Street were totally rebuilt, new gutters installed on the south and east sides of the church, and a roof leak over Perkins Hall was repaired.
· In September 2014, the Foundation Board was notified that the proprietors of Prescott Station (the restaurant leasing the Church-owned building) had filed for personal bankruptcy.
· The congregation celebrated Pastor Jane Cheek’s almost six years of service as pastor when she retired at the January 2015 Annual Meeting.
Excerpt from Pastor’s Report by Pastor Jane Cheek in the 2014 Annual Report: “We’ve come down a long and challenging path in the time I’ve served. … It’s been a worthy journey, and we’ve all learned big truths. I’m leaving for now … grateful for all we’ve done and how it has changed me.”
2015 Highlights:
Things started getting busy at First after Pastor Jay arrived in July.
· Congregational members continued to support the Community Cupboard Food Bank, a commitment that’s continued for about 40 years.
· Revisions to modernize the Foundation By-Laws were approved at the Annual Meeting of the First Congregational church.
· The new songbook Sing! Prayer and Praise” was placed in the church pews as an accompaniment to the New Century Hymnal.
· “Pursuant to a request from the Church Cabinet, the Foundation approved up to $70,000 as needed in funding for the Pastor’s 2015 salary.
· First Congregational hosted the Southwest Conference lay Academy program about Privilege, looking at cultural conditions that authorize the extension of privilege to some because of their race, gender, sexual orientation.
· During the summer, after receiving permission from the Foundation, the Citizens Water Advisory Group (CWAG) installed a water catchment system to collect rainwater off the restaurant’s roof to use to irrigate the landscape shrubbery. The cost was paid from an Environmental Protection Agency grant that Prescott College had received to install a system at a prominent downtown business. The only cost to the Foundation was installing an appropriate electrical outlet to power the system.
· On July 18, 2015, the Rev. Dr. R. Jay Wilcher was installed as the 28th pastor of First Congregational Church of Prescott, Arizona, United Church of Christ. His prayer was that God bring 20 new members to our church during his first year as pastor.
· The new Church Administrator Julie Jaquette joined the church staff.
· A Caring for Our Creation Action Group was formed with a focus on local environmental issues.
· First hosted a seminar about benefits provided at the Prescott Veterans’ Administration here in Prescott for veterans and their families, including in-home and respite care.
· Pastor Jay and Cherie Wilcher installed a new floor in the Pastor’s Office.
· In the Fall, First Congregational began a series of Wednesday evening meetings, with dinner, inspiration and education. It was named P.I.E. (Play Inspire Eat)
· In November, First Congregational participated in an interfaith Thanksgiving service held at Sacred Heart, hosted a Transgender Day of Remembrance, and adopted Discovery Gardens Preschool program at Washington School next door.
· Fifteen community organizations were meeting in our church building, with a combined total of almost 100 meetings a month.
· The work of diaconate care continued through the Congregational Care Ministries.
· In the 2015 Annual Report, Pastor Jay wrote, “Adaptive change requires new learning, new attitudes, risk, failure, and courage. It requires us to have shared vision and values. And the toughest part, it probably requires us to experience loss.”
2016 Highlights
And in 2016 things were moving and shaking at First!
· When Pastor Jay came to First Congregational in 2015, he asked usher and counter Jay Eby to let Pastor know when we had the first 100 in attendance. It happened the first Sunday of 2016 – one hundred congregants were in the Sanctuary!
· In February, Council approved purchasing a commercial van to help members attend church functions.
· Throughout 2016, Prescott musical groups were invited to provide music for several of First’s Sunday Services.
· In January, five members of our congregation attended a visit to the Arizona/Mexico border, hosted by the Southwest Conference of the UCC.
· In February, P.I.E. (Play Inspire Eat) Wednesday night program resumed.
· First’s Women’s Group had its first luncheon meeting on a Friday in February.
· In February, First held its first Fundamentals of the Enneagram, a program that can illuminate how each of us view the world and helps us discover the roots of who we are.
