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1 First Christia an Church of Orange (Disciples of Christ) 1130 E. Walnut Ave. Orange, CA CELEBRATING FCCO S 130 TH BIRTHDAY November 10, 2013 First Christian Church of Orange (Disciples of Christ), Orange, CA Script written by Bev Weatherhill with additions by Dayna Kinkade, Michelle Harris Gloyer and Wesley Ruby. Scene I. Male around 55 dressed in formal clothes from late 1880 s. (Dwight Messenger) Screen: First church on the Plaza. Hello, the year is 1883, my name is Brother Joseph King I camee to this small, dusty town from my church in Alleghany,Pennsylvania, to help start a new church the Christian Church of Orange some of the members heree were former parishoners back home. They had ventured way out far west, planned on starting grape farms We met in what they called The Chapel near the centerr of town.. the plaza. So, on November 10, 1883, nineteen persons became the charter members of the Christian Church at Orange, Los Angeles County, State of California.

2 Screen: Written Charter Their first priority was to start an Sunday School and then a missionary society. Screen: Church on Chapman and Grand. Narrator: In October, 1887, the chapel was moved to Chapmann and Grand,, and building additions increased the capacity and usefulness.

3 Scene 2. Male in twenties.. in Sunday clothes from (Mark Perring) Screen: Pastor Franklin Minck.. Hello, I m Pastor Rev. Franklin Minck the year is This was my first pastorite. I helped design the new educational wing of the church. During my time here, our congregation grew to more than 550 members.. Orange was also a growing city as many groves of oranges tookk place of grape vineyards. Screen: Women s Missionary Society...Young Adults class We had a very active Women s Missionary Group as you can see by this picture and also this active Young Adults class.

4 Scene 3. Male in 30 s.. Dressed in suit and tie.. (John Reinard) Screen: Pastor Myron Cole

5 The year is 1942 I m Myron Cole, (some you might know my son, Clifford Cole who used to belong to this congregation). During World War. II, we contributed to the warr effort by hosting units of an artillery battalion in our basement some were not very happy about that! Screen: Church basement. Here s a picture of the basement beforee the war Screen: Church from outside, We also had the steeple reinforced due to earthquake building requirements.

6 Screen: Church Sanctuary Our church sanctuary was big and beautiful! Scene 4. Male in early 40 s. (Craig Vail) Dressed Sunday robe... Screen: Pastor Willis Whitaker

7 Orange County was small, pretty unknown area in the early 1950 s.. when my daughter started attending Chapman College in LA, the other students would ask her Where is the city of Orange when she told them where she was from.. I am Willis Whitaker, pastor of the First Christian Church of Orange. When I learned that the Orange High School property was for sale I called Pres. George Reeves at Chapman Collegee with the news. Screen: Chapman College Building The Board of Trustees quickly responded by buying the property for $300,000. and the students started classes in the fall of 1954 which was the same year that Disneyland was started... Southern California soon learned more about Orange County! Scene 5. Tall, slender male.. Around 40 s. (Ed Cooper) Screen:Pastor George Tolman

8 I m George Tolman... came to Orange when the dream of a new church facility was starting as the city wanted our property for a city hall. After years of planning and raising funds, FCCO moved to this site it was way out of town, a former Orange Grove. Screen: Ground breaking ceremony... church in stages of building Completed building

9 We dedicated the sanctuary in With our Associate Minister, France Shorrock, our ministry grew and at one time we had 400 in our Church School,had two sessions. My ministry lasted about ten years..when our family went through a divorce, and my wife moved to Mexico and took the children, the congregation was my support.

