Our History
This portion of the history narrative is courtesy of Mabel R. Curtis, historian.
The Beginning - 1800s
Aside from the primitive religion of the Indians with their belief in a happy hunting ground, the only form of worship in California up to the time of the Gold Rush was Roman Catholicism; this was brought here by the Spanish Expedition under Gaspar de Portola who came in 1769 to relocate Monterey Bay for the purpose of colonization and the conversion of the Indians to Christianity.
The Argonauts were largely Protestant and among early arrivals were Father Thomas Thompson and his wife from Missouri. They were Disciples and on Sunday mornings they preached in front of their tent to miners. In the early 1850s, they organized the first Christian Church in the State at Stockton and others were organized in the surrounding country. By 1855, they had gathered enough Disciples together to hold the first State Meeting in Stockton.
Another of the very early churches in the State was organized by Father Thompson in Gilroy; this was under the charge of another pioneer preacher, Rev. J. K. Rule, who had been captain of his train crossing the plains. It was his custom to halt his people on Sunday mornings to hold services. After prayers and communion and a few songs, they were strengthened and sustained to proceed on their way.
In his book, History of the Disciples of Christ in California, E. B. Ware lists the State Meetings from the beginning in Stockton in 1855 to San Jose in 1971. He states only one meeting was held in Gilroy. Several of the families from Pajaro Valley attended the State Meeting in Gilroy in 1859, among them Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Rowe. Mr. Rowe invited the Gilroy minister to visit him sometime in the Pajaro Valley and later that year, in the fall, Father Rule and his wife came over for the visit at the Rowe home at Murphy Crossing.
As was customary, Mr. and Mrs. Rule were invited to stay over for a few days, thus affording them an opportunity for a meeting. Mr. Rowe sent his hired man around the neighborhood to invite the folks to his house the next day and there was held the first meeting of the Disciples in Pajaro Valley.
The little band was organized and held meetings in the homes. The charter members being Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Ware, Mr. and Mrs. E. N. Ware, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson Mann, Mrs. W. H. Rowe, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Slack, and H. M. Hayes.
They met from home to home and, in a year or so, the little band had grown to fifty; too many to be accommodated in their little homes, so they met in a small building that had been used by herdsmen and now was a school taught by H. M. Hayes.
Soon they decided to have a building of their own and to that end, Brother James Blankenship donated a lot on his property along San Juan Road. Money was collected for doors and windows and lumber, which was hauled from the mills in Corralitos canyon, north of Watsonville.
The men of the congregation built the church themselves in 1861, a one room building about 16 x 20 with three windows on a side and two front doors, for, indeed, one side was for the men and the other for the women. Even the furniture for the church was constructed on the grounds.
At first, the meetings were conducted by Brother Slack, who had been a deacon in his church in the East before coming to California. The first ordained minister, Frank Aldridge, came in 1868. He was a grandfather of the Bradley family. Baptisms were held in the river or in the first lagoon in the canyon.
By 1871, the group had outgrown the country church and decided to move to town. Having no building, they first met in Allen's Hall on Fourth Street (now Lake Avenue).
The Methodists were building a new church at Third and Rodriguez Streets and their building at Fourth and Rodriguez was purchased by the Disciples. This small church was topped by a steeple with a bell that had been manufactured in Sheffield, England, in 1860. That bell is still with us today.
After the congregation moved to town, their primitive little building was moved to San Miguel Canyon opposite the first lagoon. It was then used as a Sunday school and singing school. This property later belonged to Lyman Hutchings and an old pew from this early church was discovered outside his old abandoned house in 1948. After seventy-five years in the open, it was still intact and now reposes in the narthex of our present church.
In 1881, dissension arose over the use of the organ in the church, some members wanting it removed. It was put to a vote with 39 being in favor of retaining the organ and 27 opposed to it. The principal opponents were Jackson Mann and William Icanberry, elders. On December 19, 1881, they were asked to resign and a petition to that effect signed by 51 members asked them to comply by December 25th, otherwise they would be automatically dismissed – which they were.