· On Palm Sunday, during the Children’s message, Pastor Jay and the Sunday School kids marched through the Sanctuary waving palm fronds and celebrating the moment.
· Members shared a Seder Meal on Maundy Thursday with the UCC congregation in Dewey.
· Administrator Julie announced she had developed a Church Directory on First’s website. The directory required a password to enter.
· The Sanctuary was repaired, painted, had new flooring and new outside copper doors. Electrical work was also updated. The Ashenfelter’s memorial gift, designated to take care of the building, funded the cost.
· Pastor Jay shared his first Holy Humor sermon in April.
· The Pastor’s Message in an April Parish Caller discussed a scholarship program Prescott College was offering for young undocumented adults who came to the United States with their parents when they were children. A federal program for these young adults is named Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), also known as “Dreamers.”
· One Sunday in April, the service focused on and told stories about Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans (PAAM).
· In May Pastor Jay shared that he set a goal of receiving 20 new members in his first year at First Congregational – and there were exactly 20 new members in his first year!
· First Congregational hosted the graduation program for Discovery Gardens Preschool students.
· In June First Congregational hosted a Candlelight Vigil in which 300 people gathered outside the Sanctuary in solidarity against the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, that ended the lives of 50 people.
· Also in June, Pastor Jay attended a Coalition of Compassion and Justice (CCJ) video program called “Safe Sleep” that described how difficult it was for homeless people in Prescott to find a safe place to sleep. They lived with an endless cycle of arrests and fines.
· On several days during the summer, the Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system at the restaurant failed to cool the building. The Foundation improved the restaurant’s HVAC system so it would meet expected hot and cold extremes.
· In July First Congregational hosted a Bike and Build Team who were biking from Manteo, North Carolina to San Diego, California, to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. The day they arrived in Prescott, they had received notice that two members from another bike team had been hit while in Idaho. One woman died in the accident and the second was in critical condition. Administrator Julie was notified of the accident and arranged for a support team to greet and comfort the bikers when they arrived. We received an update in March 2017 that the injured woman, who had been paralyzed from the chest down, was able to return home to Michigan after two months of intensive care in Idaho, where the accident happened.
· Also in July, after 13 years of service, Organist Carole Sue Linson retired as First’s Organist and took a leave of absence from directing the Bell Choir.
· August 2016 was a busy month:
o A Church van was found and purchased.
o Pastor Jay and Rev. Lyons shared their journeys from very conservative churches to acceptance of God’s grace and love.
o Member Rev. Marti Garrison presented a program about Cognitive Therapeutics to strengthen memory and prevent the loss of brain function.
o An article by member Rev. Gary Gard described “be the church” and “do the work of love.”
· In September Manuel Lucero, a registered member of the Cherokee Nation, spoke about the treatment of Native Americans from Columbus to today. Three faith groups including First Congregational were sponsors.
· In October Prescott Boy Scouts Troop 1 celebrated its 100th Anniversary at First Congregational.
· Also in October, First Congregational had a Special Blessing of the Animals in its parking lot, and Carole Sue resumed directing the Bell Choir after recovering from surgery.
· In November, Many Voices of Thanks service was held with Sacred Heart, we marked World AIDS day at First, and we celebrated Annual Salad Christmas lunch with UCC Dewey.
· In December the congregation celebrated the many new renovations, Call to Care invited members to join them during new Monday morning prayer meetings in the Prayer Chapel, and a snow storm limited attendance at the Christmas Eve service; a few members who lived within walking distance came together to quietly celebrate.
· Throughout the year, the Church packing teams continued to serve the Community Cupboard Food Bank. Forty-five years earlier, First Congregational was one of the founding churches that formed the Food Bank.
2017 Highlights:
· On the day of the Women’s March in DC, First’s members were invited to participate in the Women’s March at the Prescott Courthouse.
· Pastor Jay was invited to join the Board of Coalition for Compassion and Justice (CCJ).
