First Congregational Church (Manhattan, Kansas)

First Congregational United Church of Christ is a historic church at 700 Poyntz Avenue in Manhattan, Kansas. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as First Congregational Church. On April 22, 1855, the Rev. Charles Blood conducted a worship service in the vicinity of the present church property. The sanctuary was a tent, a trunk served as the pulpit, and worshippers were seated on boxes and kegs. The text for the sermon was from the Acts of the Apostles: "Those who have turned the world upside down have come hither, also." The Rev. Blood was an abolitionist preacher educated at Lane Theological Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio, so the text was certainly appropriate. In subsequent months, services were held in the tent, then in a log cabin, in private homes, in a store building, and then in a new school building on Poyntz Avenue west of Ninth Street. Such was the beginning of the second Congregational church in the Kansas Territory. On January 6, 1856, the fledgling church was officially established by the adoption of a constitution. There were 12 charter members. Soon after, talk of a building began. The Manhattan town companies gave three lots to the church for the erection of a building along with 40 additional lots to be sold to finance the building project. In 1858, the original stone church was begun. Donors to its construction included Owen Lovejoy, Stephen

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