Our History

Sedalia, Missouri was officially established as a place on the map in 1861 by Gen. George R. Smith and named after his youngest daughter Sarah, whose nickname was Sed. Sarah Smith later married and became well known in her own right as Sarah Smith-Cotton.

In April, that same year, the Civil War began, and in that very same month Elder G.W Longan initialized a congregational meeting of the First Christian Church.

In 1866, a year after the Civil War ended, the growing congregation built the first church in Sedalia at the corner of 6th Street and Massachusetts Avenue, First Christian Church – Disciples of Christ. Twenty years later, in 1886, ground donated by Gen. George R. Smith was broken for a new and larger facility only one block away at 7th and Massachusetts. For 77 years, the First Christian Church congregation continued to grow and thrive. Then in 1963, due to structural problems and an aging building, construction began on a third facility at 3rd and Limit Avenue, and the first service in the building was held on March 8th, 1964.

At the time, Limit Avenue was a dirt road and the surrounding area consisted mainly of cow pastures. The only other structure in the vicinity was a small restaurant called Wheel In Drive-In.

First Christian Church – Disciples of Christ remains at this location today, now located in the center of town, and is currently in the process of remodeling the entire building to accommodate the surge of technology and growing needs of the congregation and the community. We remain dedicated to serving the Lord by providing a modern and comfortable place to worship, to gather, to pray and to serve His kingdom.

(Information provided through historical research and documentation by the late Ron Jennings –Lifetime Elder and journalist.)