Evening star., 1925-04-27
DR.. PIERCE BEGINS
DRIVE FOR CHURCH
Will Ask National Support of
Fund for New First
Congregational.

Preliminary to a nationwide fund
campaign for the erection of new
First Congregational Church, the
Rev. Jason Noble Pierce, pastor left
last night for tour of a number
of States in which he will speak on
the work of the church.
DIR. Pierce, will first visit Jackson
Vile Fla. where there is being cele-
brated this week. the anniversary of
the founding of the Congregational
faith in that State. DIR. Pierce will
speak there on the national aspect of
the influence of the First Congrega-
tional Church here. He will also on
this tour address gatherings at Chi
caEo, Detroit, Boston and other cities.
The local church council will meet
soon to consider the type of structure
the new church is to be, whether it
is to be part of 10 or II story
office building, as has been suggested,
or a distinct church building with all
modern arrangements for meetings of
various kinds. The location of the
new structure will also be discussed.
All these questions, DIR. Pierce ex-
planned during his sermon yesterday
morning, must be settled by the con-
rregation of the local church. The
pastor or church council does not
dictate such questions, he said. He
urged on the congregation. however,
that the location oL-the chufCh be not
changed, saying:
Should Stay Downtown.
I'VE could sell this church and site
for a considerable sum, move TO an
outlying section and build an edifice
that would care for the needs of our
congregation and be one of beauty;
but there it would not be in loca-
tion to fill the great needs of this
downtown section. What / want to
see is the downtownest downtown
location possible in the District. The
only reason for a change in location
would be to find a more central loca-
ton that would better serve the needs
of the great numbers of tourists and
conventions of people that swarm
here each year from over the Nation.
We should stay here-uot out of
sentiment-but because of prophecy
Of the work that is here to be accom-
plshed."
The congregation of the church soon
will also be called on to decide
whether or not it will establish a
Congregational home for the aged
here, DIR. Pierce announced
One of the members of the church
has rendered the sale price of her
home, which. it is estimated. would
bring in excess of $4,000. toward the
establishment and endowment of such
a. nome Tor the aged, II the cnurch
agrees to assume the operation and
nlaintaina nee of it. Another member
has placed SO 900 in the hands of
the trustees of the church for the
same purpose.
FOurFifths Visitors.
"Wearied not by her we'll doing
but by our failure of decision DIR.
Pierce said, the owner of the home
has announced we must decide by
June l what IS to be done. All ! can
say is that the need of the home is
most evident. Every home for the
aged in the District is full and has
a long waiting list-this without any
advertising" he declared.
The work of the First ConCrega-
tional Church, DR.. Pierce said. is be-
ing handicapped for lack of sufficient
room to accommodate those who wish
to worship there. 1t has for years
been inadequate. he said. To demon
strate that the church serves a nation
wide field, the pastor called stann
ing vote which showed that only about
q fifth of the congregation present
yesterday morning were members of
the church. The rest were visitors,
many from out of town.