First Church of the Resurrection

In 1810, the Union (Reformed and Lutheran) Church was built.[4][8] Two years later, its Sunday school began.[8] In 1843 a choir was formed,[8] and in 1862 the present church was built.[2][3][4] In 1866[2][4] or 1871,[4][8] English-language services began. The church's ladies' aid society was founded in 1979.[4][8]

In 1897, it incorporated as the First German Reformed Church.[4][8] The following year, a Sunday-school addition was built and the church was remodeled.[2][3][4] In 1903, its Women's Missionary Society was founded.[4][8][9] Three years later, the Andrew Carnegie Fund paid half the cost of a new organ.[3][4][8] In 1916 the church was again remodeled,[3][4][8] and in 1926 and 1927 a parish house, educational center and social hall were added.[2][3][8]

The parish house was destroyed by fire in 1937.[3][8] Three years later, the church's name was changed to the First Evangelical and Reformed Church.[8] In 1941, a new parish house was built on the old site.[3][8] Its name was again changed to the First United Church of Christ in a denominational merger with the United Church of Christ in 1959.[2][8]

In 1966, a new Fratelli Ruffatti organ was installed,[3][8] and four years later a Bach musical festival was presented.[8] The 901 Food Pantry began distributing food to the local community in 1978.[8] The following year, the Karl Koepke Memorial Chapel was dedicated.[3][8] In 1982 the church was listed on the National Register for Historical Places,[2][8] an outdoor lighted sign was built and the west parking lot opened.[3][8]

A new six-ton, 1,600-pipe Kegg organ was installed in 1993.[2][3][8] From 2002 to 2005, a new office wing, classroom and meeting area were built.[2][3][8] In 2005, the church severed its ties with the United Church of Christ and became the independent First Church of the Resurrection.[1][2][8] The Shepherd's Garden was dedicated in 2007,[3][8] and traditional and contemporary worship services began.[8] Handel's Messiah was performed in 2008,[8] and the church celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2010.[2][8] All services are now conducted in English, rather than German.[2]

• 
  First Church of the Resurrection (left) and First Lutheran Church, both on the National Register of Historic Places[2]
• 
  The church in 1890, with the new parsonage[4]
• 
  Church interior in 1917[4]
• 
  Church interior in 2010
• 
  Another 2010 view of the interior

Media related to First Church of the Resurrection at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website