Jackson Mann then built a small church on his ranch at Hunter's Hill and there the dissenters met; this church complete with bell was painted pink. This ranch was purchased by O. O. Eaton about 1915 and the bell is at his home grounds now. On it is the inscription We Once Were One).
Ten years after the move to town, the little congregation was joined by the Disciples from Corralitos and a meeting was held January 14, 1883 for the purpose of uniting. Apparently, the dissenting members were re-instated for we find Jackson Mann, Nathan Morehouse, and John Connell being elected elders again. For deacons, they chose J. J. Stowe, W. B. Hedrich, and J. W. Snyder. R. W. Eaton was appointed Sunday School Superintendent. Their minister's salary was set at $100.00 a month and a janitor appointed at $6.00 a month and he was required to clean the building in the daytime to save the expense of gas.
On February 24, 1883, it was voted to build a baptistery in the church up to this time baptisms had been in the river, even after the move to town.
The work over the State was progressing and it was decided to find a central meeting place for the State meetings. Finally, a site was purchased in Garfield Park in Santa Cruz and a tabernacle was built at a cost of $17,000.00. The first convention was held in 1892 drawing great crowds from the interior valleys who reveled in the cooling breezes of the bay. Whole families came, camping on the grounds in the early years. Later, homes in the neighborhood provided rooms and breakfast for the delegates. The meetings continued annually until the meeting of 1935 when the tabernacle burned shortly after the meeting closed. Much to the sorrow of the older members accustomed to meeting there through the years, the meeting house was never rebuilt. State meetings since have been held in the various cities of California North.
Early in 1892, the local group voted to expand and the following committee was elected to procure funds, buy a lot , and build a church, W. H. Rowe, Joseph Albright, Chesley Stowe, R. W. Eaton, H. G. Hartley, John Connell, and Hazen Hoyt. The committee then elected R. W. Eaton secretary and W. H. Rowe treasurer.
They selected lot a block up from the old church at Main and Fourth Street, now Lake Avenue. The lot was purchased from James Blackburn for $2,200.00, and the sale of the small building on it brought the cost of the lot down to $2,000.00. The church was designed by W. H. Weeks and built by Jennings and Andrews for $6,107.00 with $500.00 for bring work by Joseph Albright. This cost did not include the furniture, chandeliers, or sidewalks. This building was almost ready for dedication when it mysteriously burned October 7, 1892. Although dismayed, the congregation immediately set to work clearing away the debris and rebuilding to the same plan with a few minor changes. There had been $5,000.00 insurance on the first structure which helped finance the new work. Into this building went a pipe organ built locally by Joe Hetherington at a cost of $600.00. The old building and lot were sold to H. P. Brassell for $1,200.00
The minister from the old church, Reverend H. G. Hartley and family came to the new church and stayed until 1895, then resigning to take over the work at Colusa.
Reverend Hartley was followed here by Reverend Lewis A. Pier, Reverend Edward Coperthwaite for about a year and later Reverend R. H. Sawyer. During Reverend Pier's term, the board tried a new innovation by canceling the pastor's salary, at his suggestion, the members to contribute to his supply. Needless to say that was not a success.
During this time, the church was steadily growing and the Sunday School had an enrollment of 146 pupils.
The Early 1900s
After a short ten years in this location, this church burned on July 4, 1902 while the fire equipment was out of town competing in the hose races popular in those days. Again, the congregation was faced with raising funds for rebuilding and in the meantime held services at the Odd Fellows Hall. A lot was selected a block further on, again, Lake Avenue and Alexander Streets and our beautiful stone church, designed by our former member, W. H. Weeks, was built at a cost of $40,000.00. A fine pipe organ costing $5,000.00 was later installed. This church was dedicated on February 7, 1904.
This building, decorated in curly redwood paneling with frescoed walls in nile green and ivory woodwork, was beautiful to behold. Also, there were fine stained glass windows throughout, especially beautiful being the circular one over the altar and choir loft. This was Hoffman's Head of Christ so lighted so as to throw a halo around His sacred head.
