Pioneer Congregational United Church of Christ

The pioneer Congregational church of Sacramento was one of the first Christian churches founded by Rev. Joseph A Benton in 1849. My brother in law is related to its founder, Rev. Joseph A Benton. Rev. Benton is an uncle of my bro in law’s great great grandfather, Eliot H. Benton. Eliot’s daughter Stella is my bro in law’s grandmother’s mother. Whew, did you get that! Never the less, this is part of what inspired me to come and check it out. I also visited this historical church in pursuit of historical marker number 613. And yes, for you history buffs, it is a registered marker.
I walked around the Church and could not find an actual physical marker (like the one at Sutter’s Fort.) So I’m thinking the marker is inside the church, which was closed when I was there. The marker name is: Site of Congregational Church and was dedicated on 22 May, 1957. So its relatively new with respect to when the church was built.
The architecture is quite beautiful. I took a few pictures for everyone to see, and the two in which my camera was pointed upward the door, were taken so you could (hopefully) read the inscription on the façade. You may have to zoom in to actually read it. And if you can’t zoom in then you simply need to go and see for yourselves.
If you’re a history buff, museum visiting, marker seeking person like me, this church is a must see.

Pioneer Congregational United Church of Christ is a Pioneer Church. It was the first church founded in Sacramento in 1849. Since the Gold Rush days, we have welcomed people from all walks of life.
There is a great diversity of beliefs held by our members. We find that unity in Jesus Christ and our differences add to the richness and strength of our life together. We are an open and affirming church that proclaims the love of Jesus Christ, the compassion that his love serves, and the humanity his love seeks to embrace.
You will quickly discover that the Pioneer community is truly a family, rich in the relationships that matter most. Growing together, we worship, we serve, we laugh, we cry, we learn, and we reach out to our world with life-​transforming truth. We reach out to you, as well. Our doors are open. Our hearts are open too. If you’ve been thinking, praying, searching and hoping for a place to belong, we say again… WELCOME!