The Restoration Movement began to leave its impact on Bridgeport, CT in November 1872 when William Lane of Ohio preached for a week advocating a return to the New Testament. After one night’s preaching, Lane convinced four men of their need to obey the Gospel and to be baptized. From these obedient believers the original church of Christ of Bridgeport would develop and grow. Brother Lane returned to Bridgeport in February 1873 and baptized eight more people.
In June 1873, this small group of Christians started meeting every Monday, Thursday, and Sunday for prayer. Brother Lane returned to Bridgeport at this time and after preaching three sermons baptized 5 more persons.
In October 1890, at a special meeting of the congregation, it was agreed that the church would seek to purchase a lot for a church building. The congregation also decided to sell their meeting house at the foot of Fulton Street and did so in late October 1891 for the grand sum of $200.00. The church then rented a hall on Beach St. (on the East Side near Washington Park) for $125 a year beginning in November 1891, until the new building would be completed in December 1896.
The church would pay $250 when the building was raised, $250 when the outside was completed and the inside plastered and $297 when the work was complete. Total cost for the building was $797 paid for with money borrowed from the Bridgeport Savings bank. Including the cost of the lot, the congregation had a meeting house for just under $1,000.
The original church of Christ of Bridgeport met for worship in their newly completed building on Sunday, January 10, 1897. The Bridgeport church had grown to a membership of 100 by 1900.
In October, 1958, when the Christian Scientist building on Maplewood Ave. came up for sale, the Bridgeport church set out to purchase it. The building was bought in March 1959 for $31,000.
Nearly 100 years after the congregation’s inception, tragedy struck. On the evening of January 14, 1972, fire destroyed the church building. The fire and loss of the building would place the brethren into a rented facility, the Odd Fellows Hall in Stratford, until 1978.
In February 1974, the church purchased a property at 90 Williams Rd Trumbull, CT. The church was on its way to Trumbull after being orphaned from its own meeting place in Bridgeport for nearly 5 years. The Williams Road residence would soon be sold and the house on 54 Valley Road (renamed Drew Circle) was purchased and plans would begin to construct a church building on the southern end of the lot.
Construction of the church building began in December 1977. December 17, 1978 the Church of Christ of Bridgeport begun meeting for all Bible classes and Worship in the newly completed building that would seat about 150. On December 5, 1979, the congregation would change its legal name to church of Christ, Trumbull.
Over the past several years and several dream sessions a few of the elders and saints from the church of Christ Trumbull made the decision to restore the Church of Christ Bridgeport back to the city and on Sunday, June 14, 2009 the Church of Christ Bridgeport had been restored and held its first Worshiping service in the Holiday Inn located in downtown Bridgeport, CT.
Saving...