There was not a baptistery in the church, so to conduct baptisms the congregation would hold services at the old Rocky Ford north of town. As witnessed by our later members, there were a number of services held at this ford. 

         Brother Ingraham would remain the minister thee until 1908 when he became the Indian Farmer at the Pawnee Agency.   During his last year or so at the church, there were a number of deaths and people relocating.

      Our next minister was a student from the Bible college at Phillips University (Enid, Oklahoma).  Arthur J. Aikins would assist the church and following his graduation was called as our pastor. During Brother Aikins' term it was decided that he should be employed on a "full time" basis.  As a result of this change in ministry, the church board voted to increase his salary from $10.00 to $15.00 per week.  Seven months after this motion, the congregation voted to raise the $100 for the note that was due to pay Brother Aikins's salary. Rev. Aikins was well liked and served the congregation until Easter, 1911.  It was during this period that the church board was reorganized.  They voted to initiate the pledge system to meet financial needs. The board also voted to donate to the Foreign Christian Missionary Society tile sum of $1.00. 

      The next pastor to serve after Rev. Aikins was A. J. Bradshaw. Rev. Bradshaw would serve our congregation for three terms of ministry.  His first term of service was from 1911 until 1914 when he moved to Galena, Kansas. The church grew in numbers during his time with us. 

       Following Rev. Bradshaw's first term a Californian, H. H. Clark, would come and serve the congregation for a few months while in route to a pastorate in Colorado. 

      After his leaving, the church called a Rev. Cummins from Missouri.  After Serving only a few months he returned to Missouri to relocate his family to Pawnee.  While on this trip, Rev. Cummins died and M. F. Ingraham was called to provide services until a permanent minister could be called. 

       Luther Moore came and ministered for a period of about two years to our congregation. Rev. Moore was a good scholar and spent hours in biblical teaching. 

       After Rev. Moore left, a young college student, Roy Curtis would be called to serve. It was during this time that the old church building would be sold. Part of this structure would be torn down and part would be moved to the farm of Leo B. Smith. 

      Brother Curtis would leave and another young man, J. Walter Turner would begin his ministry here in July 1918. It was during Brother Turner's time that a second tabernacle was built on the present site of our church building today. Giving was generous during this post World War I time, for records show that the church had a missionary budget for all departments of $400.  An increase of some 400% over the $1 sent in 1909. 

       After only a year filling the pulpit, brother Turner would submit his resignation. The membership once again turned to Rev. A. J. Bradshaw for leadership. The issue of a church building again arose. It was decided that a new, permanent. structure would be built and Rev. Bradshaw would be called with the understanding that a new structure would be built at this time.  In November, 1919, Brother Bradshaw arrived and within four months the congregation moved to the Old South Methodist Church to worship.  This structure was purchased and the pews from the tabernacle removed to it.  The tabernacle was torn down and in the spring of 1920 the ground was broken for the structure which has continue to house the sanctuary ever since. 

       It had been decided that the new structure would be of native rock As a result, the rock face was token from Pawnee Bill's Ranch site and the other rock from around the Pawnee area. When you examine the rock formations, you will fold that the builders also added some "pictures".  You can find a horseshoe shape (appropriately turned in the direction of good luck}, a ball glove and ball, and other shapes. The church had committed itself to being a permanent structure within the Pawnee community. On August 2, 1920 the corner stone of the new building was laid. This stone reads on the North face: "Laid by the M. W. Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M.; Aug. 2. A. D. 1920;. A. L. 5920; Frank H. Derr. M. W. G. M.". On the West side, it reads: "Christian Church; Organized 1899; Built 1920".  Perhaps we were only the "Christian Church" rather than the "First Christian Church" in those days.  History has shown, however, that the organizing date on this cornerstone is incorrect. Some say that in everything we do, there should be a "Theological Error" which means that only God can create perfect.  Perhaps the date is our structure's "Theological Error''. 

     The new structure was completed by November of that same year. It was built at a cost of $24,300. The congregation also spent around $6,000 for new furnishings. 

      Looking at this new building, one of the charter members, Mrs. Florence Smith, would write: 

"Now that we are about to go out of the old house into the new, about to build the first modern church in Pawnee, let us pray that our spiritual standard may be as high as our temporal, pray that we may be first in good works, first in pure lives, and first in holding high the banner of the Cross. May the town and community be better, infinitely better, because of our larger Building, our larger opportunities, our larger usefulness." 

      On December 12, 1920 the new structure would be dedicated.  By any standards, it was "done right". M. F. Ingraham was invited to share in the day-long dedication. Throughout the course of three services on that day, the building was dedicated to the glory and service to God and the congregation rededicated themselves to the Lord's work here in Pawnee. 

      Brother Bradshaw would continue to serve the congregation for another three years after the dedication of this building. 

      Following A. J, Bradshaw, the Rev. A. C. Hornbaker of Cleveland, Oklahoma was called in 1924. After a short term, he was followed by Rev. F. E. Gray who came to minister in 1926. 