· First Congregational hosted a movie night during Prescott’s five-day celebration of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
· In 1958, Kate Corey, a 20th Century artist, photographer and member of First Congregational, had given the church her painting “Migration of the Hopi Tribe in the Early 20th Century.” The original painting was valued at $10,000 and was not sufficiently protected where it was displayed in Perkins Hall. The congregation made a full-size digital reproduction to hang in Perkins Hall and loaned the original painting to the Phippen Museum where it is better protected.
· In March several members attended a seminar “Struggling with Divine Violence,” a Progressive Theological Seminar. In a Parish Caller article, member Rev. Marti Garrison offered the following summary of the seminar message, “God continues … to demand what is required of us: justice, mercy and humility” (Micah 6:8).
· As a member of the CCJ Board, Pastor Jay attended a Sobering Centering Seminar in San Antonio, an alternative to prison for nonviolent crimes of inebriation and drug use.
· A message from the Southwest Conference of UCC, “In 1990 there were 16,000 UCC members in the Southwest; in 2016 there were 7,000.”
· In a March Parish Caller, Pastor Jay explained what the IRS defines as permitted and not permitted activities by religious organizations. IRS does not limit the activities of members acting as individuals. He also explored the German Barmen Declaration of 1934, a call to resistance against theological claims of the Nazi State.
· First members were invited to participate in a new music group, the Altar Notes.
· Members were invited to be Habitat Construction Volunteers, and an article in the Parish Caller spotlighted 3 families who recently had moved into their Habitat for Humanity homes.
· From January through March, Sunday attendance ranged from 128 to 77, and attendance on four Sundays was more than 100.
· On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings during Lent, Rev. Harry Strong led a five week study entitled “Yesterday’s Voices/Today’s Choices.”
· The Maundy Thursday Service was held in Parish Hall. (The Dewey UCC Church had closed.)
· In an April article, Pastor Jay highlighted First’s Call to Care Team, writing that our church family is an important presence for our retired members who have no family in the area. First members may be able to help them as an injuries, physical or mental limitations limit their ability to live independently, either temporarily or long-term.
· In June, the Foundation upgraded electrical service to the restaurant to a 600 amp service from its 400 amp capacity, pursuant to the terms of the lease agreement.
· The Stewardship Team reported that the rate that the Church is using Foundation funds is not sustainable, and the Team made the commitment to reduce the amount the church would receive from the Foundation after 2018, for the 2019 Budget.
· The Congregational Care Ministry was renamed the Ministry of Welcoming, with the commitment to extravagantly welcome all who pass through the doors of our Church.
· At the end of every Sunday service, communion was made available to both members and visitors.
· We had two Healing Services with anointing of essential oils – on Ash Wednesday and in December.
2018 Highlights:
· Pastor Jay preached a “Life of David” series that led us into 1st and 2nd Samuel and stories many in our congregation had not heard before.
· The Church was on the historic home tour in May, enabling many to see our sanctuary and parish house.
· During Lent, we were led in a study of white privilege, joined by several people of color who helped us understand things from their perspective.
· As new members joined with musical gifts and talents to share, our music program expanded.
· After living for a year in the CCJ shelter, David was settled into the guest apartment above the office and became the church custodian.
· Brian Moore led us in the performance of a radio play, Ebenezer Scrooge, that was well received and well attended.
· The children came with our new members and new faces. To meet the Sunday School needs of these new young faces, an Education Director was hired.
· Outreach and Mission Ministry donated $21,229 to 13 organizations, and members also provided services to the Community Cupboard and Prescott Area Shelter Services PASS.
· The Welcoming Ministry continued to extravagantly welcome members and visitors, kept the pews neat and well stocked, provided an office volunteer, made sure the Sanctuary was clean and beautiful each week, provided food and hospitality in Perkins Hall for Sunday Fellowship and special events, and counted the Sunday offering.
· At the 2018 Annual Meeting, Julie and John McCurdy were presented with a special gift to recognize their many years of continuous and unselfish service to the church.
