First Christian Church
photo from Our Oakland
The First Christian Church is in a striking building at 111 Fairmount Avenue. It was designed by noted architect W.H. Weeks in 1928.
1931 1
1950 Sanborn excerpt
The congregation dates back to the 1870s, when they met at the Odd Fellows' Hall. Benjamin W. Reagan of silver mine fame constructed a building for the church at 15th and Clay. Reagan died before deeding the building to the church, and rather than purchase the building, the congregation opted to build a new building closer to where most of the congregation lived. From 1884 to 1897, the church was at the southeast corner of 13th and Market. Rev. Dr. Porter was the first pastor. c.1889 Rev. George W. Sweeney was the pastor. 2
1889 Sanborn excerpt
In 1900, the church was at 1065 West Street, just south of 12th Street. (The 1889 Sanborn shows that as the first Universalist Church.)
1902 Sanborn excerpt
c.1905, the church met at Hamilton Hall at 13th and Jefferson.
In 1910, they laid the cornerstone for a new building on the southeast corner of Webster and Grand. 3
1911 Sanborn excerpt
Links and References
- First Christian Church official website (via archive.org)
- Volunteers to perform 'miracles' for church by Annalee Allen Oakland Tribune October 30, 2005
- ohrphoto.oaklandchurches.012.jpg Oakland History Center, Oakland Public Library
- Before the Cross Oakland Tribune March 13, 1897
- Cornerstone to Be Laid Tomorrow Oakland Tribune May 7, 1910
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History of First Christian Church
29th and Fairmont
Last Service First Christian Church
Grand Ave and Webster
Oakland Tribune
April 6, 1929
Dr. W. Paul Reagor to Be Installed As New Minister
New Dedication of First Christian Church Slated for April 14, 1929
29th and Fairmont
Oakland Tribune
April 13-14, 1929
Christian Church To Dedicate Organ
Oakland Tribune
April 16, 1929
Dedication of the new organ will feature services at the First Christian Church tonight, marking the second night’s celebration of a week of rejoicing following the formal opening of the new church last Sunday.
W B. Kennedy, organist of the First Presbyterian Church, assisted by Ruth Hall Crandall, contralto soloist of the First Baptist church, and Orley See, first violinist of the San Francisco Symphony orchestra, will give an organ recital.
Services Fete Complete New Church Home
Week’s Celebration to Honor $250,000 Christian Plant’s Completion
Oakland Tribune
April 15, 1929
Dr. Harvey O. Breeden, (top) who preached his final sermon as active pastor of the First Christian Church yesterday, and Dr. W. Paul Reagor, new minister.
Beginning week of celebration in honor of the completion of the new church plant at Fairmount avenue and Twenty-ninth street, which was dedicated yesterday, the First Christian church will observe "Peace Night" this evening.
Dr. H. H. Guy Witt speak on "World Peace. Felicitation will he brought by the following Christian church ministers of the East-bays: Rev. Robert McHattan, Earl N. Griggs, Herbert F. Shaw, Galen Lee Rose, Alden Webb, Roscoe Smith, O. W. Tabor, Lon W. Chamblee and Frank Ford.
Yesterday's dedicatory services taxed the capacity of the new auditorium. At the morning hour Dr. Harvey O. Breeden preached the dedicatory sermon and his valedictory address as active minister of the church. After 51 years in the ministry, Dr. Breeden retires to become pastor emeritus, succeeded by Dr. W. Paul Reagor, who for ten years was pastor of First church, Tacoma.
OTHER SERVICES At 8 o’clock service of thanksgiving and felicitation was held. Greetings were brought by Dr. Edgar A. Lowther, president of the Oakland Council of Churches: Rabbi Rudolph L. Coffee and former pastors of the church.
Dr. Reagor, the new minister, preached at last night’s service of evangelism. Hi subject was "A Vision of Service."
Tomorrow night the new organ will be dedicated with an organ recital by W. B. Kennedy, organist of the First Presbyterian church, assisted by Miss Ruth Hall Crandall contralto soloist, and Orley See, first Violinist, San Francisco Symphony orchestra. Education night will be observed Wednesday with a banquet at Fellowship hall. Dr. W. C. Pierce will speak on "Religious Education."
CHURCH COST $250,000 "The Messiah" will be sung by a choir of 70 singers under the direction of Dr. O. S. Dean Thursday night. The week's observance will close Friday night with the dedication of Fellowship hall. "The Foot of the Rainbow” a drama, will be given by Thespians Guild of the church.
The new church, erected at a cost of $250,000, is of Spanish-Colonial design. Dominating the structure is a replica of the famous cathedral tower at Pueblo, Mexico. The auditorium is of full cathedral height and seats 900 persons.