Entering the new church with the congregation came a new minister, Reverend M. D. Clubb, followed in after years by Reverend D. F. Stafford, Reverend H. C. Holmes, Reverend Morton L. Rose, Reverend Charles McHatton, Reverend J. Miller Ice, and Reverend D. B. Titus.
Under the leadership of Reverend Stafford, the balance of the indebtedness of $10,000.00 was subscribed one Sunday after the morning service in September 1908. During the period of these ministers, our church greatly prospered and we supported a living link missionary in China. The wives of two of our former pastors, Mrs. Mary J. Hartley and Mrs. Lewis A. Pier, became prominent in the State missionary work. Mrs. Hartley was organizer and president of the Christian Women's Board of Missions for over ten years. She was elected president first in 1892 of the newly formed auxiliary to the National Board of Missions and in 1917 she was appointed to write the history of the Christian Women's Board of Missions in California.
In 1910, Mattie Powell Scott, another of our members, was elected treasurer and corresponding secretary of the work. She traveled over the State seeking financial aid for a Chinese Mission in San Francisco. Her success culminated in the dedication of this Mission on August 2, 1915.
The years of 1918-1919 marked the closing year of the CWBM as a separate organization. Henceforth, our women were a part of the United Christian Missionary Society. Especially to be commended was the work of our seven district secretaries this year, of which Miss Carillie Hoyt represented our Santa Clara district. Also at this period of our history, our Sunday School was making much growth. The Bethany Bible Class for adults under Dr. H. M. Tenney had an enrollment of 60 members and Mrs. L. D. O'Neal taught the Philathea Class of 25 young ladies.
Reverend D. B. Titus instituted the Wednesday dinners held regularly every week, followed by prayer service and a general social time. These now are held monthly as family night dinners.
All was well with us and we felt secure in our stone building but, alas, we were rudely awakened in the early morning of March 29, 1927 to learn out church was burning. In spite of a stone building, the loss to the congregation was complete and the pastor's library was also destroyed. Likewise, the pulpit furniture, three high back oak chairs upholstered in red velvet with an ornate pulpit to match, which had been saved from the Main Street fire, were lost this time.
The sympathy of the community was expressed in various ways at this further loss of the Christian Church and, once again, the faithful rallied to the task of rebuilding. Again, the Odd Fellows Hall was our meeting place and the following committee was elected to seek a larger building site to increase our work. With Reverend Titus as chairman of the committee were Mattie Powell Scott, Mrs. J. D. Wasson, C. W. Rowe, F. L. DeBack, H. C. Weisenberger, and Noble Floyd. They traveled over the state looking at church buildings and, again, selected W. H. Weeks as architect. The site at East Lake and Madison, then considered far out of town, was purchased from Nick Burten for $20.00; it was really three lots with a two story house on the corner which was sold to H. B Kitchen.
This fine mission type building with complete educational facilities was build at a cost of $95,000.00. Here, again, our faithful old bell followed us, to be erected in the tower, continuing to call the faithful to worship – a symbol of the steadfastness of our people.
The sanctuary of this church has great architectural beauty and it must have been the dream of the architect that one, on entering should be led into a spirit of worship, whether or not there might be the spoken word.
Every evidence of this is given as one approaches the chancel. Here, the first five steps represent the plant of Salvation as Hearing, Believing, Repentance, Confession, and Baptism. The two steps to the Communion Table signify the Gift of the Holy Spirit and Demonstration of the Christian Life.
The beauty of the reredos is contrasted by the heavy wine curtains, which are hung from the baptistery arch.
One's eye is drawn first to the design as a whole – intertwined Vine – bringing the mind to the parable of the Vine and the branches – symbols which weave together our lives with that of Christ, our Redeemer. Then, beginning at the bottom of either side panel and traveling upward, we see first, the Open Book. Immediately above this, the Bell, which calls us to worship in the Hose of God. Next, the symbolic Cross, reminding us that we are bought with a price, even the sacrifice of God's only Son. Then a suggested Chalice, symbolic of the Lord's Supper, and our Remembrance of Him – which words are repeated across the Communion Table, In Remembrance of Me. Above this, two enclosing brackets form a Lamp, with its message that Christ is the Light of the World, and that we are to let our light shine. Insistently, again, comes the reminder of the Cross, another Chalice, the Lamp again, and three small cherubim are suggested, bringing to mind the adoration, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts.