       Brother F. E. Gray added many people to the rolls of this congregation. It was quoted that Brother F, E. Gray would say, "An Addition a day will keep the Devil away," [Oklahoma Christian, 5/15/28, p. 1]  To achieve this goal, F. E. Gray added 156 members to the church during a 150 day period.  During this time, Brother Gray would preach every night in the week in the surrounding communities and twice on Sunday in Pawnee. He would also preach Sunday afternoons in some of the neighboring schoolhouse. The Men's Bible Class had 95 in attendance, the young Matrons Booster Class had 90 and the Bible school had a total attendance of 459. On any Sunday, there might be more people in worship at the Christian Church than the total of six others. It was written in the Oklahoma Christian that: 

No church can succeed that stops to think of itself or that must bend to the opinion of any exxcept (sic} the Christ.

     The Board sponsors mid-week services in the Pawnee Church while the pasture  is  holding  services  in nearby neighborhoods. ... Ninety-nine per cent of all our success is hard work preceded and followed by earnest prayer (ibid).

      After Brother Gray, Niles A. Borop was called in 1928. After a little more than a year and a half, Brother Borop left the pastorate and our congregation called Cecil E. Berry in September 1930. Brother Berry was a motivating power among the youth and worked diligently to build a Christian Endeavor group in the church. Brother Berry served as minister for three years. 

      Thirteen years after the church building was dedicated, the congregation found itself with a building that had been neglected and in need of repair. A..T. Bradshaw would write later that the church had gotten into debt and the roof of the church building itself was leaking. With a promise to become more active under his leadership, the congregation called A. J. Bradshaw for a third term. Brother Bradshaw would arrive in Pawnee in the midst of the depression year of 1933 and continue to serve until leaving in the post World War II year of 1947. 

      This term of ministry is the longest single term of any of our ministers. Brother Bradshaw saw to tire needs of the congregation in the midst of national financial crisis and the difficult days of World War II.  In the summer of 1941 it was decided to build a new baptistery. During the next year, the Bates and Miller windows were installed in the front of the sanctuary. The church bolstered its treasury to the point in 1943 a new parsonage was purchased at 910 Sixth Street in 1943. This was the second parsonage the church had owned. The first was at 513 Cleveland and purchased in 1915. After three terms of ministry and nearly a quarter of a century of service to God's church here in Pawnee, Brother A. J. Bradshaw left the pulpit in the summer of 1947 for Chandler. Brother Bradshaw's memory continues today through his years of faithful service to the Pawnee community. 

      The year 1948 was another busy one for the church. Rev. Clarence E. Saint was called to serve the congregation. New choir robes were purchased and the minister's salary was now set at $3,432 a year, with an additional amount of $360 for expenses. 

      Brother Saint was followed by Rev. Ted Hurst.  Brother Hurst had just completed his seminary training and was familiar with the county, having relatives living in the sires. In fact, several of his relatives were members of the congregation. 

      Following Brother Hurst's ministry, the congregation called an interim minister. As is witnessed in this history, several times an interim has served between pastors. Rev. John Elliott Foster would serve four months until April 1956 when Max Wolfe would come as our pastor. 

      It was during the ministry of Brother Wolfe that the church began to consider the addition of an education wing to the original sanctuary building. One of the young people Brother Wolfe baptized during his years here was his son Kipp. Kipp would later enter the ministry. Rev. Kipp Wolfe is the only "Timothy" of First Christian/Pawnee who was baptized as a child in the church. 

      Following Brother Wolfe's ministry, Dean Clifford Shirley of Phillips University served the first of his two interim terms for our congregation. 

     In April, 1960 the Rev. David Arnold began his ministry. In a yearbook of Rev. Arnold's early years it was written: Our Destiny 

      Our lovely Church Building awaits a companion .... a Splendid new Educational Building to provide Badly-needed class rooms and administrative facilities. We prayerfully, with a mind to dream and work, look to our Heavenly Father for guidance and direction in erecting this new structure. We are conscious of the admonition of the Psalmist who said: 

"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build in labor in vain." (Yearbook 1962-63, First Christian Church, p.2)

    It was during this the that the new education wing of the church was built. This addition gave the church needed classroom area as well as new office space. In addition to the education wing, the sanctuary and kitchen areas were also remodeled. The cost of the construction and rebuilding was $74,073. The newly constructed educational wing was dedicated to the service of God on 13 September 1964. Brother Arnold would continue to pastor this congregation until February 1965 when Dean Shirley would serve his second term as an interim minister. 

      Following his graduation from Phillips University, Rev. L. Jim Anthis came to serve tile congregation on 1 June 1965. Just over three years, Brother Anthis would leave and Rev. James O. Michael would being a term as interim Minister. Like two others {Brother M. F. Ingraham and Dean Shirley} Brother Michael would serve two different times as an interim minister of this congregation.