Christ Needed by Whole World Says Minister
Oakland Tribune
May 6, 1929 - Dr. Reagor
"The Nineteenth century was the age of intellectual doubt. It was the age when science was first attracting the attention of men and at first there appeared to be a dire divergence between the world of science and the world of faith,” said Dr. W, Paul Reagor at the First Christian church last night, preaching on the subject "Is Christianity Possible?" He said in part:
"That age is past. We have moved into another world today. The old assumptions have been blasted. Possibly the assumption which is assailed more than all the rest is that we are Christians. Since the war we know that we are not as good Christians as we ought to be. It is presumptuous to call ourselves a Christian nation. We are part Christian, it is true, but as well we are part pagan, and lite has become terrifically complex; therefore a more pressing question for this age is this: 'Is Christianity possible?' In the face of conditions of modern life and the circumstances under which we live, is the practice of the Christian life a vain and empty dream after 1900 years of trial and struggle? We face the fact that it is as seemingly far away from this goal as it was in the first century.
“We have lived much these last few years and among other things I've known not that a man can be highly skilled, keenly intelligent and of splendid ability, but unless that life is harnessed to some devout and noble purpose he may diabolically destroy the finest, heritage of the race. This then is the conclusion, that Christianity is not only possible but that it is necessary to this very life of the world. It is the grimmest necessity of our common human existence today. It is either Christianity or chaos. It is possible for chaos to come again. Only a vital Christian faith can save us from that. The whole heart of man must be moralized and spiritualized. Christian faith lives for that purpose. What man must do he can do and will eventually be glad to do.” END
DR. Breeden Pastor for 51 Years is Dead
Oakland Tribune
January 26, 1933
Minister in Christian Faith For Half Century Succumbs After Long Illness
Dr. Harvey O. Breeden, 76, pioneer minister, who devoted 51 years of his life to the church pulpit, died today at his home 606 Vernon street, following an illness of 2 years. He had been confined to his bed for several months.
Dr. Breeden gave up the pulpit of First Christian Church of Oakland on Easter Sunday, 1929. He served as pastor of the church for seven years, and for one year after his withdrawal, was pastor of the Mills Terrace Christian Church in East Oakland. During his long career, Dr. Breeden achieved an eminent position in the Christian Church in America. He served 22 years in the pulpit of the Christian Church at Des Moines, Iowa, which was the largest church of that faith in the United States.
After leaving Des Moines, he conducted evangelistic meetings in Christian Churches throughout the country for three or four years, and then went to Fresno, serving in the pulpit there for 12 years before transferring to Oakland. While in Des Moines, Dr. Breeden served as a member of the board of directors of Drake University, an institution for the Disciple of Christ. Dr. Breeden is survived 'by his widow, Mrs. Florence M. Breeden, and a son, Bernard M. Breeden. He was born in Illinois on April 18, 1857. He attended Abbingdon College and received degrees of A. B. and A. M. from Eureka College. Drake University conferred the LL.D degree on him in 1890. The pastor's funeral will be held Saturday at 2 p. m. at the First Christian Church at Twenty-ninth Street and Fairmont Avenue.
His body is at the Truman Company, 2935 Telegraph Avenue. END
Dean Weigle is Coming
Oakland Tribune
January 12, 1935
Dean Lurther A. Weigle of the Yale Divinity School will be a visitor to the Eastbay late this month. He will give an address at a luncheon meeting of the Eastbay ministers and laymen at the First Christian Church, January 25, at 12:15 o'clock. END
Youth to Be discussed by Pastor Reagor
Oakland Tribune
July 8, 1935
Technical High School’s A Capella Choir to Be Featured at Night Hour
At the First Christian Church tomorrow evening the A Capella Choir of the Technical High School will provide a special program of music. The pastor, Dr. W. Paul Reagor, will preach a special sermon to young people on the theme "Youth in a World of Chaos."
"These are days when young people are seeking earnestly to find themselves, and religion offers an opportunity and an interpretation for life for such days as these which cannot be ignored by thoughtful young people who are anxious to make their lives count for the most,” says the pastor.
At the morning hour of worship Dr. Reagor will preach on the theme "Does God Want Me." He says: "One of the tendencies of our day is to think less of ourselves than we ought to think. Almost the entire emphasis of our modern mechanistic age is to lessen the value and the significance of human personality. Multitudes of people have gone upon the rocks at this particular point, and many more have come to the conclusion that there is nothing that they can do as individuals, which counts for very much."
