Progressive History of Pilgrim United Church of Christ

 
History Gallery
Founding
Founding

1794 James O’Kelly dissents from the Methodist Church and founds a church known simply as the Christian Church. The aim is to restore the simplicity of the original Christian community, and to oppose authoritarian church government. James O’Kelly’s denunciation of slavery attracts many African-Americans to Christian churches in the south.

Pilgrim commemorates our history every spring to honor this original home church. For years we worshipped at the original site of O’Kelly’s Chapel, until the building was deemed unsafe. We now celebrate with a service at Eno River State Park.

Early 1900’s
Early 1900’s

1908: The Durham Christian Church moves to the corner of Gregson Street and Main Street and the name changes with location and denomination merges.

1931: Christian churches merge with Congregational churches the name changes to Congregational Christian Church.

In 1961 the congregation votes to join the United Church of Christ.

Mid 1900's
Mid 1900's

1964 Pilgrim’s pastor baptizes an African-American child, eventually leading to a congregational vote for the integration of African-Americans in worship, Sunday School, and other congregational activities. The vote occurs a few months after Durham desegregates its restaurants, stores, movie theaters and motels, but while the city is still struggling with school desegregation. In 1967 the congregation moves to its present site at 3011 Academy Road.

Late 1900’s
Late 1900’s

1984: Based on collaboration between leaders at Pilgrim, Zion Temple and Mt. Calvary UCC for planning shared worship among African-American and white UCC congregations in Durham the Exchange Program begins. Members of each congregation attended a “sister” congregation for 3 months, serving in the same roles as their home churches. Later, congregations gathered for joint worship, picnics, offerings, and community service.

In 1999 Pilgrim adopts a Welcoming Statement and becomes an Open and Affirming congregation.

Pilgrim in the Pandemic
Pilgrim in the Pandemic

Along with the rest of the world, Pilgrim faced tough decisions as the reality of Covid-19 became apparent. From the beginning, we attempted to face the problem head-on end make tough decisions early to keep ourselves and one another safe. At the same time, we creatively and persistently sought ways to adapt and respond as a community.

We formed a committee to help us thoughtfully and factually develop a decision-making process for how/where to hold events. We rapidly learned Zoom and began offering online worship, bible studies, and Sunday School. Our choir director and organist offered an outdoor summer concert series and began to experiment with recording music. Our Board of Christian education organized Pilgrim Easter Bunnies to go to family homes, we launched our first Our Whole Lives sexuality education program with our high schoolers and held socially distanced Vacation Bible School. We refreshed and relaunched our Race and Equity team and Creation Justice teams, offering our congregation education and fellowship opportunities including our Lenten series on race and our pollinator garden.

As the vaccine has become more widely used we have begun to move towards regathering in person and are currently offering outdoor hybrid worship three Sundays a month, in addition to pre-recorded worship services. Amidst large-scale and small-scale tragedy Pilgrim adapts and continues to be a place of support, inspiration, and friendship. God is still speaking and we are still trying to listen.

Today
Today

God is still speaking.

Pilgrim continues to discern and respond to God’s call, sincerely and imperfectly.

 

Progressive History within the UCC denomination

 
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Pilgrim UCC embraces the progressive tradition of the United Church of Christ, which traces its roots through the Pilgrims, the Afro-Christian Movement, and German immigrant churches. The United Church of Christ was formed when the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957. Since then, the United Church of Christ has been a church of firsts, weaving God’s message of hope and extravagant welcome with action for justice and peace. The UCC’s holy boundary pushing means that we have inherited a tradition of acting upon the demands of our faith. When we read in Galatians: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus”—a demand is made upon us. And so UCC was the first historically white denomination to ordain an African-American, one of the first to ordain a woman, the first to ordain an openly gay man, and the first Christian church to affirm the right of same-gender couples to marry. We were in the forefront of the anti-slavery movement and the Civil Rights movement. Our response to the demands of our faith is woven into the history of our country.