There are three sets of two windows each, three sets of arches, three columns in the loft, thus the message, God in Three Persons comes through – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Oval Medallions on the columns represent the bloodstones which depicts Christ kneeling with his hands resting on a huge gray-green rock as he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, Thy will be done – and the drops of blood express his agony as he came to this submission.
Above the pews along the archways are beautiful large iron Spanish Lanterns with their Bunches of Grapes, reminding us that we are the fruit of the vine. On the ornamental beams that support the ceiling and the roof, appears a lovely Wild Rose and It's Leaves, which were painted by hand by Jack Seekins, father of member, Jean Lewis. It took five men an entire month to complete the beautiful work of art on the beams. At the rear of the sanctuary above the doors are the marbleized Angels heralding the Good News.
Surely the Lord is in this place; this is none other than the House of God.
This church building was dedicated on June 3, 1928 and practically all the indebtedness was subscribed that day. E. J. Mann and his wife pledged $6,000.00 to pay for the rare ten-rank Wickes organ, an ironic note since it was his father who led the schism over the organ in the 1880s.
The unsurpassed beauty of this mission-style church granted Mr. Weeks a third prize in a national contest for architecture in churches under the $100,000.00 class.
But within a year of dedication, we were in the throes of the depression and many could not pay their pledges. Many people lost heavily and many moved to other communities leaving us with a deficit to carry. The old lot at Alexander Street was later sold for $22,000.00.
In 1928, the Christian Church at Corralitos decided to disband and join with us and we thereby gained the fine singers, the Bradley brothers.
Reverend Titus saw us thru the construction period and was followed by Sam Pugh, George Brewster, Edgar Lloyd Smith, Ross Williams, and E. L. Whisler with W. L. Mellinger, assistant.
Upon moving into the new building, Mrs. Jennie Thompson came as educational director, followed in later years by Emory and Marilyn Owens as youth directors and also Dean and Betty Echols in the same capacity. They did fine work with our young people as did George Tolman between completing his work at Chapman College and going on to Yale Divinity School. Our youth work at its peak had over 400 members, boys and girls of several nationalities and religions. Bible lessons and songs were followed by shop work, hikes, wiener roasts, and picnics. Local police attested to a reduction in juvenile delinquency due to our program.
In 1937, Mr. Ross Williams proposed the use of dime boxes in our Missionary Society – a dime a week per member. In the first year, this brought in over $400.00, they first money paid on our debt and since then it is dedicated to missions.
After World War Two, our women assisted in relief work for over ten years through United Church Women for Church World Service. We were proud that our own women were always in the majority of the work room where we prepared and packed tons of serviceable clothing for overseas refugees. Letters from ten foreign countries acknowledging our garments proved it a real missionary effort.
When Reverend Whisler found his new church struggling under a debt of $20,000.00, he decided to do something about it. Contacting Church Extension, they required the indebtedness to be reduced to $15,000.00 before they would take over. In a few months, that level was reached and Church Extension proposed that we pay them $150.00 per month (the amount of interest we had been paying for years). Under this plan, we would be paid out in ten years and ten months, principal and all. This seemed such a fine solution that all were enthusiastic, but soon the women, bless them, were determined to put everything they had on the debt. Then Mr. Whisler decided the time had come to clear up the indebtedness and set the congregation to the task with the happy result that the debt was paid and the mortgage burned on December 10, 1944. Mrs. Catherine Rowe, as the oldest member, was chosen to burn the mortgage. She was surrounded by Mrs. Maria Tyndal and Chesley Stowe, the last members on our honor roll, Reverend D. B Titus, under whose guidance this church was built, and Reverend E. L. Whisler, whose leadership had brought us to this glorious day. While the smoke of the burning paper ascended, our old church bell pealed forth our victory and the people sang Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow.