The church school observes its promotion day exercises tomorrow morning. Twice a year, in January and June, following the custom of the public schools, the school of Christian education sends on to a higher grade, those who have done creditable work in the field in which they have been studying. END
Hammond Weeks
Architect of First Christian Church
Oakland Tribune
January 14, 1950
Hammond Weeks : Private funeral services were held yesterday for Hammond Weeks, retired architect, who died Thursday at a local hospital. Mr. Weeks, who lived at 5659 Chabot Drive, planned the First Christian Church, 29th Street and Fairmont Avenue among other edifices in this area. The widower of the Mrs. Dagmar F. Weeks, he is survived by three children, Mrs. Mertyle W. Schmidts, Mrs. Jean Elizabeth Clark and Richard Weeks, and five grandchildren, Bonnie Cook, Gwendolyn Armstrong, Richard and John Weeks and Jean Clark. The Albert Brown Mortuary was in charge of services. END
FCC March 22, 1951 22 Mar 1951, Thu Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com
Christmas Cheer Group Loses $30
Dec 16, 1951
Oakland Tribune
Christmas Caroline to hospital patients : cost three Oakland churchwomen about $30 and their purses last night While they made the rounds of; Fairmont and Highland Hospital wards, burglar entered the home of the Rev. Dallas Gladson, 628 Van Buren Avenue, and took their purses from a bed. The Rev. Mr. Gladson is pastor of the First Christian Church. Victims and their losses included: Miss Ellen Davis, $20; Miss Mary Woodword, $5 to $10, and Mrs. Leland Colyer, $6.
FCC Gladson robbery 16 Dec 1951, Sun Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com
FCC Holroyds 21 May 1950, Sun Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com
Reverand Donald F. West
April 16, 1950
Oakland Tribune
Mrs. Minnie Norrell turns the first spadeful of earth at ground breaking ceremonies recently for a new Elmhurst Christian Church building at 94th Avenue and Holly Street. She is a charter member of the church. Watching: are the Rev. Donald F. West, left, pastor of the First Christian Church of Oakland, and the Rev. George B. Coleson, pastor of the Elmhurst Christian Church, established here in 1920.
FCC Rev West Pic 16 Apr 1950, Sun Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com
FCC 1953 08 Nov 1953, Sun Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com
28 Jul 1959, Tue Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com
DB. THOMAS TOLER , New Oakland Pastor New Pastor To Begin His Ministry Here
February 1, 1959
Oakland Tribune
Dr. Thomas W. Toler, 44, of Ct Joseph, Mo, will begin his ministry today as pastor of First Christian Church, 111 Fairmont Ave. He succeeds Dr. Dallas Gladson who moved to Whittier last summer.
The formal installation and reception is scheduled for March 17.
He is a graduate of Alma College and Phillips University. Culver Stockton College awarded him his honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree. He has held pastorates in Michigan and Missouri during his 23 years as a minister. He is a Mason and a member of the Moila Temple Shrine.
The Rev. Dr. Toler is married and has two teenage daughters. He. is a native of Iowa.
He has been named to several national and regional chairmanships by his denomination. He has been a member of the YMCA boards in Kansas City and St Joseph.
Dr. Toler Comes to FCC 01 Feb 1959, Sun Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com
A Convention Goes Global
Oakland Tribune
April 5, 1962
A TROPICAL setting will surround the 15 different booths, from records to potted plants, refreshments to bowling at Herbert Hoover Junior High, 3263 West Street, Saturday afternoon, when the PTA unit holds the annual carnival there with Mrs. Girver T. Hudson (right), chairman; Mrs. Marian Reed (left), co-chairman, and Mrs. Ernest Fields, president, officiating. Others working for success of the fund-raising affair, to aid student welfare, are Mrs. A. B. Kidd, finance secretary, and Mrs. Ruth Broom, ways and means chairman.
FCC Mrs Fields Picture 1962 05 Apr 1962, Thu Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com
Volunteering Yvonne Fields
Oakland Tribune
April 16, 1969
While parents keep medical appointments, junior volunteers Judy Chrosta (standing), Skyline High student, and Yvonne Fields of Tech High see (from left) Giovanni and Michael Longo and baby Robin McNair have fun in the hospital nursery.
FCC Yvonne Fields 1969 16 Apr 1969, Wed Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com
Castlemont High School ROTC
May 27, 1966
Oakland Tribune
Winner of over-all rifle team competition was Cadet Capt. Martin Vega of Fremont High School.' Oakland Technical High swept the fall, spring, and overall team rifle team competition. Commanders of the high school units were Cadet Lt. Cols. Frank Fong, Joe W. Thomas, Vilnis Rudzitis, and Ernest E. Fields of Castlemont, Fremont, Oakland High, and Technical, respectively.
27 May 1966, Fri Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com
Doctor Toler Resigns Church Post
May 12, 1967
Oakland Tribune
The Rev. Dr, Thomas Toler; 52, pastor of the First Christian Church, Oakland since 1959, has resigned to accept a pastorate in Bakersfield. His resignation is effective Aug. 31. Dr. Toler will be leaving a 500-member congregation and assuming the responsibility for an 800 member church. Dr. Toler was elected to two terms as president of the Oakland Council of Churches. He is a member of the board of Managers of the United Christian Missionary Society of the International Convention of Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ). Dr. Toler has been a minister for 31 years.
