Five months into an interim pastorate, I’ve discovered that sometimes a photograph can capture what words cannot.
Since beginning my service as Interim Senior Minister at Fort Worth’s oldest congregation, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), I’ve been paying attention to the moments that seem to tell something larger about this remarkable community of faith. Established in 1855 and located in the heart of downtown, First Christian’s “new” campus has been home to the congregation since 1915.
So, rather than attempting to tell the whole story, I invite you to ponder five pictures that offer glimpses of this congregation’s past and present while, perhaps, helping us imagine something of its future.
First: Place.
While this photo was taken on a Sunday morning, it captures something important about the church’s location. First Christian sits in the heart of downtown Fort Worth, surrounded by a city that has changed dramatically during the congregation’s long history.
It includes Fort Worth’s newest skyscraper, Frost Bank Tower, which was completed in 2018 and a 35-story residential building known as The Tower.
Second: Table.
Returning to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) after 25 years has felt a little like coming home to a familiar room that has been rearranged. Much is different, but the Table remains central.
Third: Easter Sunrise Service.
Interim ministry creates space to try something different. This year, after years of holding an offsite Easter sunrise service, First Christian gathered on its front steps, worshiping right in the middle of downtown as the city began another day.
Fourth: Family
Having my wife, parents, sister, and nephews worship with me this summer was especially meaningful. Their support has been an important part of how I’ve managed the unusual rhythm of serving a congregation part-time while also serving full-time as CEO of White Rock Center of Hope.
Fifth: Sanctuary.
And then there is the sanctuary itself. Built in 1915, it is filled with the kind of details that invite you to slow down and look again: stained glass, woodwork, soaring architecture, and corners shaped by more than a century of worship. Five months in this place have reminded me that a sanctuary holds far more than a congregation on Sunday morning. It holds memory, grief, celebration, transition, and hope.
So What?
Five pictures obviously cannot tell the story of a congregation, much less one that has been worshiping and serving Fort Worth for more than 170 years. Together these five images tell me something about First Christian Church.
They tell me this is a congregation deeply rooted in place, centered at the Table, willing to experiment, connected to family and community, and shaped by a beautiful and historic sanctuary.
They also remind me that interim ministry is not primarily about preserving a congregation until its next senior minister arrives. It is about helping a congregation remember who it is, notice where God is already at work, ask honest questions about where it is being called next, and create enough space to discern that future faithfully.
That work is now entering an important new chapter.
God is Still Speaking.