2019 Highlights
· Worship attendance consistently averaged more than 100 people each Sunday.
· In April, a Racial Diversity event was held with more than 100 in attendance. Prescott’s mayor and state NAACP leaders were among the panel members.
· Pastor Jay served as Board President of the Coalition for Compassion and Justice (CCJ).
· The church van was sold.
· Early in the year, the congregation endured weeks of unexpected screeching from the church sound system. After the new sound system was installed, Pastor Jay determined that the screeching was caused when T-Mobile purchased the band width the old system had used.
· A new video system was also installed.
· Church leaders began planning for the sabbatical Pastor Jay would take in June, July and August of 2020.
· As a priority identified by the Mission Ministry, members of First sponsored a DACA college student.
· Two Nine and Dine events were held; each event drew 36 participants and four hosts.
The COVID Pandemic
January and February of 2020 started as a “normal” year. Then the COVID-19 Pandemic happened. From that point on, years 2020 and 2021 were among the most challenging and unusual years for our congregation as the COVID pandemic spread through the country and world.
To protect our members and guests, starting in March 2020, Sunday services went on-line, the church and church office closed, all meetings, services and ceremonies were conducted electronically or outdoors with masking and safe social distancing, and all use of our property by outside groups was suspended. Because travel was severely restricted, several beloved members of our church family moved to be closer to their extended families, and, in spite of the protective measures recommended by CDC, we lost dear members to the pandemic. During the entire year we were closed, each month Council renewed the decision to remain closed as the pandemic continued to spread and people continued to die.
With restrictions on travel, several Cabinet members resigned and moved to other parts of the country to be closer to family during this pandemic period. Their positions were filled by members who remained in the area.
Moments of wisdom and joy during this difficult time:
· The 2020 Easter Worship Service had 200 on-line views.
· Before the pandemic, Church Cabinet established a goal to lower the church budget so annual expenses would more closely align with annual income. During the pandemic, Cabinet further reduced the 2020 budget to essentials only as the pandemic added new uncertainty about the year’s income; the proposed 2021 budget also was constrained by pandemic related uncertainty.
· Many members continued to provide their financial commitments.
· Pastor Jay reported that preaching to a video camera in an empty sanctuary was not enjoyable; virtual worship was much harder than in-person worship.
· In 2020, after the buildings closed, the Education Ministry offered three Zoom adult education programs – two book studies [White Too Long with 12-15 participants, and The Universal Christ with 12-16 participants] and a weekly Bible Study held Wednesday mornings with 5-10 participants.
· In spite of the pandemic challenges of 2020, the Mission Outreach Team gave more than $10,500 to 12 organizations in need.
Pastor Jay was able to take his scheduled sabbatical from June 1 through August 31, 2020, adjusting his original plans to conform to travel limitations created by the pandemic.
With buildings empty and unused in 2020, the following cleaning, renovations and repairs were done by Facilities Management:
· A keypad was installed on the lower-level Alarcon door that requires a passcode be entered, not a key.
· All exterior door locks in the Church were rekeyed.
· The floors in Perkins Hall were completely refinished.
· The fence between our parking lot and our neighbors was repaired.
· All rooms in the lower level were deep cleaned and several were painted and renovated.
· Sanctuary/Perkins Hall/Upstairs Kitchen – All surfaces were cleaned and sanitized, the seat upholstery was cleaned and all items in the cupboards were cleaned and covered when put away.
· Six of the large trees were trimmed.
· Outside railings were repainted, the bench was painted, porches at the office building were painted, and a leak in the irrigation system was repaired.
In 2021, the Southwest Conference provided a $5,000 grant, which was used to offset the cost of the new equipment and software needed to meet virtually and to hire an assistant with the skills needed to allow all to view our Sunday services online.
With a few adjustments, the Annual Meeting held in 2021 had a quorum of attendees. The meeting was held virtually, with ballots and reports emailed to members or sent by standard mail to those without email. Each ballot that members returned was considered proof of attendance.