Now with the property clear, the congregation could relax and enjoy their freedom. The women, whose untiring efforts had produced endless dinners, luncheons, bazaars, and rummage sales, could take more leisure, although working together in these projects brings lasting comradeship and fellowship gained in no other way.
After almost seven years with us, Reverend Whisler was called to Spokane in 1946. He was followed in the work here by Henry Searle, Swight Hackett, Chester Snyder and Forrest Lumsden, minister in our centennial year.
Always do we remember Mrs. Snyder's work with our young people in the beautiful pageants she created, using our chancel and baptistery in artistic and striking nativity scenes.
With Reverend Lumsden's call as minister came the largest and richest gift to our church in its history. His late wife, Ann Lumsden, requested that her Brown Palace apartments, across the street from our church, be given to the next church to call him as pastor after her death. This magnificent gift, added to our solvent property, leaves us at our centennial with fine prospects for beginning our second century of service.
Due to our severe financial losses through the years, we have not reached all the goals we might have desired. From the hundreds we have reached, we have had three of our boys enter the ministry – Primus Bennett, Everett Luther, and George Tolman, and one of our girls, Edith Apperson (Mrs. George Mosher) was a missionary to Africa.
And now our sincere appreciation to all those devoted members who have labored here through the years, for their fine fellowship and faithfulness in the Master's work, we council them to even greater heights in the years ahead.
This record of our churches during the 100 years just completed will doubtless contain many discrepancies due to the fact that most of our records were lost in our various fires. The reports given are from such meager sources as we have and from notes from members through the years.
The Later 1900s
On Christmas Day in 1953, the candelabras on the communion table were presented by Mrs. Marion T Rowe's family in her honor thus marking Mrs. Rowe's seventy years of membership with the church.
Following Reverend Forrest W. Lumsden, the ministry of Reverend George W. Morris was brief, as he came to us from Connecticut on the eve of his retirement. His ministry was characterized by the solidifying of our financial condition, as he led in a comprehensive stewardship program. His wife, Louise, also contributed greatly to our music program with her beautiful solos. They left in the Fall of 1966 to make a freighter trip around the world and then returned to Watsonville to make their home. Reverend Morris was available to serve the church for two interim ministries and is honored as Minister Emeritus. The congregation subsequently named the chapel room of the church the Lumsden Chapel.
The Reverend Earl Sample became our minister in November of 1967. He was a great help in times of spiritual need. He was also interested in building, both through faith in God and also as a carpenter, as he liked to build houses. Many of the tiny classrooms were made larger and improved by the removing of a partition. Reverend Sample was a happy, friendly person who made many friends and spend many hours with them. He was a lover of horses, a hobby shared by his family.
In 1970, the stained glass window above the balcony at the rear of the sanctuary was presented by Herb and Gladys Beilby in memory of their parents.
In 1974, Reverend Don Campbell began a four and a half year tenure as minister. He established very good relations with older members as well as with the young. During his ministry, the pew cushions were installed, new drapes were placed in the baptistery, the heating system was modernized, and the minister's office was remodeled.
Reverend Terry Larkin began his ministry with us in June of 1979. A young, enthusiastic preacher with a young wife and daughter, he was able to bring in many young adults during his four years of ministry. He started a young adult choir as well as a young adult Bible Class. Reverend Larkin's sermons were based on the Bible and inspired many. In their zeal, some of the youth came to believe they no longer needed the elders of the church to teach. This movement was supported by Reverend Larkin and, when the issues could not be resolved, Reverend Larkin was asked by the elders to resign which he did. Along with Reverend Larkin many of the youth and young families also left the congregation and dispersed to many different churches in the area.
In 1983, the congregation called Reverend James O. Bradford as its minister. Reverend Bradford and his wife, Rusty, were actively involved in the churches life, including singing in the choir and teaching adult and youth Sunday School classes. Reverend Bradford was well read and stirred many with his thought provoking sermons as well as being a staunch advocate of encouraging our members to leave an endowment to the church. During Reverend Bradford's tenure, the church became an outlet for a local Food Program in conjunction with Second Harvest Food Bank, an active participant in Habitat for Humanity, and schools for Head Start and Alternative Education.
