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(Top) The First Christian Church celebrated its 125th anniversary Sunday. The church is currently resides in its fourth location at Nettelton and Insley streets. The churche's third building was dedicated in 1927.

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(Top) The First Christian Church celebrated its 125th anniversary Sunday. The church is currently resides in its fourth location at Nettelton and Insley streets. The churche's second building was dedicated in 1900.

Contributed photo

The First Christian Church celebrated its 125th anniversary Sunday. The church is currently resides in its fourth location at Nettelton and Insley streets. The churche's first building was dedicated in 1888. .

From its founding to a devastating fire and rebuilding, Bonner Springs’ first church had many highs and lows to look back on and celebrate.

During the Oct. 26 service, congregation members of Bonner Springs First Christian Church were treated to a presentation including a digital slide show on the long history of the church highlighting the many changes in its 125 years of existence.

The presentation also showed that one message remained constant all those years.

“Outreach, helping other people,” said Pastor Margi Colerick. “We’ve just always been real anxious to help others.”

The church was started in 1883 when a group of about 30 Bonner Springs residents began meeting in the old schoolhouse. The group wanted to start a church and with the help of an offer they couldn’t refuse, they made it happen.

In 1885, the city, along with Philo Clark, who would eventually become Bonner Springs’ first mayor, offered a free lot to the first group in town who wanted to build a church. The First Christian group jumped at the chance and on May 5, 1888, they dedicated the first of four buildings the church would occupy, located on the corner of Insley and Allcutt streets.

Eventually the church sold that building in 1899 to the Catholic Church of Bonner Springs for $700. Before moving into its second location, the church met in the downtown Opera House. On Oct. 24, 1900, the church dedicated its second building, which included a baptistery. That building was located just next door to the church’s first home.

The church eventually moved to its third building in 1927, on a lot at Nettleton and Insley streets, but suffered a loss when in 1969 a fire burned down most of the church. Colerick said that the pastor of the church at the time of the fire, Robert Sweeten, happened to be a volunteer firefighter and was on the first truck that came to fight the fire.

The church rebounded and rebuilt its church on the same site, which was dedicated on April 23, 1972. The church was able to restore and save the education wing following the fire, but the sanctuary was a total loss. The church has remained in that location ever since.

But according to Colerick, there is a lot more to the church than its location.

“It’s not just a building, but it’s people out helping others that makes a church,” Colerick said. “We’ve just really tried to have an emphasis on reaching out to other people.”

That principle has been steadfast, Colerick said, throughout the church’s history. Colerick said the reason for this, beyond the religious aspect, was that the church feels a strong tie to the community.

The church began just as Bonner Springs itself was beginning to truly emerge. As the city grew, the church followed, and Colerick said that connection and history has always been strongly felt.

“A lot of the history of Bonner, is our history too,” Colerick said. “We’ve always been so much a part of the community.”

During her months of research on the history of the church, Colerick said she discovered several interesting stories she’d never heard before. Using old Chieftain articles and pictures, as well as past church service programs, Colerick was able to piece together an extensive look at the church’s history.

In 1941, the church had a Bible-reading marathon. For five and a half days, congregation members took turns reading through the entire Bible. About 850 people listened, while 300 people took turns reading in 15-minute increments.

In 1945, a local cannery had such a large tomato crop it didn’t have enough time to process it all, so church members volunteered to help in the process.

More recently, the church is known for its 20 years of hosting a large Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. Also every year, the church participates in a Christmas basket program that gives Bonner Springs residents in need, items to make their Christmas a little better.

In the future, Colerick said the church would continue its outreach programs. She also said that the church is continually trying to adapt to new technology in hopes that a long, bright future will become another part of its history.

“I think it’s a testament that were doing something right,” Colerick said of the 125-year milestone.

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