The United Church of Christ
Rev. Gregory King
Pastor
101 N. Merrill St.
P.O. Box 238
Chamberlain, SD 57325

Map

About Us

History (as recorded in 1977 by La Vern Seeley in “Brule County History”)

            The town of Chamberlain was settled in 1880.  On July 10, 1881 ten early settlers met and organized a society which built and fostered the first Congregational Church in Chamberlain and also the very first church of any denomination here.

            Services were first held in the Chamberlain Register office, then located on the present Anderson store site.  The first minister was the Rev. William Thrall.  The first church building, constructed at a cost of $2,046 on the site of the present United Church of Christ, was used for the first time on New Year’s Day 1882.  This building was dedicated debt-free in February 1882.  According to historical records, this church became the first in the state to contribute to the mission work of the larger church in 1892.  By April of 1905, plans were being made to build a new church.  The old church was sold in 1907 and moved to Sanborn Street and the new church was constructed on the same site.  It was dedicated in November 1907.   

            The Methodist Church was organized in Chamberlain in the fall of 1898 by Rev. Gurney, their first minister.  Reverend Cummings, of the Congregational Church, offered the use of the Congregational Church for the Methodist Church services until other arrangements could be made.  The Methodist Church proper was built in 1900 on the corner of King and Merrill Streets.

            In the fall of 1937 a planning committee with five members from each of the churches, Methodist and Congregational, was appointed and regular meetings were held each month to make plans for the union of the two churches.  Finally arrangements were made for the new United church to become a part of the South Dakota Congregational Conference and the Methodist building was sold.  The money received was invested and later used in helping to purchase a church organ.

On October 6, 1937 the Methodist and Congregational Churches merged under the name “United Church of Chamberlain”.  The first full time minister of the new United Church was Reverend George Jenkins.  In the very first months after the merger, services were held one month at a time, first in one building and then in the other.  The Women’s Fellowship replaced the Ladies Aid and became a strong organization helping in the many projects of the church, including Missions.

In 1954-55, a building fund campaign was conducted.  Under the leadership of Reverend Reuben Koehler, plans for the present church were completed.  During construction, Ed Sorensen offered the use of his theatre building for Sunday School classes and morning worship.  The Chamberlain City Board allowed the use of the library and the City Hall basement for classes and the McColley parlors for use of part of their chapel for a high school class.  Other churches also allowed us to meet in their buildings.

Exactly 50 years to the exact date on which the old building had been dedicated (Nov. 17, 1907), the new building was dedicated (Nov. 17, 1957).

In October 1957 our church adopted the official name “The United Church of Christ” in keeping with our national merger of the Congregational churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church.  Several families of the Hope Evangelical Reformed Church of Reliance joined our membership at this time.  Later, members of the Oacoma Congregational Church also joined us.

                                    Contact us at: UCC@midstatesd.net