USA > Michigan > The history of the Church of the Brethren in Michigan > Part 10
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The district and general mission boards have continued to encourage the Pontiac work by their financial support, services, and counsel, which are greatly appreciated by the people there. An unusual opportunity came to the congre- gation in 1933. Liquidation terms were negotiated with creditors of a certain Pontiac bank that held the mortgage. Church funds on deposit in this particular bank were re- leased in connection with the settlement. There was great rejoicing in the church when this opportunity was made available and a mortgage-burning service was held.
Sister Mary L. Cook was secured as pastor of the Pon- tiac church and was duly installed by Elders L. H. Prowant and A. O. Mote, members of the district ministerial board. early in the summer of 1934. The work of the church moved
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forward in a very commendable manner under her able guidance.
Brother Claude E. Trombley, who succeeded Sister Cook as pastor, left in January 1942 to a new field of service. Under his guidance and ministerial leadership the interest continued to increase.
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PONTIAC VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
Brother L. W. Shafer, the present pastor and elder, be- gan in April 1942. The church is having a far-reaching in- fluence in the surrounding area, and he reports very good interest and attendance.
During the last five years the following persons have been called into the leadership of the church. Brother Robert Ebey was licensed to preach, and on June 19, 1938, was installed into the ministry. John E. Miller and Galen Joseph were elected to the deacon's office.
There has been considerable work done on the building since 1942. New wood has been placed on the side walls
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of both the church auditorium and the basement. A hard- wood floor in the auditorium, a concrete floor in the base- ment, church seats bought and refinished constitute other needed improvements. The total cost of the work was one thousand one hundred dollars. A special rededication serv- ice was held on September 24, 1944, with Brother V. F. Schwalm, president of Manchester College, giving the address.
Here is a small group of members working in an industrial center to uphold the Christian doctrines as believed and taught by our beloved church.
RIVERSIDE
The first members of the Church of the Brethren to locate in Missaukee County were Moses Burkett and Margaret, his wife. They with their family moved there about 1888. At that time there was a Sunday school being held by the Methodists and the Presbyterians, and Brother Burkett took an active part in it.
These members were not long in making their request to the mission board for preaching services. Accordingly such men as Isaiah Rairigh, S. M. Smith, John Smith, Peter B. Messner and George Stone were sent to supply their wants. Records show that in the fall of 1896 a minister (no name given) in the first degree located there and con- ducted services in the schoolhouse near by.
The first love feast was held in Brother Burkett's home, and Brother J. M. Lair of Custer, Michigan, officiated. He was sent by the mission board. The work at that time was in the limits of the Sugar Ridge congregation, of which Elder Isaiah Rairigh had the oversight. The first council meeting was held on November 27, 1897. Fifteen members were present. The first Sunday school was organized in
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the summer of 1901. The church was organized into a congregation on December 30, 1902, near McBain with a membership of about twenty-five. Brother J. M. Lair was chosen the first elder. The house of worship was thirty by forty feet. It was built in 1903.
Prayer meetings, singing schools and Christian Worker's meetings were a few of the activities of the church while it served the community. It was disorganized in 1925. The building was sold to the Holland Lutheran people.
RODNEY
The Rodney church is situated three miles north and one mile east of the village of Rodney. Sometime late in the fall of 1880 Brother Matthew Holsworth, a member of the then-called German Baptist Brethren Church, from the West Thornapple congregation of Ionia County, moved to Rodney with his wife and family. They settled on an eighty-acre tract of timberland. The country being new, he with his wife, three sons and one daughter, began to hew out a home for themselves.
Brother Holsworth was here about three years without contact with any of the Brethren. The loneliness of being away from the church made him resolve to visit the home church at Elmdale and attend the love feast in the fall of 1883. Here he made known to the Brethren his desire for church privileges at Rodney. His request came to the at- tention of Brother David Baker, who soon informed Brother Zachariah Albaugh. Both of these brethren lived in the congregation then known as Saginaw, now called Elsie.
Brethren Baker and Albaugh decided to go to Rodney for a week of meetings during the week of December 10, 1883. This meeting resulted in the baptism of Brother Hols- worth's wife and Carl and Caroline Jehnzen, parents of
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William F. Jehnzen. At the close of the meetings, Brother Baker announced that he would return in January of 1884 for another week of meetings. He was able to carry out his promise, which resulted in the baptism of Brother Hols- worth's daughter Lena and William F. and Emma Jehnzen. This was done in a body of water covered with two feet
RODNEY
of ice. Brother Baker did much personal work and in- struction in matters pertaining to the Christian faith and the practices of the Brethren.
In February of the year 1884 Brother Isaiah F. Rairigh from the East Thornapple church came and held three meet- ings over a Saturday and a Sunday. The church was prom- ised monthly meetings, but because of the snow blockade no meetings were held. Then again in April 1884 Brother George Stone from the New Haven church came and held three meetings on Saturday and Sunday. From this time on monthly meetings were held over a period of several years by ministers sent by the district mission board.
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In June 1886 the first communion was held in the Rodney church in an unfinished home. It was decided at this meet- ing to organize the church into a separate congregation. The members living in this section of the state did not belong to any of the other organized churches. The or- ganization was carried out with a charter membership of eighteen. A choice of a deacon resulted in the selection of Brother William F. Jehnzen.
