TUCC Gary History - The United Chirch of Christ - Gary

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The History of TUCC-Gary



In 2000, The Indiana Kentucky Conference of The United Church of Christ denomination voted at its annual meeting to become a church planting conference.   The City of Gary, Indiana was one of these places identified, because there wasn’t a UCC congregation to minister to the community in Gary.


The Conference minister and other leaders asked Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. to partner with them to develop a ministry that would be able to meet the needs of the African American community in Gary.  Rev. Wright consented and asked his Associate Pastor, Rev. Dr. John E. Jackson, Sr., to join the Steering Committee.  As planning progressed, Dena Holland-Neal and Otis Laverne Sewood, who were members of Trinity-Chicago and Gary residents, also joined the Steering Committee.


In the Summer of 2004, a location at 2700 Jackson Street (formerly Frederick Douglass School) was identified as a good place for this New Church Start to begin holding worship service.  The location is owned by Rev. Bennie Simmons and his wife, Willa Simmons.  They graciously opened their doors to welcome this new beginning.


On the second Sunday in October 2004, Trinity UCC-Gary held its first worship service to an overflowing crowd, and several people joined that first Sunday.  For the next couple of Sundays, Trinity UCC-Gary held worship services and people joined, but they still had not identified a pastor.


On the first Sunday of November 2004, Rev. Dr. John E. Jackson, Sr., who was by this time one of the pastoral candidates, preached for the congregation.  On the second Sunday of November 2004, Rev. Dr. Jackson was called to be pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ-Gary.


Pastor Jackson and the membership of TUCC-Gary have not only been a consistently growing congregation, but they completed building their new church edifice in the Summer of 2008.  They are presently worshipping in their new church edifice, which is located at 1276 W. 20th Ave.


The motto and mission of Trinity UCC-Gary is that “We are not just another church, but a culturally-conscious, Christ-centered church committed to the community!”      



 
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