When the New Plymouth town hall was built, everyone in the community helped with the construction. It was used by the first school during the week and on alternate Sundays by the Methodists and Presbyterians. The two denominations worked harmoniously, but after Rev. James Burns fell from a roof and was seriously injured and Rev. Clemons moved to Caldwell, the community was without a pastor until the Methodist conference sent a minister to preach here every other Sunday. The conference found this was impractical and recalled the Rev. Bradley the latter part of 1899. 

The community gained another minister when Rev. Stevenson moved to his homestead east of the town site and preached for the Presbyterians, while Rev. W.L. Strange, who arrived in September 1900, preached the alternate Sunday for the Methodists. 

Neither organization could maintain a pastor and support the church without aid from members of the other and outside assistance, but neither denomination wanted to abandon the field in favor of the other. Since there was some discord and dissatisfaction among the two groups, J .M. Shaw, a Presbyterian, conceived the idea of abandoning both churches to unite in one Union church. Among the group were members of many denominations but not one Congregationalist, so Mr. Shaw suggested that in the interest of harmony the new church should be called the Congregational Church.