First Christian Church
Cameron, Missouri
Congregational
History 1866-Present
The Cameron community worshiped together in the waiting room of the Hannibal and St. Joe depot, at the corner of Second and Walnut Streets on the south side of the tracks. From this group of believers, 14 individuals chartered the congregation known today as the First Christian Church on May 13, 1866.
The fledgling congregation built a small wooden frame building on Prospect Street. When the church outgrew its building, worship services moved to Shaw’s Opera House until it burned. Returning to their building on Prospect Street the church grew in faith and dreamed of a larger facility in a more central location.
The congregation chose the corner of Fourth and Pine Streets and built an imposing white pine structure with three entrances, two lobbies, stairs leading to a balcony on three sides of the sanctuary, and recessed ticket windows near the sanctuary doors. The floor sloped toward the raised platform which contained a center lectern. Behind the lectern was a massive pipe organ. The building was dedicated on May 5, 1889, and served as our church home until it was destroyed by fire On Jan. 23, 1955.
Following the fire our congregation met in the Presbyterian Church building and the Goodrich Auditorium until our current sanctuary and education building was completed on October 6, 1957. The fellowship hall, kitchen, and offices were dedicated on October 23, 2003.
The First Christian Church family invites you to join us as we worship our Risen Lord each Sunday at 10:00 am. Come as you and lift your voice in congregational singing of old hymns. You are welcome to receive communion at the Lord’s table and we trust you will be spiritually nourished through Biblical preaching and fellowship.
Come to be a part of our faith family and together we will grow in our faith as we write the next chapter of First Christian Church’s history.
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the men, women, and youth who have given their time, talent, and treasure throughout the past 151 years to ensure that everyone has a place where they find acceptance and fellowship as we grow in our relationship with Christ.” ~ Pastor Russ Hamilton