A Brief History of the Congregational United Church of
Christ of Mellen
In 1897, the Union Church of Mellen was organized by seven charter members under the direction of Rev. Our Congregation quickly grew out of this small facility, which prompted its members to meet and select a site and plan for the construction of our present church. With im
mediate pledges amounting to $2,000, the new church was built and completed in
1904. Our current Church building has served our mission and purpose well for almost 50 years when extensive remodeling began in 1951. Before remodeling was completed a fire causing $6,500 in damages led to the Church borrowing $9,000 to repair the fire
damage and complete the updates. This debt was met with member pledges over 10 years to the building fund, which quickly paid the debt. Our Church continues to serve open communion and serves as a church home for those of varied religious backgrounds. In 1965, our Union Church merged with the national denomination of the United Church of Christ and became the Congregational United Church of Christ of Mellen. In 1969, the Congregational United Church of Christ Foundation was formed to receive, hold and administer funds and other property derived from gifts, bequests, devices, grants and contributions and the income their used solely for the exclusive use of the Church and for its perpetuity. Over the years, Church members have donated generously with both time and money to keep our place of worship in operation. In the late 1960s, our Church had new siding installed and the construction of the Old Rugged Cross. In the1970s and 1980s a new furnace, new kitchen lighting and attic insulation were installed. During that year, the steeple was repaired and the kitchen and men’s bathroom were remodeled. We also converted to an all natural gas heating system. The properties on both the north and south sides were
also purchased for future uses when they became available. As a community church fellowship, our Church began ecumenical Lenten Breakfasts in 1987 that are shared with area churches. In continuing this fellowship, our Church has also hosted the Mellen Community Choir which annually does a Christmas Concert at our
Church. Since 1989, our Church has hosted a Veteran’s Day service in appreciation and recognition of our area veterans. In the 1990s and 2000s, a handicapped ramp was added to give access to the sanctuary and the church office was remodeled. Air conditioning and a sanctuary level bathroom were installed. A church school classroom was developed in the balcony area of the church. In 2012, current church members began to see that the 108 year-old building no longer met the facility needs of our church community, in particular handicap accessibility and Christian Education rooms. These problems had been identified often in the previous 50 years. Short-term solutions put band aides on the problems and we survived. After 4 years of study, it became extremely clear that upgrades to the existing facility would not be cost effective nor meet our needs for today or future years. In May of 2016 at a special congregational meeting, church members voted overwhelmingly to move forward on planning, designing and building an all-new, single level church. Fundraising began in October of 2016 and we are overwhelmed by the positive response toward reaching our $600,000 goal. As you can see, our church has constantly progressed with the times and continues to be Mellen’s Community Church. We are excited for the future. Look for a 2017 start to this great project. Check this website often for updates on our “Build Our Church” project.
