Community service set in aftermath of First Christian Church building demolition
A service acknowledging the community's grief over the surprise demolition of an iconic Oklahoma City church building will be held on Sunday near the former church site.
A "Community Service of Remembrance & Hope upon the Demolition of the First Christian Church of Oklahoma City Building" is set for 4 p.m. Sunday on the grounds of the Christian Church Disciples Center at 301 NW 36. The center, headquarters for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma, is east of the First Christian Church-OKC property.
The iconic First Christian Church building formerly at 3700 N Walker was often described as the "egg church" or "dome church" because of its distinctive white dome. It was demolished on Monday, surprising many people in the surrounding neighborhood, historic preservationists and community at large.
More: Gold Dome owner promises no demolition contemplated following loss of historic egg church
The Rev. Pam Holt, regional minister and president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma, said she decided Sunday's service would be helpful because the unique church building was important to many people. She said the building and the congregation it housed was considered the "Mother Church" among members of the Oklahoma Christian Church Disciples of Christ denomination for a long time.
And not only Disciples members appreciated the church building but others as well.
"The community, that's been something they've driven by in the neighborhood for years," Holt said. "You know, you can identify where you need to go by that iconic roofline. There's been a lot of jokes about that 'egg church,' so to speak, but in its formation, and in its day, it was iconic, unique architecture and the acoustics inside the sanctuary were remarkable."
Holt said the building became a community care center of sorts in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing so it touched additional lives in that way.
"It was such a gracious congregation that opened its doors in 1995, after the Murrah Building bombing that the building became a place for families to gather and wait for information about their loved ones," she said. "It was a gathering space that people brought food and water, and it was just a very gracious opportunity for them to open their doors to the public and to grieving people."
The ministry leader said the building has lots of stories around it. In more recent years, skylights in the building began to leak and upkeep became expensive for the current First Christian congregation to maintain. The congregation currently holds worship services in another building on the church property. The site of the former church building has been for sale for several years but it has not been sold.
"There's a lot of grief around it," Holt said of the building's demise. She said they will attend to that grief and then bless the land. "We never know how God will use it to rise up again. We just don't know that story yet."
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Remembrance set for demolished First Christian Church with iconic dome
