Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ has stood on Blodgett Street in Houston's Third Ward since 1904. More than a century after its founding, the congregation continues to gather in its sanctuary at 3115 Blodgett Street for Spirit-filled Sunday mornings, midweek Bible study, and a steady rhythm of ministries that reach into the surrounding neighborhood.

The congregation belongs to the United Church of Christ, and it shows up in the work as much as in the worship: Manna House, the on-campus food pantry, currently serves about 100 people each week through a cooperative of seven Third Ward congregations. A Texas Historical Marker stands on the campus in recognition of the church's 100th anniversary. Members describe the heart of Pilgrim in plain language, a place where worship is something that can be expressed in everything from food to music to a conversation with a friend.

Sunday Mornings on Blodgett Street

Worship begins each Sunday at 10:30 AM, both in person and online. The service typically runs about an hour and a half, though the leadership is quick to note that it can run longer when the Spirit moves. Visitors are invited to come as they are, whether that means Sunday best, jeans, or cowboy boots. The congregation values family, excellence, and a sense of God's presence in every gathering.

An hour before worship, Sunday School gathers at 9:00 AM in the John D. Moore Chapel. The class is interactive and conversational, designed for honest engagement with Scripture without judgment. Children have their own gathering on the first and third Sundays through Pilgrim Pathfinders Children's Church, where young people learn about the love of Christ during the worship hour.

A Pastor Rooted in Houston

Pilgrim is led by Senior Pastor Rev. A. Keith Edwards, a Houston native who completed his studies at Central Christian College in McPherson, Kansas. Before being called to Pilgrim in January 2013, Rev. Edwards spent eighteen years with Young Life as an Area Director, then served as Associate Director of the Urban Youth Initiative in Memphis, where he trained youth ministers. He returned to Houston and Pilgrim, first as youth pastor and then Executive Pastor, before stepping into the senior role. He and his wife Nanette are the parents of a son, Bryan Dupont Gray.

A Week Shaped by Study and Prayer

The church's Christian Education ministry gathers several groups under one umbrella, including Sunday School, Bible Study, Second Century Prayer Warriors, Kidbuilderz, Prayer Chain, and Vacation Bible School. Together these focus on the spiritual and practical formation of members of every age through Bible study, prayer, music, meditation, camping, community service, and the arts.

Bible Study meets every Tuesday evening at 6:15 PM on Zoom, making it accessible from home for anyone who wants to join. Participants unfold the Old and New Testaments together in a setting described as welcoming and conversational.

On the first and third Saturday mornings at 8:00 AM, the Prayer Chain gathers in the John D. Moore Chapel for Bible study, prayer, and meditation, often reading and discussing the great classical Christian writers from the third century onward. The group also sponsors Prayer Vigils and the New Year's Eve Watch Night Service.

Every Thursday morning at 6:00 AM, members join a prayer conference call, believing that prayer changes things and that God calls believers to pray for one another and the world.

Ministries for Every Age and Stage

Pilgrim Pathfinders offers Children's Church on the first and third Sundays during worship, providing a fun and engaging environment where children explore faith, make new friends, and grow together.

Pilgrim Sisters United brings together the women of the church to strengthen Christian values through worship, study, and service. The group promotes women's leadership at all levels of the United Church of Christ, sponsors the Gwen Cloyd Scholarship Fund, and organizes Women's Emphasis Month activities including Women's Day services and a luncheon.

The Men's Fellowship, anchored in Micah 6:8 - to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God - gives the men of Pilgrim a place for fellowship, friendship, and service. The men take care of lawn care and special projects around the church grounds, and they host a monthly breakfast on the third Sunday of each month, known as Breakfast With The Brothers, served from 8:00 to 10:00 AM in the Pilgrim Community Center.

The Music Ministry provides music for Sunday worship and special services such as revival and concerts, with a mission to give God its best so He will be glorified.

The Hospitality Committee sees to it that every first-time visitor feels welcomed enough to return. As committee member Greg Atkinson has written, the church has the awesome responsibility to see that newcomers are welcomed and so loved that they will return for a second visit and a third, and eventually assimilate into the body and grow in their faith.

The Diaconate Ministry leads in church life. Deacons serve at Sunday morning worship, coordinate prayers of invocation and litany readings, serve communion, visit the sick and shut-in, offer one-on-one prayer, and oversee dedications, baptisms, and new member orientation.

