With so many churches to choose from, why should I choose a Congregational Christian Church?

A Congregational Christian Church of today is a Church of Pilgrims, with convictions that emphasize faith, freedom and fellowship.

Congregational Christians believe very deeply in God, in Jesus Christ, in the guiding Spirit of God, in prayer, in the worth of worship, in the value of the sacraments and holy rites, and in the power of God to triumph over all that is unholy and evil.

We do not accept any formal statement of faith as binding upon all members of our Churches.

This is not because we think creeds do not matter, but because we think sincerity of conviction requires full opportunity for intellectual freedom and personal experience.  Thus every Congregationalist possesses full liberty of conscience in interpreting the gospel.

Congregational Christians stand for an open Bible in the fullest sense; a Bible that is open in our Churches, in our homes, in our schools; open to be read in our own language with all the insight that reverent study, prayerful meditation, and Christian living can bring to bear upon it.

We believe that the Bible contains rich spiritual guidance for every person and for every family and that devotional reading and study of the scriptures in the home will foster inner unity and outer strength.

It is our conviction that the Word of God which is to be found in the Bible will inspire and direct the Church and will yield fresh light and truth for each new age.

We cherish the aim that each person that they shall be able to read and interpret the Bible for himself with trust, confidence and affection, and that he shall be able to experience its power to build him up into a strong, courageous, and intelligent follower of Jesus Christ.

First Congregational Church is a fellowship of kindred spirits.  Its members are united by a great conviction and a greater purpose; the conviction that God is eager to share the road of life with us; the purpose to build personal character after the pattern of Jesus, and community life more like unto the Kingdom of God.  Because we share this conviction and purpose, our Church is a growing Church!

Our church is a living Church.  It places the emphases where Jesus placed it - on ministering unto others and on daily living.  It is a Church which values the past and dreams of the future, but a Church which lives in the present.

Our Church is a church of the spirit.  It puts people first before programs, committees, or things material.  It is a Church which seeks to know the highest, and then humbly but fearlessly follows the light as God gives it to see light.

Our aim is to be a thinking, feeling, caring, studying, growing church.  You are welcome in all the activities of the church and we invite you to worship and fellowship with us whenever the opportunity allows!

The First Congregational Church of Pontiac was organized on February 6, 1831 by six persons, including Rev. Issaac W. Ruggles at the home of Mr. Samuel Bent.

The first meeting house was built in 1834 and was "the first building erected in Pontiac for the worship of God."  For the next 100 years, other buildings were erected until the fourth structure was begun in 1927.  The depression of 1929 came before the "new" church stood boarded up and unfinished.

In 1952, a tremendous amount of volunteer work finally completed the fourth building in 1968.  It was the spacious Gothic structure that could seat 600 in the sanctuary, including a chapel, a kitchen, a gymnasium, fellowship hall, a stage, and several classrooms.

Between 1960 and 1990, the membership went from 1,200 down to 325.

With declining enrollment, as faced by all urban churches at the time, and high operating expenses, the congregation, led by Rev. James G. Keough, sold the property in June, 1990 and moved to an area closer to its people in the suburbs.

The congregation voted to purchase property at the corner of Clarkston and Pine Knob roads which includes a pond and many trees.

The church held worship in offices in the Clarkston Crossing Building on M-15 in Clarkston until a new building could be built.

The first service in its new location was June 21, 1992.  It was a small building with a sanctuary, offices, and two classrooms.

Sunday School classrooms and a Fellowship Hall were added in 1995.  In 1997, we purchased the house and lot on the corner or Clarkston and Pine Knob Roads.

During 2001, the administrative offices were expanded and the Fellowship Hall had to be enlarged.

In April 2005 Rev Dr. Martin W. Hall came to the church and is leading his call of membership with vision and new construction. 

Ground breaking for a new part of our facility took place in October of 2007 and was completed on July 23, 2008.   By the democratic vote of our membership and a lot of prayer, it was decided to add on to our beautiful building.  Our new addition has a gymnasium area, 5,300 square feet of activity, additional rooms and storage.  The youth of our congregation are the future leaders of our church.  The church also wishes to offer more interaction in the community with the resources we have.  This project is part of our continuing effort to invest in the future of First Congregational Church.  Dedication of the new section to our building was September 7, 2008, which was Rally Day at our church.  An Ice Cream Social by our Outreach Board along with a hot dog lunch served by the youth of our church made for a great addition to our dedication day! 

...and the Dream Lives On!