The congregational Church of Christ had its beginning in Barnes County with a meeting in June, 1881 held by one Rev. David Wirt, a missionary pastor in Valley City. An organizational meeting, attended by eight people was held on August 1, 1881, and church services were held at irregular intervals thereafter, in the school house. By the next Spring, there were twenty-one in attendance, and there was talk of building a church. A building fund was started under a Rev. Frey, who had applied for the pastorship. The sum of $1660 was collected and the Reverend Frey hurriedly left town - with the $1660. He was never apprehended.
Without a leader and without funds, the little congregation managed to survive under the guidance of several good men and women, and soon a new church was built across the street, east of the Court House. As is usually the case, the dedicated women of the congregation, who cooked, cleaned, served and solicited, were the backbone of the church and its activities.
The Reverend Willard Crosby-Lyons, who arrived before World War I, put the church on a secure financial basis by setting up an annual pledge system and inspired the membership to build the fine present church, dedicated in 1915.
The Rev. Thomas E. Nugent came in 1921 to be regarded highly as a speaker and beloved not only by the membership but by the community as well. He served until his death in 1950.
The Reverend Eugene McAlister served from 1951 to 1964 and the present pastor is the Reverend James R. McArthur, under whom the parsonage was sold and a more modern home purchased.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 297