History of West Congregational United Church Christ
1877 - Sunday School started by the YMCA in tNe West Hill (which is now east of Highland Square) far west end of Akron where there were no churches. All the churches were in the downtown area.
1885-1886 - Worship services were held with pastors of the churches in downtown Akron coming to lead the services.
1886 - Sunday School was closed because many had joined downtown churches
December 25, 1887 - Under the sponsorship of First Congregational Church, the first worship service of the West Evangelical Congregational Society of Akron, OH was held in a building at the corner of West Market and Balch Streets. From their Covenant, "as members of this Church was into which we thus organize ourselves, we mutually agree together and promise each other, that we will, with tender Christian love and forbearance, watch over and care for the purity, growth in grace and faithful Christian character of every one of our fellow members." From their Constitution - "It shall be the object of this Society to maintain the Gospel and the Institutions of religion in connection with the West Evangelical Congregational Society."
April 12, 1888 - They chartered their congregation with 63 from First Congregational Church, 6 from First Methodist Church, and 1 from the Methodist Church in Peninsula.
1893 - A 1,200 lb bell was purchased (now on the front porch of Fairlawn-West). Eighteen items that were placed in the West cornerstone in 1909 were laid under the bell in 1976 along with 20 items from the new Fairlawn-West Church. The cornerstone from West is now in the Fairlawn-West courtyard.
Early 1900's - The church name was changed to West Congregational Evangelical Church. Along with Monroe Presbyterian Church, Church of Our Savior Episcopal Church, and Woodland Methodist Church many community and ecumenical activities were shared including Thanksgiving services.
1909 - The building was torn down and a large tent set up on a lot at Fairfield and Hurlburt, while a new building was constructed on their property at West Market and Balch. When winter came they shared space at Church of Our Savior Episcopal Church at Oakdale and Crosby.
1910 - The new building was dedicated and the church was called West Congregational Church.
1918-1919 - Due to a flu epidemic, all services were canceled and weekly communications to the members included suggestions for home worship and news.
1950 - The Wollschlaeger family from Germany was sponsored as refugees by the church
1952 - The building is still open/unlocked 24 hours a day. Church picnics were held annually at Happy Days Camp.
1963 - after the merger of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical & Reformed Church into the United Church of Christ in 1957, the name is changed to West United Church of Christ.
Mid 1960's - With a changing neighborhood and new churches being started farther west in Akron, attendance was dwindling. Nearly 1/2 of the membership was of retirement age.