First Congregational United Church of Christ is still in business, as they say.
While scaffolding has taken over the sanctuary and construction equipment has become a common sight outside the walls of the church at 255 W. 10th St., the congregation has remained active, both in worship and in service to the community.
It was a little more than a year ago when members first noticed some cracks in the church walls.
“There were a couple of phases after the cracks started happening,” said architect Mike Stickley, vice chair of trustees. “We started investigating and probably had a year of just design work investigation. We vacated (the building) and started doing demolition work. So technically, I think we’ve just recently started reconstruction.”
The congregation’s services are being held at Steeple Square, but the church’s administrative offices on 10th Street have been able to remain open in a section of the building not affected by construction.
Church historian Connie Cherba said the age of the building is the main reason for the structural issues.
“The building is 163 years old,” she said. “It’s not necessarily faulty construction, it’s just age.”
Nikki Ketchum, the church’s business manager, said the congregation has continued to remain active in serving the downtown community.
“Our Thursday night meal has moved to the Rescue Mission, but we still financially support it, and our volunteers still go there,” she said. “But for safety, of course, we moved it there, and the Mission was graciously able to take it on for us.”
In addition to the Thursday night meal it provides the community, the church is the location for one of the city’s hygiene pantries and is a point of contact for anyone in the community seeking resources, whether it be food, shelter or any basic need.
“People may look at the building right now and think ‘Oh, there’s nothing I can get there,’” Ketchum said.
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“But we are open and here, and we can provide local resources or point them in the direction to find other resources. We work with the Community Foundation (of Greater Dubuque) and a couple of other organizations in town, so if somebody’s looking for a food pantry or shelter, we can help.”
The church even has launched some new programs amid the renovations.
“Our youth have been working with Resources Unite and are taking over a program called the Kitchen Cupboard,” Pastor Kaity Kemp said. “(The church) will eventually be the site where people come to get that resource. So they’ve been collecting, sorting and organizing anything that people might need to start out again, like toasters, plates, cups, things like that. The kids sort and assemble boxes for people who need some basics to start out again.”
Kemp said the church also has taken a special interest in working with people suffering from dementia.
“We’re finding, given our demographics, that dementia is impacting a lot of individuals at our church,” she said. “We’re spending a lot of time focusing on how we can be a congregation that is welcoming to those with dementia, as well as anybody else experiencing brain health issues.”
Merle Santjer, the church’s chairman of trustees, said he has no doubt the church will come through its recent challenges.
“I’m sure there were many events in the 160-plus years of this church that rocked the congregation,” he said. “But we survived. We’re strong. And our intention is to continue to grow.”
Stickley said things are moving along as far as structural renovations and reconstruction, but the church won’t be moving its services back to the building anytime soon.
“Realistically, we’re probably still at least a year out,” he said.
But First Congregational United Church of Christ has a heart for the city.
“We’re still here,” Kemp said. “We want people to know that even though we have a weak wall, our congregation is still strong.”