By March 2021, more than 100 million COVID vaccine doses had been administered in the United States, and the Federal Center for Disease Control recommended that people who were fully vaccinated could safely gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people [from the CDC website].
On Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021, after 54 weeks of virtual services only, First Congregational returned to in-person worship, with required masking and social distancing. To provide for social distancing, we started with two worship services (8:30 and 10:30), we did not gather for fellowship after service, and Sunday music was electronic rather than in person. Because it was not possible to provide safe social distancing for in person singing by a choir or a congregation, these were high risk activities during the pandemic.
The 8:30 Sunday service was very low in attendance. In May, First Congregational returned to one Sunday service at 10:30, and the congregation began to sing our hymns again in July. Sunday fellowship also began a few weeks later with windows opened in Perkins Hall to provide fresh air as a safeguard.
In June 2021, the beautiful and colorful doors, “God’s Doors Are Open to All” were installed facing Gurley Street.
Two “Black Lives Matter” banners were put up in the summer 2021, and both were stolen within a week.
The Church was vandalized on September 11, 2021. Repairs were made, and Cabinet voted to put plexiglass over the rear windows and in the Cory Room. Repair costs were less than the insurance deductible and were covered by donations from members.
In September 2021, we welcomed 17 new members into our church family, a blessing and an answer to prayers in this time of uncertainty.
In Spring 2021, under mutually agreeable terms, the Foundation terminated the Retail Lease Agreement with Prescott Station and negotiated a new 10-year lease agreement with Red, White & Brew (RWB), with three five year rights to extend the lease by RWB.
In the 2021 Annual Report, the Church Treasurer reported with delight the calendar year ended with a net income of $692 – another blessing!
2022 Highlights:
· January and February of 2022 felt as if we were continuing in the COVID wilderness – wearing masks and trying to social distance. Then during the spring and summer, visitors to worship began to increase and some joined the church. By the end of summer, it was almost like a whole new congregation.
· Marybeth began to volunteer in the office, doing administrative duties, while Tom and David continued to take care of so much for the church.
· Our Sunday School teachers brought stability and competence to the program as Sunday School attendance increased during the year. With the number of children growing, we looked forward to a new emphasis on middle school age youth.
· The 2022 Church budget continued to have a more responsible budget independent from the Foundation. The only monetary transaction taken from the Foundation was a reimbursement for insurance costs.
· Cabinet Member Melissa assembled a team and established procedures to ensure the safety of our property and congregation.
· Eighteen new members joined the church.
· Total income exceeded expenses by almost $3,000.
· Pastor Jay held Zoom faith forums each Saturday throughout the year.
· Mission Outreach donated $20,689 to 10 local and 6 national/global programs.
· No major property repairs were required in 2022.
2023 Highlights:
· The 2023 budget was approved with a deficit of more than $11,000. The budget also included a line item of $20,000, entitled “Visioning” to allow for new ways of learning, giving and welcoming, and a 10% increase for nearly all expense items to offset rising cost. At the end of the year, expenses did exceed income, by nearly $6,000. The shortfall was offset by reserve funds held in our money market account.
· A new on-line picture directory of the congregation was developed.
· Marybeth continued to volunteer in the office, providing much needed backup support.
· Our after-worship Sunday Fellowship blossomed and grew.
· We welcomed Rabbi Susan to Perkins Hall for a teaching seder.
· Teens from the Launchpad Teen Center spoke during worship about their “Better Together” project, and we had two small groups participate.
· We hosted an interfaith Earth Day event.
· A movie was filmed using the church in several scenes.
· There was a monthly Friday night coffeehouse, and two members organized a Spanish class that was featured in the Southwest Conference newsletter.
· Vacation Bible School was offered for the first time in many years. The July event was a spectacular success attended by twelve kids, with each one given a Bible. The cost was offset by a grant from the Southwest Conference.