The Usher Board welcomes arriving members and guests, distributes bulletins, assists with seating, collects offerings, directs the flow of communicants to the altar, records worship attendance, and aids the clergy as needed.

The Archival Committee meets every Monday at 10:00 AM to collect, describe, and preserve the history of the church for display and storage. The committee's work earned a Texas Historical Marker, placed on the campus by the Texas Historical Commission in recognition of the congregation's 100th anniversary.

The Church Council, made up of duly elected members, oversees the day-to-day governance of the church. The council establishes policies and procedures, approves and evaluates ministries and programs, and meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 PM in the Community Center Board Room.

Serving the Third Ward

Faith at Pilgrim is meant to move beyond the sanctuary walls. The Third Ward Manna House, a community food pantry, operates on the church's grounds as a cooperative of seven congregations: Wheeler Avenue Baptist, St. James Episcopal, Pilgrim CUCC, University Presbyterian, St. Mary of the Purification Catholic, Covenant Baptist, and St. Luke Episcopal. The pantry currently serves about 100 people each week, providing food assistance to residents throughout Harris County with a focus on the surrounding Third Ward. Volunteers bag groceries and greet neighbors, treating every interaction as an opportunity to share God's provision.

Pilgrim's commitment to its neighborhood runs deep. Members like Dr. Jene Washington have shaped both the church and the wider Houston community for more than fifty years. After a 32-year career with Houston ISD, Dr. Washington continues to lead and advocate for ministries that meet real needs on the ground. Her words to the church capture the spirit of the work: One of my passions is to give back to the community. I'm just here to serve.

The Pilgrim Community Center, located next door at 3118 Blodgett Street, hosts many of the church's larger gatherings, including the annual Homecoming Picnic with food by the Men of Pilgrim and games by Pilgrim Sisters United and Pilgrim Pathfinders.

What We Believe

Pilgrim's statement of faith begins with Scripture: the Bible is the Word of God, divinely inspired, preserved, and authoritative for the church and for every believer.

The church confesses one God who exists eternally in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He created the universe by His power and word; He is all knowing, all powerful, and ever present.

Pilgrim holds that Jesus Christ was sent by the Father into the world to save sinners. He was virgin born, sinless in life, mighty in words and deeds, both God and man. He was crucified for our sins and bodily raised from the dead. He ascended to His Father's side, where He is head of the church and intercedes for believers. He is coming again personally, visibly, and bodily to reign as Lord.

The Holy Spirit is described as a person who is God, possessing all the divine characteristics. He indwells all believers, baptizes and seals them at the moment of salvation, and fills them in response to confession of sin and surrender to Him.

Salvation is offered through the death of Jesus on the cross. To receive it, one must repent of sin and trust Jesus Christ alone. The true believer is eternally secure, though may lose joy through sin and invite the loving discipline of the Father. At death the believer departs to be with Christ; at His return they receive a new body like His glorious body.

The church, in Pilgrim's understanding, is a New Testament local body of baptized believers gathered to worship Jesus Christ, edify believers, evangelize the lost, and minister to others. The church observes two ordinances - Baptism, symbolizing the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and the Lord's Supper, a reminder of His death that anticipates His second coming. The church also offers three rites: Confirmation, Marriage, and Christian Burial.

The congregation's vision is to live and speak God's love, compassion, and grace, teaching the Bible and inspiring believers to fulfill God's purpose for their lives. Its mission is to proclaim the Good News through worship, witnessing, and evangelism, empowering people to know the love of Jesus Christ and be liberated by the Holy Spirit.

Staying Connected

Pilgrim offers several ways to stay in touch between Sundays. The Pilgrim App, available through Tithe.ly, keeps members updated on services, events, and groups. The church livestreams its Sunday worship online and shares video through its YouTube channel, with additional posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads under @pilgrimchurchhtx.

Giving can be made in service using the envelopes on the back of each pew, online through the Pilgrim App or Tithe.ly, or by dropping off or mailing to the church office at 3115 Blodgett St., Houston, TX 77004.

The church office can be reached at (713) 528-5321 or by email at pcucc1@swbell.net. In a neighborhood with deep roots and a long memory, Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ continues to open its doors on Blodgett Street - worshiping, studying, and serving, and keeping a hundred-and-twenty-year-old promise to walk alongside the Third Ward.