10 Scene 6. Young woman, looks pregnant. (Michelle Harris Gloyer) Screen: Profile of pregnant woman Hello, my name is Sharon Kay Prenzlow... For many years only males could be Elders and Deacons. In 1971, ourr pastor was Rev. Jay Calhoun. With his guidance, it was voted to have female Elders and I was the first female asked to serve. Being pregnant, some of the congregation was not too pleased, and two families left the church. One older member asked the pastor to have me wear a robe when it was my turn to serve. Later the Diaconate was formed with both males and females Scene 7.Young pastor, in street clothes (David Ruby) Screen: Ben Bohren,

11 Its 1978, and my name is Ben Bohren, when I came to be your pastor, many thought I was too young and it was quite a cultural shock to come to Calif. from the East Coast.. I was full of ideas, and this congregation supported our dreams to be a congregation for all age groups, to be a voice in the community as we became a Shalom Congregation, working for Peacee and Justice During the actual presentation Ben Bohren came from the back k of the sanctuary and told David Ruby he thought he could speak for himself it was a surprise to all and a joy to have him in worship. Screen: Peace Pole We formed a Healthcare Task Force. Sadly, after nine years of ministry I had some serious voice problems andd had to resign from active ministry. Chapman called me to be their Directorr of Church Relations and this opened many opportunities to work with our Doc students. Scene 8. Same actor who portrayed George Tolman earlier.. few grey hairs.( Ed Cooper) Screen: George Tolman and Ed Cooper

12 I m back!! After your pastor Ben Bohren left, I was asked to be your Interm it was so great to be back with this creative congregation.. My passion at that time was the Habitat for Humanity organization, and when I suggested we start an OC unit, some skeptics said In this wealthy area, you will never get people to donate time, and wealth... but some of our congregation jumped in, assumed offices, and since then Habitat has builtt 175 houses... Screen: Millard Fuller, Jimmy Carter, Joe Perring Here s a picture of Millard Fuller, the founder of Habitat, and President Carter in the blue hat and Joe Perring, who is still an active member. Also,during this time, some of the Searcher s class acted as tutors at California and Cambridge schools. Scene: 9 A male around 60.. ( Bob Stockton) Screen: Pastor Stan Smith

13 Most of you will remember me, Stan Smith.. My ministry started in 1992, and FCCO was my second full time church as I came from the Lafeyette Church in Northern Calif. I had gone through a divorce and appreciated the acceptance and support you gave me. During the 19 years I was here, we joined in the regional Miracle Days, many times the major planners were members here... We support Mary s Kitchen the Disciple Men have been making sandwiches for years Screen: Sunday Night Together With a loyal group you servee dinner for the homeless once a month at the Sunday Night Together program. Screen: Stephen Ministry flyer We started the Stephen Ministry whichh helps members through rough times,

14 Screen: Open and Affirming pamphlet and ten years ago became officially an Open and Affirming Congregation, welcoming everyone has been our mantra for years..

15 Before I leave, let s give a thanks to the Associate pastors who have served our church.... Frances Shorrock, Claudia Highbaugh,Fran Cooper, Bert Reeder, Marge Reinstedt Lester, Dan Oliver,Sharon Warner, Bob Case, Cricket Harrison, Clarice Friedline, Nina Merkle, and Olivia Bryan Updegrove... Scene 10. Rev. Dayna Kinkade Screen: Picture of Dayna, her husband, Dan Oliver, Lary Row and Judy Row on the day the congregation voted to call her as senior pastor. My name is Dayna Kinkade and four months ago I came here from Iowa to serve as your first female Senior Pastor. Screen: Historic Building Campaign Booklet

16 In June of 1957, the campaign began for the building of this building. The campaign team published a booklet much like our stewardship team printed for us this year. Insidee the front cover is a quote by John Ruskin that says, Once in a lifetime comes the privilege of helping to buildd a church that will stand for generations in thee community for which it is built when we build let it not be for present delight nor present use alone. Let it bee such work as our descendants will thank us for; and let us thinkk as we lay stone upon stone, that the time is to come when these stones will be held sacred because our handss have touched them, and that men will say as they look upon the labor and the wrought substance of them, See this ourr fathers did for us. The generation that built this building was building a bridge to the future. With foresight and boldness this congregation bought a piecee of land in the middle of orange groves and built this building that has served us for 52 years. When you walk on campus today you are the beneficiary of those who wanted to seee the work and witness of First Christian Church of Orange continue. Screen: Bridge It is now our turn to build a bridge to the future and we have ass our anchorr 130 years of ministry. Over the course of 130 years this congregation has nurtured leaders, stood for justice, worked for peace, and practiced mercy. This congregation has been out front on numerous issues, not the least becoming an Open and Affirming congregation. In 1957, building a new building was the answer it was the bridge. In 2013 the bridge to the future is missions it is out there. We have the opportunity to be creative, innovative, and bold using hands on ministry allowing ourselves to be transformed by the work wee do in the name of Christ. The bridge we are building will connect us with creation and our responsibility as stewards of this planet.

