First Christian Church, 840 Third Ave. SE., Cedar Rapids. (David Scrivner/SourceMedia Group)

CEDAR RAPIDS — Next weekend, the consolidation of two downtown Disciples of Christ congregations will culminate with the dedication of a unified space.

First Christian and Cedar Christian churches, which have merged into New Disciples of Cedar Rapids, will worship at their new location in the Berry Plaza at 2000 Wiley Blvd. SW, for the first time Oct. 23.

The service will begin at 9:30 a.m. at First Christian Church, 840 Third Ave. SE, where a 15-minute video will be shown in place of a sermon. Communion bread will be served at the downtown church. A caravan of New Disciple’s charter members will then travel with items from the old church to the new location where the communion wine will be served.

The congregation’s oldest member, LaVerne Abernathy, 99, will cut the ribbon at the new space before a youth member unlocks the door.

David Hodgin

The move to the southwest side reflects the population shift from downtown to the outer edges of the city, says elder David Hodgin, 88, of Cedar Rapids.

“We feel we need to move outward and not inward,” he says. “We need to reach out to the new membership that is out there.”

Both churches had been struggling with membership and sustainability when, in June 2008, they finalized an agreement to share the pastoral duties of Fred Darbonne, who had been serving as First Christian’s minister since 2006.

Just days later, floodwaters filled Cedar’s building at 526 Third Ave. SW. After the flood, Cedar members worshipped at First Christian, but the two remained separate congregations each with its own service and governing body.

Within a year, a joint committee was formed to explore consolidating. Under Darbonne’s leadership, a process was set in place for the merger with input from both congregations.

“Fred led us through the steering committee in finding out where we want to be and laid out the structure we would need,” Hodgin says. “He was very instrumental, with a professional way of proceeding, almost scientific.”

In October 2010, First Christian put the 98-year-old building up for sale. St. Luke’s Hospital bought it in December. The lot will used for parking at the Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa’s medical pavillion.

Since then, church members have been preparing for the move by salvaging items for the new space and finding homes for other historical items, like stained-glass windows.

Items are given away on a donation basis. For example, Bethel AME Church, 512 Sixth St. SE, has pledged a donation for the pews and tables.

Organ pipes in the First Christian Church in Cedar Rapids. (David Scrivner/SourceMedia Group)

The three-manual, 35-rank Wicks pipe organ has been much harder to place, however.

“We don’t want it destroyed,” Hodgin says. “It is truly an instrument of music.”

Because it would cost around $40,000 to $50,000 to move it, the church wants to give it away to anybody willing to dismantle and install it in their own space. Talks have taken place with organizations in Chicago and Kansas City.

New Disciples of Cedar Rapids is taking applications for a full-time pastor. Darbonne is now serving as interim pastor at Vinton Presbyterian Church in Vinton. Gary Brooks, of Ottumwa, has been serving as temporary pastor at New Disciples since July.

“He is our supply, or planter, pastor — to try to plant new seeds,” Hodgin says.

The altar of the First Christian Church in Cedar Rapids is seen on Monday, Sept. 26. (David Scrivner/SourceMedia Group)

First Christian elder, Donna Lewis, 80, has seen a change in attitude as the move approaches.

“The congregation is getting excited,” she says. “We are getting volunteers, which is something.”

Elders hope the congregation of about 60 active members will grow.

“When I came here in 1947, it was in its heyday,” Hodgin says. “I’ve seen this church filled with 1,100 people on Easter.”

But they realize it will take time to build membership and participation.

“We haven’t been reaching out much, because the building has been too much,” Hodgin says.

The new space will be more manageable with 1,500-square-feet, compared to 14,000-square-feet at First Christian.

“We are going to have to adjust,” Lewis says.