Our Lectern Bible was presented to the congregation on June 10, 1990 by Louise Morris in memory of her husband, Reverend George W. Morris. The pulpit chairs are in memory of Claude and LeRoy Beilby.
Unfortunately, in the early evening of October 17, 1989, the church sustained much damage from a 7.0 earthquake centered at nearby Loma Prieta on the San Andreas Fault. As many of the commercial buildings and houses in the surrounding area were heavily damaged to the point of necessary demolition, many government and private groups were brought into the area to help rebuild the community. Through the diligent efforts of Reverend Bradford, we were able to offer office space to the Mennonite Mission who came to this area to offer help. They were known as the Watsonville Area Interfaith Disaster Relief (WAIDR) and stayed with us for over a year. Once again, our congregation found itself in need of help to repair our church. During this time, we held worship services in the gymnasium as the sanctuary was not safe and the gymnasium itself sported a heavy post in the middle of the floor space to support the heavy beams overhead. Eventually, we were able to repair the sanctuary and the gymnasium with funds obtained from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). At the same time, Verle and Frances Shank and Christian and Lorraine Mathiesen and family suffered severe damage to their homes requiring approximately two years of repair work.
The congregation's first woman minister came in April 1993 when Reverend Yolanda Moreno was called as its Interim Minister but not without great concern by older members of the congregation as we have never had a woman minister before. Reverend Moreno graduated from Pacific School of Religion two months after her calling to our church and many of our congregation participated in her ordination service in Berkeley. Her unique ministry soon alleviated any concerns the congregation had. During this time, Reverend Moreno brought a new and revitalized openness and perspective to the congregation.
Reverend Dwight A. Carlson and his wife Virginia moved to Watsonville in June 1994. He not only brought his ministry but his expertise as an attorney. Reverend Carlson taught Bible Study classes for adults and was active in congregational stewardship and preparing the congregation for the future. Virginia was a member of the choir and often taught youth classes.
In March of 1995, many of the area residents and a few of our congregants found themselves devastated by a flood when the Pajaro River levy was breached. Unfortunately, the church van was caught in the flood when it was in residence at the home of Ellen Hutchings. In addition to the Hutchings household, Clyde and Ellen McGinnis, Lorraine Mathiesen and family, and Tim and Betsy Watkins and family sustained much loss and damage from the flood. Reverend Carlson retired in May of 1997 to serve as an Interim Minister wherever needed.
Interim Minister, Reverend James A. Fraley and wife, Carolyn, came to our church on June 15, 1997. He made a life of traveling from church to church as Interim Minister in their fifth-wheel motor coach. Although Reverend Fraley was only with us for a short time, he focused his ministry on reorganizing the Board of Directors and church committees to more accurately reflect the current state of the congregation. We also hired Llewllyn Ernst as our Music Director. She and her husband, Methodist Minister, Dave Ernst, revitalized our choir with joyful music. The congregation was also put to task to decide in what direction we wanted to go as a church. Reverend Fraley and Carolyn left us on May 17, 1998 to assist his twin sister and her husband in Oregon.
Reverend Dr. Reuben Negron and wife, Magali, and sons, Reuben, Jr., Emmanuel, and Stephen arrived in August of 1998. Reverend Negron offered Bible study at Valley Heights Senior Community on Fridays and served on the Regional Board of Directors of the Christian Church of Northern California and Nevada. Both Reverend Negron and Magali sang in the choir as well as often singing duets. During this time, Llewellyn and Dave Ernst retired and moved to Washington to be with their daughter and her family. We also welcomed Solano Summit Academy, an alternative school, into our church.
We were fortunate enough to be chosen as one of four churches within the Christian Church of Northern California - Nevada region to receive help during Miracle Day, October 20, 2007. Members from christian churches from all over our region decended upon our church for a full day of worship, painting, cleaning, repairing, and, of course, great food. Miracle Day was started in this region in 2005 to help our churches with building maintenance and upkeep. This was a true blessing for which we will always be grateful.
