City Presbyterian Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pilgrim Congregational Church
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 Location in Oklahoma
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1433 Classen Drive Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
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| Built | 1920 |
| Architect | Hawk & Parr |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003389 |
| Added to NRHP | 1984 |
City Presbyterian Church is a church building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. It was once known as Park Congregational Church and later Pilgrim Congregational Church. The church you see there today is not directly connected to the first groups who used the building.
The building is located between 13th Street and Classen Drive. Its main entrance is at 1433 Classen Drive. However, the address used for mail is 829 NW 13th Street. The current church group, which calls itself "City Pres," is part of the Presbyterian Church in America.
History of the Church Building
The church building was designed by the Oklahoma City company Hawk & Parr. It was built in 1920 using red brick and limestone. The style is called Late Gothic Revival, which looks like old European churches.
When it first opened, the church was called Park Congregational Church. Soon after, its name changed to Pilgrim Congregational Church. For many years, important people in Oklahoma City, like newspaper publisher E.K. Gaylord, went to this church.
From 1924 to 1935, Frank Milton Sheldon was the minister. He wrote many religious books. He was known as "one of America's best known ministers." Later, the original church group joined with another church called Mayflower Community Church. They sold the building in the late 1970s.
An architect bought the building and used part of it for offices. He also rented out the main church area for events. He tried to turn some parts into homes, but it didn't work. In 1984, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site.
After that, the building started to fall apart. In 2000, two doctors bought it. They planned to turn it into a health spa. They added a swimming pool and other things, but the spa idea didn't succeed. The building was put up for auction in 2011 but did not sell.
How City Presbyterian Church Started
City Presbyterian Church was started by Doug Serven and Bobby Griffith. They began with about 20 people meeting in a home in Norman, Oklahoma, in the summer of 2011. Their goal was to start a new church in downtown Oklahoma City.
That fall and winter, they held some worship services. They also started small group meetings around the city. They organized social events and projects to help the community.
City Presbyterian held its first public worship service on January 15, 2012. From January 2012 to March 2014, they met in different churches downtown. These spaces were either rented or borrowed.
On September 8, 2013, City Presbyterian Church announced they would buy the old Pilgrim Congregational Church building. The purchase was finished on November 1, 2013. After fixing up the building, they had a "grand opening" on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014.
On June 8, 2014, City Presbyterian Church became a fully independent church. It was no longer just a new church plant. It became a self-governing part of the Presbyterian Church in America.
See also
