Another Wonder of a Church in Dubuque

I can’t help myself. Maybe I have deep, unresolved issues when it comes to God and religion (“God is a loving presence…God is dead…No, God never was… God is just an absentee landlord”), but I just can’t stop myself from visiting old churches (“Look at that lovely church; I wonder what it is like inside…”). I thought I had already visited the most impressive of Dubuque’s churches, but I was wrong.

The First Congregational United Church of Christ (255 W. 10th St.; 563.582.3648; office open M-Th 8-4) is another old school congregation, tracing its origins back to 1839. For a city that wasn’t incorporated until 1837, it is remarkable that four churches began their service in the mid-1830s.

The First Congregational Church dedicated their current building in 1860, making it one of the oldest existing churches in Dubuque. It has an intriguing history. When news of Lee’s surrender reached Dubuque in 1865, the church bell was rung so vigorously that it cracked; it was not replaced until 1886. As I stepped into the sanctuary, the first thing that stood out was its spaciousness, followed quickly by the impressive organ behind the altar. The organ was installed in 1869, its trip from the manufacturer in Massachusetts completed with a tricky journey across the iced up Mississippi River. The organ turned 140 this year and is still being used. Lightning struck a tower in 1918, reducing it to its current height. The church has some beautiful stained glass windows, but, unfortunately, none of the histories I read described them, except to say that one of the windows was made by Tiffany. The First Congregational Church is a standout in a town with several outstanding churches.

Here are two bonus pictures, showing the range of styles in art glass windows. The first is from Christ the King Chapel on the campus of Loras College in Dubuque. The window was installed after World War II, and has an Art Deco feel.

The second window is from Princeton Presbyterian Church in Princeton, Iowa, just upriver from Davenport. Also modern in design, I have not been able to learn anything about the origin of the windows, other than that they have been around for a while. If you know anything about their origin, let me know.