Reverend Negron left in May, 2008, to serve as a hospice chaplain in the Salinas/Monterey area. Unfortuately, due to a severe economic downturn and lack of funding from the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, Solano Summit Academy ended its time with us in June, 2008.
The Next Millenium - 2000s
After a few months of hosting guest ministers, we once again welcomed Reverend Yolanda Moreno as our Transitional Interim Minister. Reverend Moreno agreed to a specified term of three years with the possibility of then becoming our permanent pastor. Reverend Moreno has a passion for music and often plays her guitar during the worship services. Her energetic personality has created a whirlwind of activity and renewed spirit.
At the end of 2008, we bid goodbye to our longtime organist, Henry Day. Henry and his wife, Alta, often played organ piano duets during the service. We then welcomed Anthony Lawton as our part-time organist from Hayward.
2009 found us serving our local community with Almost Free Spaghetti Dinners for $2.50 per person in an effort to ease some of our residents’ economic hardships. Also, we were seeking a renter for our apartment and a renter for some of our classrooms. In July, we found both. Just in time to repair half of our roof at the cost of $64,000.00, repair our Spanish tiled roof, and repair the inside plaster ceiling. This was not without great difficulty, however. After liquidating all of it's Certificates of Deposit and most of its savings, the congregation found itself, once again, obtaining a loan to finance the new roof.
Among the roof and ceiling repairs, Cynthia Mathiesen took it upon herself to engineer, measure, cut, and sew new curtains for our stage and just in time to celebrate our 150th Anniversary on October 25, 2009.
Our Ministers
Reverend Frank Aldridge 1868 – 1873
Reverend Thomas Porter 1873 – 1877
Reverend H. S. Connell 1877 – 1881
Reverend P. K. Dibble 1881 – 1883
Reverend R. N. Davis 1883 – 1866
Reverend J. Knowles 1886 (six months)
Reverend Henry Shadle 1886 – 1889
Reverend A. R. McCullough 1889 – 1890
Reverend John Ellis 1890 (three months)
Reverend Cal Ogburn 1890 – 1893
Reverend H. G. Hartley 1893 – 1898
Reverend Edward Coperthwaite 1896 (nine months)
Reverend Lewis A. Pier 1898 – 1901
Reverend R. H. Sawyer 1901 – 1903
Reverend M. D. Clubb 1904 – 1909
Reverend D. F. Stafford 1909 – 1913
Reverend H. C. Holmes 1913 – 1914
Reverend Morton L. Rose 1914 – 1918
Reverend Charles McHatton 1918 – 1922
Reverend J. Miller Ice 1922 – 1924
Reverend D. B. Titus 1924 – 1932
Reverend Sam Pugh 1832 – 1935
Reverend George W. Brewster 1935 – 1937
Reverend Edgar Lloyd Smith 1935 (substitute)
Reverend Ross Williams 1937 – 1939
Reverend W. L. Mellinger 1939 – 1940
Reverend E. L. Whisler 1940 – 1946
Reverend Henry Searle 1947 – 1949
Reverend Owen Kellison Ad-Interim
Reverend Alexander Paul Ad-Interim – Missionary in China for 53 years
Reverend Dwight L. Hackett 1949 – 1950
Reverend Chester A. Snyder 1951 – 1955
Reverend Albert Bunney Ad-Interim while Rev. Snyder was on world tour
Reverend Forrest Lumsden 1955 – 1963
Reverend George W. Morris 1964 – 1966
Reverend Earl Sample 1967 – 1973
Reverend Don Campbell 1973 – 1978
Reverend Terry Larkin 1979 – 1983
Reverend James O. Bradford 1983 – 1993
Reverend Yolanda Moreno 1993 – 1994 – Interim
Reverend Dwight A. Carlson 1994 – 1997
Reverend James A. Fraley 1997 – 1998 – Interim
Reverend Dr. Reuben Negron 1998 – 2008
Reverend Yolanda Moreno 2008 - current - Transitional Interim