A closer look: One Hillsborough church

By SHANNON BREEN

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 3, 2001

First Christian Church

LOCATION: 350 Hyde Park Ave., (813) 253-0811.

SERVICES: Contemporary worship begins on Saturday at 6 p.m., a blended worship is on Sunday at 10:45 a.m. Sunday school classes are conducted at 9:30 a.m.

HISTORY: The church was organized in 1900 by S.D. Coyler. The cornerstone of the present site was laid in 1926. During the economic difficulties of the 1930s, the congregation faced financial problems and the property was almost lost through foreclosure. Several churches have been started by the First Christian Church, including North Side Christian Church (1928), Peninsular Christian Church (1953), University Christian Church (1957), Brandon Christian Church (1966) and Primera Iglesia Cristiana de Tampa (1992).

LEADERSHIP: Craig Wascovich is halfway into his third year as senior pastor for First Christian Church. He received his bachelor's degree from Bethany College in West Virginia. He received his master's of divinity at Emory College in Atlanta and his master's of sacred theology from the Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. He co-founded a marriage and family counseling center in Indianapolis. He has been married to Sandra for eight years, and they have two cats, Sophie and Zack. Sandra is taking courses at St. Petersburg Theological Seminary and plays the trumpet each Sunday at First Christian Church. Wascovich enjoys gardening, reading and weightlifting. This pastor packs a mean punch by benching up to 280 pounds.

RECENT SERMON TOPIC OR THEME: "Moving up by kneeling down." If you want to be great, you have to be a servant to all.

MEMBERSHIP: About 330.

NOTABLE: The church has an extensive musical heritage. The women of the church sold homemade bonnets early in the century to raise money to pay for the installation of the church Midmer-Losh pipe organ. In 1964, the congregation received the first set of hand bells owned by a Tampa church.

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