Las Sabinas, Volume 35, Number 4, 2009 Page: 11
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Las Sabinas History Journal and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Orange County Historical Society.
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The best known and beloved landmark of First Christian Church is the picture
window in the sanctuary. It pictures Jesus with his arms reaching out. It forms a
veritable icon for members of the First Christian Church. It was donated by Mr. and
Mrs. George Craft. The story goes that Etta Mae Craft announced to her husband that
they would donate the window. This was when a thousand dollars was a lot of
money. George agreed, though the gift took all of their savings. (4)
Modern History
First Christian Church has had many fine and prominent ministers in her history.
The longest pastorate was that of Rev. Preston and Audrey Barrett. Preston and
Audrey served First Christian church sixteen years, from 1968-1984. They were
loved by the congregation. (5)
First Christian Church has always been a reaching out congregation, supporting
the local charitable efforts of Orange Christian Services, Friends Helping Friends, and
the House of Refuge, now Heaven's Serenity House, as well as the ministries of the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at the regional and national levels.
The congregation is part of the Coastal Plains Area of the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ) and supports the campground at Gonzales, Texas, where the
youth of First Christian Church have enjoyed many a happy summer. In the year
2000 First Christian Church joined the First Presbyterian and First United Methodist
Church to have a joint Vacation Bible School. This year First Christian Church will
host the joint Bible School and will dedicate its upstairs mural on the walls of the
Sunday School rooms, featuring biblical scenes from the Old and New Testaments, a
remarkable project under the leadership of a local artist and church member, Mr. Tom
Windham.
First Christian Church has always been ecumenically minded. In the year 2000
the first CROP walk for the hungry all around the world, including those in our own
Orange community, was started under the leadership of our new pastor Dr. Tim
Griffin. The walk, involving several congregations in Orange, has raised over
$20,000 over the past five years, which goes to help the starving people of the world
and to aid victims of natural disasters like those of hurricane Rita which hit the Gulf
Coast in the fall of 2005.
As part of the Disciples of Christ denomination, First Christian Church of Orange
continues the tradition of a progressive approach to Christianity, not rejecting people
because of race or creed but reaching out to all of God's children in the name of
Jesus, proclaiming Him and Him alone as the Light of and for the world.
Dr. Tim Griffin11
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Orange County Historical Society (Tex.). Las Sabinas, Volume 35, Number 4, 2009, periodical, 2009; Orange, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth312948/m1/17/?q=Lamar+University: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Orange County Historical Society.