HISTORY OF THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF KENNEWICK

On February 22, 1908, in the four year old incorporated city of Kennewick, Washington, the First Christian Church was formally organized.  The church consisted of 28 charter members who came together following a rousing four week long evangelistic meeting led by Brother J. A. Pine, who was serving as state evangelist of the Christian Church.  The fledging congregation soon purchased two lots at the corner of Washington Street and Third Avenue, with the member families pledging $25.00 a piece during the year to secure the property. 

The early years were touch and go for the church, but the congregation was finally able to call its first residential minister, Brother Ernest I. Mitchell in 1920.  In 1921 the cornerstone was laid for a sanctuary on the then possessed four lots at Washington and Third. 

The original two story building served the congregation until it was sold in 1993 and construction had begun on a new worship and education center on a spacious five acre plot on the corner of Olympia Street and 19th Avenue. The first worship service in the new building was conducted on August 21, 1994. In 2008, a new educational and youth annex was opened.

Church membership continued to grow as the surrounding area of the Tri-Cities grew.  Over its hundred year history, the congregation has been served by an extended line of pastors - short and long term interims, student pastors from the greater Spokane area, residential pastors with a broad range of service terms - some of barely a year to the fruitful 21 year ministry of the Reverend Ron Yates.   The early, difficult years registered some 17 pastoral leaders from 1908 through 1956.  The residential pastoral situation stabilized in 1956 with the calling of Pastor Yates and this congregation has the enviable record of possessing only four senior called pastors in its last 52 years of history:  Pastor Ron Yates, 1956-1977; the Reverend Doctor Howard King, 1977-1987, Pastor Jack Hart, 1988-1999 and the current Pastor Larry Hansmeier who was officially called to begin on December 1, 2001.

With the passage of time, our ministries and sevices to the the Mid Columbia Tri-Cities community has also grown.  On February 22, 2008, we celebrated our 100th year as a congregation.  We continue to work in our chuch and community and in service to our Lord, Jesus Christ.