Our History as a Church

Hammond Avenue is really two churches that became one in 1993. It's an interesting story that we think you'll enjoy reading.

Both churches had their roots in the Brethren movement in Black Hawk County.  In 1856 five families and two visiting ministers met to discuss the beginnings of a new congregation. They rented a hall for many years. Beginning in 1862, some of the rural members began holding services in rural school houses. In 1868-69 they built a church in Orange Center that later became the South Waterloo Church of the Brethren.

In 1880 the group meeting in the city built a frame church building at South and Seventh Streets in Waterloo. This eventually became the Waterloo City Church of the Brethren. By 1902 they'd outgrown this building, so they constructed a new brick structure at the same location. In 1908, they added additional space for Sunday school classes. In 1962, they moved into a spacious new building on Hammond Avenue.

First Brethren Church of Waterloo began in 1883 as the result of a "family squabble" in the broader church. A group known as "progressives" who had previously been part of the South Waterloo church began meeting in rural homes around Enon, just north of Orange. As more of them migrated into town, they built a church building at South and Fifth Streets in 1900. For 14 years, they were neighbors of the City Church of the Brethren. In 1914, they had outgrown the Fifth Street building, so First Brethren built a new brick church building at W. Sixth and Wellington where they met until the end of 1992.

And the two became one!

In the 1980s, City Church of the Brethren was hit hard by a downturn in the Waterloo economy. Several families, laid off as a result of a downturn in the local economy, left the area in search for employment. The congregation had a beautiful, accessible building but fewer members to enjoy it.

At about the same time, First Brethren was also facing some challenges. Their beautiful older building was not accessible to the disabled. A study was made to discover ways to make it accessible, but the costs would be high. So they began to consider alternatives.

Some of the members of both congregations began to wonder out loud  whether these two churches with parallel histories might become one congregation. They formed joint committees to consider the feasibility. Soon they discovered that what they shared in common beliefs and commitments far outweighed their differences. On the first Sunday in January 1993 City Church of the Brethren and First Brethren Church came together to form Hammond Avenue Brethren Church.

Today, you can hardly tell who was part of which of the former congregations. And that's just the way we like it. Before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed:

I have given them the glory that you gave me that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me.  May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:22-23)

And so it is that we who were once two congregations have become one. Our goal is that, as you look at us, you'll not see two churches . . . not even two churches that have become one. Rather, we hope that you'll see the love of Jesus Christ in us and that you'll come to know him as the leader of your life.