· Our children also were involved in the community. The collected “Souper Bowl of Caring” and donated the money to the Yavapai Humane Society. The families of the youth put together the PASS meal in August, they toured the Prescott Community Cupboard in November and went caroling at the Arizona Pioneer’s Home in December.
· Several adult education opportunities were offered throughout the year.
· Some rather expensive repairs were made to our organ.
· A Friendsgiving was organized on the Friday after Thanksgiving that was a huge success.
· The radio play of “It’s a Wonderful Life” was performed in the Sanctuary.
· Manuel Lucero, Executive Director of the Museum of Indigenous People, presented us with an eagle feather for our support and recognition of the original owners of our church land.
· The Outreach Ministry donated $10,890 to fourteen local and regional organizations and $5,705 to seven national and global organizations, for a total of $16,595. The congregation also provided noncash support to PASS, Discovery Gardens and the Food Bank.
· Major building and property repairs included a roof replacement, funded by the Foundation, and major repairs of the concrete areas surrounding the church.
2024 Highlights:
· One Sunday in January, we had 17 children for the Children’s Sermon, and there was an active youth group for the first time in a long time.
· All water heaters were replaced with on-demand water heaters, and electrical upgrades were installed. Related costs were included in the budget.
· Two volunteers helped in the church office each week, perform regular weekly tasks and special projects.
· Copper Door Concerts were held on four Wednesday evenings using funds from the Marti Dial Bequest.
· An Enneagram Workshop was held in May, led by Lynette Lynn, a Certified Enneagram Coach.
· A Sunday morning study series, using the Living the Questions Series by Marcus Borg was held in September and October.
· The number of children in our Sunday School classes continued to increase, and our teachers seamlessly split them in smaller groups based on age. The kids collected the Souper Bowl Sunday offering and contributed the funds to St. Jude’s Hospital.
· Vacation Bible School in July was a big success with 14 participants. On Friday, at Goldwater Lake, park rangers presented an environmental education program to them.
· The children also put on a wonderful Christmas Pageant.
· After six months of planning, in September the Education Ministry began to offer a new Youth Group ministry and community for our middle and high school age youth, which meets twice a month on Sunday.
· Outreach Ministry – Five organizations from the community met in the Church facilities.
· Welcoming Ministry – Refreshments for our Sunday Fellowship gatherings, five Sunday Potlucks, light snacks and beverages at the Copper Door Concerts, a baby shower, beverages and cookies for those who came to hear Womansong in the Sanctuary, all done under their budget!
· The Outreach Ministry donated $16,973 to local and regional organizations, and $3,903 to national and global organizations, for a total of $20,876. The congregation also provided noncash support to PASS, Discovery Gardens, and the Food Bank.
· The Foundation provided $27,500 to the Church in support of the Minister’s pay and benefits.
· The Congregation approved the added positions of Director of Music and Administrative Assistant for 2025.
Notes from Author Linda Moore, Member of First Congregational Church, UCC
I have compiled the above outline of the history of First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, using sources of information I have identified below. The report provided for the 145th Anniversary Celebration to be held on September 28, 2025, will contain very limited information for the years 1978 through 2003 and 2008 through 2012. I have not yet found documentation for these years; I plan to keep looking for and asking about them.
I compiled this history outline from the following sources:
· Articles written by Jay Eby about our founding in 1880 and our history through 1976
· History of Prescott College, from its website
· United Church of Christ, Southwest Conference and General Synod from their websites and a telephone discussion with the Rev. Dr. Gloria J. Smith, Associate Conference Minister, Southwest Conference, UCC
· Printed records found in the Church Conference Room, the Cory Room and on the Church website, including Annual Reports and Parish Callers
· A thick file of information given to me by member Pete Norum
· Discussions with and documents found by member Tom Macy
As I worked on this project, I found other First members who also are interested in documenting our Church’s history. We will continue this wonderful history adventure and over time will share with you, our fellow members, what we discover. If you would like to join this emerging team of history buffs, please let me and/or the Church office know.