17 The bridge we are building will help us continue the already strong ministries of this congregation: With God s help. We will continue to have a great music program We will continue to nurture leaders We will continue great youth programming We will continue to be a congregation that practices radical hospitality We will continue our commitment to faith formation and worship There is just one thing we have to stop doing. We have to stop being the best kept secret in town. The bridge we are building will make us THAT church. You know, THAT church the church that welcomes all, cares about creation, serves the most vulnerable, and walks the walk. THAT church. My prayer is that the next generation will look back with thankful hearts to our faithfulness, our sacrifices, our passion, and say, Look what they did for us! Scene 11. Rev. Michelle Harris Gloyer and youth, Wesley Ruby I, Michelle Harris Gloyer, started getting to know this congregation in the mid 1990 s, as a high school youth and as a Chapman University undergraduate student. I quickly learned that FCCO knows in their bones something really important about what it means to live as the family of God. As I ve come back to this church in 2013, now as Transitional Associate Pastor, the same holds true And the church is more boldly naming & claiming the inclusivity of God s family! Jesus was continuously making the circle wider. I can t wait to see how God calls this church to continue to making the circle wider. I envision ministries that not only meet the immediate needs of folks, but that also looks at the bigger issues of why the needs have been unmet in the first place. I see worship, so deep and so alive. I see education and faith formation for children, youth, adults, young adults, older adults, parents, intergenerational connections and those opportunities extended into the larger community. Children and youth are a critical part of not only the church of the future, but of the church today. A vital part of the Body of Christ, here and now! FCCO knows this. Just a couple weeks ago, our youngest children offered the message, in words and drawings, by answering the question, If there were an Eleventh Commandment, what would it be? We heard how God is speaking to and through the children about good ways to live. And WOW, they ve got some wisdom! WE have some tremendous wisdom together as God speaks to the whole Body of Christ How might we listen even more to God s call into the future? Our youth they have some wisdom, too! Let s hear from one of those voices directly (Wesley Ruby) November 10, 2013 Celebrating FCCO s 130 th Birthday First Christian Church of Orange

18 Good morning, I am Wesley Ruby and I am part of the youth community here at First Christian Church of Orange and I look forward to being able to look back on the history of this congregation someday when I am older. I love being a member here and I know that I am a recipient of many gifts that have been a part of our heritage. I love that everyone is welcome. The fact that FCCO is an open and affirming congregation is what drew my family to this church and why we stayed. I love the meaningful worship and powerful sermons from Pastor Dayna. I love the diversity of music in our worship from contemporary to classical. As a young person, I want to point out that our music minister keeps encouraging us to be even more open to current musical styles in worship and I really appreciate that. Dean, you rock and I mean that literally. I love that our congregation is full of people that want to help and people that want to include young people in service and outreach to our community. I love that our church makes a big commitment to summer camp. Camp is where faith is energized and connections are made. The commitment we make to Loch Leven makes a big impact, I know it has on me, so, thanks for that. I love that FCCO has fun programs for youth and children. Pastor Michelle is a very brave person. She has planned an overnight for the youth this month. All night with youth yea so she s either crazy or she really wants young people to love coming to church, or maybe a good balance of both. When I look back someday, years from now, I hope all these things are still true of First Christian Church or Orange and I hope we will be celebrating some new things too. Maybe we will have more ethnic diversity in our congregation, but with that ethnic diversity I hope we can say there is equality and I hope it is us, the people sitting in this congregation today, that will be the movers that make it happen. Maybe we will be celebrating with technologies that have not been invented yet but we will be using these technologies because we are a congregation that is committed to staying on top of what is new and what works. I can t see the future, but I suspect that just like today we will gather at this table, a table where everyone is welcome and everyone is celebrated and everyone is fed. November 10, 2013 Celebrating FCCO s 130 th Birthday First Christian Church of Orange