Church History

History of Community Church Congregational, UCC

Our church began its journey in 1942 when Mrs. Cox reported the words of Reverend Raymond Brahms to Mrs. George Lewis: “Get a group of women together and most anything will start.”

They began with a Sunday School, the first in Corona Del Mar. In 1944, those whose children had been well served, bought a little piece of land on the corner of Heliotrope & 4th street -- the land on which our church now stands. At that time they affiliated with the Congregational Church, a denomination which traces its roots back to the Pilgrims. The Congregational Church valued freedom, and believed that each church should discern and answer God’s call in their own way.

Over the years we have been served by many faithful people and pastors who bestowed us with their legacies. A beautiful chapel for worship, weddings, and memorials; a large church hall used for meetings, including the many 12-step programs and a Marshallese Congregation; an affiliation to the United Church of Christ which is marked today by the phrase “God is still speaking;” a Sunday School program which values children and youth, loving and empowering them to serve Jesus; Logos, a midweek family ministry—another way we value our children; a Covenant System where members spend time in prayer toward the end of each year and then freely commit to the ways in which they will support the church for the year to come; a powerful music ministry; Bible Studies in which 70% of our members participate; a hands-on mission program with an orphanage in Mexico; teaching of spiritual disciplines and other works by our most recent retired pastor, Rev. Bruce Van Blair; and worship which values tradition and the hearing of God’s word for our lives.

We are thankful for the many who have served and added to our rich history. We are proud that some of our members have heard the “call” to ministry while attending our church, and that they have gone forth and now serve in other faith communities. We are honored to continue our many ministries in the name of Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Ours, indeed, is a spirit filled church. Our prayers, our conversation, our lives are dedicated to allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us who follow Jesus and move us deeper into the things of God.