Plymouth Magazine-Fall26-DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 4
The Plymouth Church Story
Plymouth Church through the Years:
1857: Eleven men and women sign the “Articles of Government
and Faith of the Congregational Churches” to form Plymouth
Church in Des Moines. The first church is a small frame building
on Court Avenue near 5th Street. (page 6)
1864: The Court Avenue church building moves to Locust
Street near 7th Street and a steeple is added. (page 9)
1877: Under the leadership of the Rev. A.L. Frisbie a new church
is built on a lot adjoining the old church at 7th and Locust streets.
(page 9)
1880s – 1890s: Plymouth Church supports the formation
of three “suburban” congregational churches, including
Greenwood, Pilgrim, and North Park. (page 9)
1893 – 1906: Plymouth Church founds and supports the
downtown Sunbeam Rescue Mission, one of the first charitable
missions in Des Moines, providing housing, education and job
training for the unhoused and destitute. (page 15)
1977: Burling House was demolished and a new wing added,
providing meeting rooms (Greenwood and Burling), a
window-lined gallery, administrative and music offices, and
Rehearsal Hall. (page 30)
1979: The Plymouth Foundation was established to support
the church’s special financial needs through gifts made to the
Foundation above and beyond a member’s annual stewardship
commitment. The Foundation funds programs such as Stephen
Ministries, Stepping Stones, and Transition Into Ministry (TiM),
and has played a major role in every building and grounds and
capital campaign. (page 30)
1900: A new Plymouth Church is built at 8th and Pleasant streets
and becomes one of seven churches and a synagogue in the
vicinity, dubbed “Piety Hill.” (page 15)
1993: Under the leadership of the Rev. James Gilliom,
Plymouth Church resolves to be an “open and affirming” UCC
congregation, welcoming all people to full participation in the
church regardless of their “affectional orientation.” (page 31)
1915: Plymouth Church played host to group of citizens who
met in the church parlor to organize the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
1996: A Memorial Garden on the east lawn is dedicated for
interment of cremains.
1917: The Iowa Congregational Hospital at 14th and Clark
streets opens with support from Plymouth Church. It serves
primarily as a maternity hospital. In January 1926, it merges
with Iowa Lutheran Hospital. (page 15)
1925: The city acquires Plymouth Church property at 8th and
Pleasant streets to extend 8th Street to Keosauqua Way. The
downtown church is demolished and plans begin to build a
“community” church west of Des Moines. (page 18)
1927: Plymouth dedicates an English Gothic-style church at
42nd Street and Ingersoll Avenue at the cost of $475,000. The
congregations of Greenwood and Waveland Park merge with
Plymouth to be Plymouth Congregational Church. (page 19)
1954: Plymouth Church sponsors Plymouth Nursery School, a
pilot church-community cooperative pre-school program open
to the public and with professionally trained teachers. (page 26)
1955: Matins Choir, a music program for high school youth, is
formed under the direction of John Dexter, Plymouth organist
and choirmaster. (page 31)
1957: Plymouth becomes Plymouth Congregational United
Church of Christ after the Congregational Christian Churches
and the Evangelical and Reformed Church merge to form the
United Church of Christ. (page 25)
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1965: Plymouth Church takes out a $2.8 million U.S. Housing
and Urban Development loan to finance building Plymouth
Place, an affordable retirement home for “well seniors.” The
12-story facility opens in 1968 and Plymouth members continue
to serve on the Plymouth Place Board. (page 27)
2000: Saturday Night Worship services begin, offering a more
relaxed, intimate style of worship in Waveland Hall accompanied
by a signature Saturday Night Band. (page 44)
2003: A new three-story building addition, renovated spaces,
and a two-level parking structure are dedicated. (page 40)
2006: Plymouth begins the Transition into Ministry program,
welcoming recent seminary graduates for a 27-month period to
learn from staff and pastors and experience all facets of church
life. (page 42)
2012: Plymouth volunteers open Plymouth Grounds, an inchurch coffee shop and innovative program to help young people
with intellectual disabilities learn job skills. (page 42)
2017: Plymouth becomes a United Church of Christ Just Peace
Church affirming “our intention to seek justice and peace in
every sphere of life, and recognize there can be no true peace
without justice for all.” (page 46)
2025: “This Moment” campaign raises $8.8 million for roof
replacement, Waveland kitchen renovations, and organ updates.
(page 48)
