First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Durant, Oklahoma, is a long-established Protestant congregation affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Founded in 1900 during the final years of Indian Territory, the church emerged from extensive missionary activity among the Choctaw and other tribes in southeastern Oklahoma. The congregation has worshiped at its current site since 1911, and its preserved architectural features and ministries reflect its importance to Durant’s religious and cultural development.
Early Missionary Background
Missionaries associated with the Stone–Campbell Movement were active among Native nations prior to the American Civil War. Barton W. Stone is reported to have preached among the Cherokee, and James J. Trott of Georgia ministered among Cherokee communities with support from the American Christian Missionary Society.
After the Civil War, national mission organizations expanded. The Christian Woman’s Board of Missions was formed in 1874, followed by the Foreign Christian Missionary Society in 1875. By the mid-1880s, preachers such as R. W. Officer and G. W. Williams were active in the Choctaw Nation. The Federal Census of 1890 recorded twenty-seven Christian Churches within the Choctaw Nation.
Early Christian Presence in the Durant Area (1870s–1890s)
Early Christian settlers in the Durant area worshiped informally before the town’s congregation was organized. A small log building constructed before 1874 between Fourth and Fifth Avenues served as both a schoolhouse and a meeting place. A brush arbor was used for warm-weather worship. Local accounts indicate that multiple denominations shared this building, and some ministers preached for as many as three congregations at once.
Founding of the Durant Congregation (1899–1900)
In 1899, Rev. John A. Tabor held a revival meeting in Durant. He identified thirty-one individuals already affiliated with the Christian Church and welcomed thirty-three new additions. Following this, he called an organizational meeting for January 28, 1900.
On May 28, 1900, the church formally organized as First Christian Church, Durant, Indian Territory, with sixty-four charter members. G. M. Gooding and M. E. Gooding were elected as the first elders, and Mr. Shields became the first clerk and treasurer.
Rev. Ernest J. Bradley, a ministerial student from Waco, Texas, served as the first pastor with a salary of $50 per month and preached his first sermon on June 16, 1900.
Early Buildings and Pastoral Leadership (1900–1907)
The initial organizational meeting took place in a frame building at Third Avenue and West Main Street. During construction of a new facility, services were held in the federal courtroom above the Corner Drug Store at Second and Main.
A 28-by-50-foot frame building was completed in August 1900 on North Fifth Avenue on a lot donated by M. E. Gooding. After its sale, the congregation met in a tabernacle at West Main and South Fourth and later in the Bryan County Courthouse.
Pastoral leadership changed frequently during this period, including Rev. Tabor, Rev. Bradley, and Rev. Joe Shelby Riley.
Construction of the Permanent Church (1907–1911)
In February 1907, Elder A. E. Ewell of Bonham Christian Church conducted a revival in Durant that revitalized the congregation. Soon afterward, he was called as pastor, and the decision was made to construct a permanent brick building at North Third Avenue and West Beech Street.
Construction began in 1907 and continued through 1910. The first worship service in the new sanctuary took place on July 3, 1910. The church was dedicated on April 23, 1911, with Rev. George L. Snively officiating. The project cost an estimated $20,000 to $25,000, and the congregation eliminated its debt through pledges made during an eight-day meeting.
Architecture
The 1911 sanctuary originally featured a central dome, a stained-glass ceiling, and multiple stained-glass windows typical of early twentieth-century Protestant architecture. Later renovations removed the dome but preserved the stained glass and ceiling elements.
During the 1970s, the church expanded with the construction of Nan Berry Hall and a Sunday School wing, designed to complement the historic sanctuary.
Ministries
Early ministries were vibrant. By 1915, an active youth group adopted the motto “Learn to Do by Doing,” selecting gold and green as their colors. Women led ministries such as the Christian Woman’s Board of Missions, the Women’s Union, and the Ladies Aid Society. Men were active in the Anti-Saloon League and maintained a large Bible class with 107 recorded attendees.
Modern ministries include the GriefShare bereavement-support program, the Sunshine School / Mother’s Day Out early childhood program, Christian education for all ages, and various outreach and ecumenical efforts.
Women’s Leadership Timeline: A Historical Overview
Women have played a defining role in the development, ministries, and identity of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Durant, from its earliest days through the present. Their contributions shaped the congregation spiritually, organizationally, and financially across every generation.
Early Foundations (1870s–1890s)
Before the formal organization of the church, women in pioneer families were central to religious life in the Durant area. They helped maintain the earliest shared worship spaces—such as the small log schoolhouse and brush arbor—and frequently led informal Sunday schools and Bible gatherings. Their efforts provided stability and continuity in a period when worship spaces, ministers, and schedules were fluid.
Founding Era and Early Leadership (1900–1910)
Women were among the sixty-four charter members when the congregation was organized in 1900. Although many early records were later lost, surviving accounts confirm that women were active in hospitality, mission giving, children’s ministry, and worship support. As the young congregation moved between temporary meeting spaces and navigated frequent pastoral changes, women provided much of the organizational backbone that sustained weekly ministry.
Growth of Women’s Organizations (1910s–1930s)
Women’s leadership became more structured in the early 20th century. Groups such as the Women’s Council, Women’s Union, and the Ladies Aid Society performed essential ministry duties: fundraising for missions, hosting church-wide dinners and events, leading Bible study groups, and coordinating charitable outreach within the community. Young women played prominent roles in the church’s youth programs in the 1910s, contributing musically, organizationally, and spiritually.
Peak Influence in Benevolence and Missions (1940s)
During the mid-1940s, women emerged as the principal drivers of the church’s benevolence and fundraising efforts. The Unusual Treasurer’s Report of February 1946 noted that the church had given more money to missions and benevolence than it spent on itself—an exceptional pattern largely due to the disciplined and generous giving of women’s groups. These include the Women’s Council and the Women’s Bible Class, whose independent treasuries made substantial contributions to compassion offerings, mission outreach, and support for regional Disciples institutions.
The Week of Compassion publication of the same month reflects the mission values these women championed, emphasizing humanitarian relief, global suffering, and postwar rebuilding. Women also held elected leadership positions in mixed-gender groups, such as the Couples Class, illustrating their broader influence on congregational life.
Continuity and Expansion (1950s–1970s)
Women’s leadership remained strong in the postwar decades, especially in education and community care. Women led the Sunshine School and other children’s ministries, supported fundraising for building additions such as Nan Berry Hall, and organized fellowship life through meals, receptions, and church events. Their presence in administrative and mission-related roles deepened as the congregation grew.
Modern Contributions (1980s–Present)
In recent decades, as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) expanded women’s roles in congregational leadership, women at First Christian Church of Durant have served as elders, deacons, educators, ministry coordinators, committee chairs, and leaders of outreach programs. Their influence continues to shape the church’s worship, mission, education, and pastoral care.
Overall Impact
Across more than a century, women have been central to the identity and vitality of First Christian Church of Durant. Their leadership provided stability during its earliest years, fueled mission and benevolence efforts during times of hardship and global crisis, and continues to guide the church in its ministries today.
Notable Members
Significant early members include M. E. Gooding, donor of the first building lot; G. M. and M. E. Gooding, the first elected elders; Mr. Shields, the first clerk and treasurer; and Josephine Manley, Emma Trude Abbott, Anna Shannon, Velma Taylor, Mary Dyer, Bennett Story, and Rebecca Canterbury, all of whom were active in early youth and music ministries. Significant current members include Cindy Kirkpatrick, Chairwoman of the Board; John Redman, Vice Chairman of the Board; Charlene Tucker, Secretary of the Board; and Sharon Lambert.