First Church of Christ, Scientist Abilene

History

Old Church
506 Orange St.

Christian Science was first introduced in Abilene in 1900 by a few interested followers who met together in private homes and then in public buildings. By 1926 they were recognized as a Christian Science Society, meeting the requirements of the Mother church in Boston, Massachusetts. During these years, many earnest workers for the Cause of Christian Science from other places visited and spent many hours with the group encouraging and strengthening their growing understanding of church.

By 1931, the Society realized the need for church home and purchased a house at 506 Orange St, which was remodeled to suit the needs of a church. In 1936, as the membership grew, it qualified to become the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Abilene. Several years later on Wednesday afternoon on September 7, 1944 the cornerstone was laid and construction was begun on the first edifice for the church on the Orange St property.

Old Church
These members, reading the cornerstone material, were members of the church when the cornerstone was laid: Inez Burton, Trudie Tidwell, Frank Pruitt.  Also pictured is J.R. McKinney

In 1975 the church was sold to St. Paul's Methodist Church and construction was begun on the current church located at 1201 South Pioneer. The first church service at this new location was held on Christmas Eve in 1975. A Christian Science church can be dedicated only when it is free of debt. The Pioneer Dr. church was dedicated on Sunday, August 26, 1978. In 1986 the Orange St. church structure was torn down and at the Annual Membership meeting on October 2, the cornerstone from that building was opened. Four members at that time had been members of the church when the cornerstone was laid and three were present at the opening.

At present the church takes an active role, as a group and as individual members, in supporting various community service projects and sharing with the community. An example of this outreach is volunteering to teach non-denominational Bible lessons at the Juvenile Detention Center. As participants in the Abilene Association of Congregations, they join with other churches as they dedicate their efforts to bless their community.

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