By Loretta Fulton

First Christian Church will host a dedication ceremony for an extension to its building on Sunday, Aug. 10, but the celebration could just as easily be a “tribute to dedication.”

That’s what members of the church showed when they sold their historic downtown property in 2021 and took a leap of faith by relocating to far south Abilene on Antilley Road. Because of the dedicated members, the church, which had suffered declining attendance at its downtown location, was suddenly thriving. It grew so much, in fact, that a decision was made to add 5,000 square feet to the existing 6,000 square-foot building.

“This new building will give us much needed space, as our ministries have been expanding,” said Greg Morris, pastor.

Brenda Harris, office administrator at First Christian Church, works in her new office in annex, which will be Dedicated Aug. 10. Photos by Loretta Fulton

Groundbreaking for the $1.2 million addition was held Nov. 6, 2024, and a certificate of occupancy was issued earlier this summer. Already, events like Vacation Bible School, a baby shower, and youth gathering have been held in it.

In addition to a large fellowship hall, the addition houses new offices for Morris and Brenda Harris, office administrator. It also contains classrooms, a choir room, storage areas, and two ADA-compliant restrooms. A pass-through was created to the kitchen for easy service in the fellowship hall. 

First Christian sold it historic property at 1420 N. Third St, which it had occupied since 1921, to neighboring First Baptist Church. Since the sale, First Baptist has transformed the former FCC buildings into the Hope Center, which houses First Baptist’s outreach ministries. It was the sale of the aging property and the decision to pack up and leave its longtime home that attracted Morris to accept the role of minister. 

Pastor Greg Morris’s office in the new addition to First Christian Church.

He and his wife, Judy, had lived in Odessa, where Greg had been serving in ministry for 17 years. He was an education administrator at a Baptist church for 10 years and later was ordained as a Disciples of Christ minister, serving seven years at Bethany Christian Church. He was drawn to the bold decision made by members of First Christian Church in Abilene.

“They did an incredible journey of faith,” Morris said in a 2021 Spirit of Abilene article. “It was attractive to me to be a part of something like this.”

New addition, left, nearly doubles the size of First Christian Church.

The first step in that long journey came on May 5, 2019, when the congregation voted to sell its sprawling property to First Baptist. Members were thrilled when First Baptist, which paid $1 million for the FCC property, announced it would build a new Hope Center on the property to house its social ministries. 

Once First Christian Church members decided to sell their property to First Baptist, the congregation relocated temporarily to the Enterprise Building. They purchased land on Buffalo Gap Road with some of the proceeds from the sale, with the intention of building a new church. But a former Nazarene church on Antilley Road was available and fit First Christian’s needs–at least at first. Once the move was made, FCC members began reaching out to the neighborhood with fliers on doorknobs advertising Vacation Bible School, a Mother’s Day Out program, and other church activities.

It didn’t take long for the neighbors to respond. In a Spirit of Abilene article in August 2024, Morris said the church was averaging 75 in attendance on Sunday mornings, with approximately 25 being children–an unheard of statistic in today’s environment of aging church membership. Last summer, 60 children attended VBS. This year, that number grew to 100. 

First Christian Church photos, left to right youth room, Harvesters classroom, Rev. Greg Morris

The entire $1.2 million cost of the addition was raised before construction began. Much of it was from the sale of the property on Buffalo Gap Road and the rest from pledges.

“In fact,” Morris said, we have some left over to remodel the central classroom area of the church for our children’s ministry.”

Morris preached his first sermon in the Antilley Road location on March 7, 2021, not long after the congregation moved in. Since then, he has led the way in reaching out to neighbors and growing the congregation. 

The dedication service will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 10. Regional Representative Heather Reed will be in attendance. She will dismiss the congregation to a reception and tour of the new space.

“All are invited,” Morris said.

Loretta Fulton is creator and editor of Spirit of Abilene