The population of Newport News began spreading to the suburbs in the 1950's. A group from First Christian Church of Newport News (now First UCC of Hampton) under the leadership of their pastor, the Rev. Lanson Granger, formed a new church in Warwick County, known as the Congregational Christian Church of Warwick. Meeting at first at Deer Park School, we built the first half of our building in 1957. In 1958, Newport News and Warwick County merged. After six years of beginnings, Rev. Granger left in 1960 to serve another new church start in California. The Rev. Dr. Victor C. Hayes, a college professor and an Australian Methodist, became our second pastor and teacher in 1962 and steered the growth of Warwick until 1965, when he left to rejoin the college ranks in the U.S. and eventually returned to Australia.

Upon the merger of the Congregational Christian and the Evangelical and Reformed Churches to form the United Church of Christ, in 1957-1964, the Congregational Christian Church of Warwick voted in 1964 to join the UCC and became the Warwick United Church of Christ.

The Rev. Dwight Moore then joined us in 1965 and remained our pastor until 1982, leading an era of growing families in our small congregation. The Rev. Reuben S. Askew, a retired Army Chaplain, served as pastor from 1982 until his second retirement in 1997. The Rev. Michael O. Christensen (1999 to 2011) became our pastor and teacher in August 1999 -- the fifth pastor in our 55 years. We have called the Rev. Ernest L. Hamlin (2002 to 2009) and the Rev. Christine E. Addotta (2007 to 2011) as volunteer associate pastors.

We began with suburban expansion, based on young families and their children, segregated into an all-white congregation typical of Virginia in the 50's.  Our basic values -- welcome, unity with difference, Biblical center, and service to others -- have remained constant as God has stretched us into new ways of life.  We quietly integrated over the sixties and seventies.  We were and remain active in our association and conference -- sharing a rich heritage of being Afro-Christian, Reformed, Congregational, and Christian. The children grew up, first swelling and then thinning our numbers as they moved on.  The young parents became grandparents, while we attracted young military and shipyard families, who often also moved on.  Some of the children stayed as adults, others were attracted to our vision of Christian freedom, others came from previous UCC churches -- all found a loving home.  In the years from our 50th to our 55th birthday, we welcomed people who were looking for a witness to social justice and wrestled with acceptance and full welcome for gay and lesbian Christian brothers and sisters.  We became an Open and Affirming congregation.  We have begun new ministries of justice and compassion.  You will find us changed, yet still holding the same values, shared by old-timers and newcomers alike: welcome everyone who comes, respect each others freedom and beliefs, look to Jesus Christ and the Bible as our source, and make the world a better place through service to people who need us.