Sometime in 1887 or 1888 the congregation decided to undertake the building of a church house, with building material being at a low cost. The elder of the church took the matter up with the district mission board, who in turn consulted the General Mission Board, with the result that two hundred fifty dollars was given for the new building. The district mission board suggested a building twenty- six by forty feet in size. In 1889 the church was completed, excepting the plastering, and was thus dedicated. The church went forward in its new building for a number of years with church services and Sunday school. In 1897 the church, being unable to secure an evangelist, prepared a paper for the district meeting asking that the district ap- point a state evangelist who would hold meetings in church- es requesting them. The petition was granted. Brother John M. Smith was appointed as the first evangelist. That same year he held a meeting in the Rodney church which resulted in the baptism of eleven young people from the families of the church. This church, organized almost sixty years ago, has baptized a large number of people.
In March 1941 Brother and Sister L. H. Prowant came to the pastorate and rendered faithful service until his death in August 1945. The predecessor of Brother Prow- ant was Brother Ezra Flory. This was the last place of service before his active and helpful ministry came to an
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end. Brother Arthur Whisler now conducts Sunday services and ministers to the congregation since the death of Brother Prowant.
The death of Brother William F. Jehnzen, Sr., a charter member and a staunch supporter of the church from the beginning, occurred February 17, 1944. His passing was a great loss to the community.
The church building was remodeled in 1945 to give better accommodations for the district conference which convened there in August of that year.
SHEPHERD
The Shepherd Church of the Brethren was built four miles north of Shepherd by the Baptist denomination in 1881. The cornerstone of the church was laid on June 29, 1891, but the church was not ready for dedication until May 14, 1895.
The first load of stone for the church was hauled with a team of oxen driven by girls from the church. Logs were donated and sawed into lumber for the new building by the consecrated men who desired to see the kingdom go for- ward. The late Rev. A. P. McDonald supervised the build- ing of the church house.
The Church of the Brethren bought the church building from the Baptists in 1915. It should be noted that the Brethren, through the district mission board, had had preaching once a month from 1910. The Brethren gained full possession of the building on July 1, 1915.
Elder C. L. Wilkins, president of the district mission board at that time, was the first minister to respond to the opening of this field of work. Other ministers who visited the Shep- herd church while it was still a mission were Brethren Levi
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Baker and J. E. Albaugh of Elsie and David Sower and Joseph Sherrick of New Haven.
While attending college at Mt. Pleasant, Brother Conway Tyson of McBain often came to Shepherd on Sunday and brought helpful messages. Brother Tyson held one series of meetings during the Christmas week, which resulted in two uniting with the church.
SHEPHERD
The petition for a church organization was granted by the New Haven church. On April 10, 1915, under the direction of Brethren C. L. Wilkins and J. A. McKimmy, the Shepherd church was organized with sixteen charter members.
Elder Harvey Stauffer and wife bought a farm near the church at the invitation of the mission board and the local church, and he became the first resident minister and elder. . He was the presiding elder for many years. Reuben Boom- ershine served the church as pastor for two years-1928 to 1930. Rev. F. H. Barr in 1927, and Rev. Chester Baird in 1934, each served as a summer pastor. Brother Charles A.
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Spencer was called to the ministry here in August 1918 and was ordained to the eldership in 1922. He was the elder- in-charge for a number of years. Both Brother Stauffer and Brother Spencer have given their ministerial services without financial compensation. They worked their farms and gave their time to the Lord's work. Brother David P. Schechter and wife served the pastorate from April 1937 to March 1942.
The Shepherd church has grown through the years. Brother I. R. Beery of Pleasant Hill, Ohio, was their evan- gelist in April 1939; twenty-six united with the church.
Two were licensed to the ministry at the council meet- ing on March 4, 1940: Brother David Oliver Schechter and Brother Glen Stauffer. By consent and vote of the church Brother Schechter was installed into the ministry at the Battle Creek church in April 1941.
Pastors who have served in recent years are: Fred But- terbaugh, June to August, 1942; Ernest Jehnsen, September 1, 1942, to August 31, 1943; Charles A. Spencer, September 1, 1943, to June 1, 1944; Kenneth Hollinger, June to August, 1944. A call was extended to Brother and Sister Ralph L. Fry of Northeastern Ohio, who accepted and began a full- time pastoral program September 1, 1944, to cover a three- year term of service.
Through the years many improvements were made on the building. The basement was put under the church and a new furnace was installed in 1919. A little later came the electric lights and the division of the basement into class- rooms. Preparing for the district meeting, which was held in August 1939, caused the church to plan a number of im- provements that year. A well was drilled and the water was piped to the kitchen. A front stairway to the basement was put in. Drapes and a railing were placed around the pulpit platform. The furnace was moved from the center
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of the basement. A new material was put on the basement ceiling. The walls, ceiling and floors were painted. The district meeting brought a great blessing to the people. To the many of them who had never attended a district meeting it was a great inspiration. There was a splendid spirit of co-operation manifest among all in the community.
"WHEAT BEE," SHEPHERD CHURCH
The program commemorating the twenty-fifth anniversary in 1940 marked a high light of that year. The celebration of one quarter of a century of active Christian service in a rural section of the district caused joy in the hearts of the members and friends of that church. The leadership of Brother and Sister David P. Schechter and their colaborers in arranging this program engendered a wonderful spirit of fellowship.
More recently the church purchased new pews, and a hardwood floor was laid at the time the pews were installed. This was climaxed with a rededication service and a love feast.
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The church operates a farm-parsonage. The men's work group is cultivating the land. The proceeds of this project are used to give financial support to the pastor. This is the first rural church in our district to make this venture.
SUGAR RIDGE
The Sugar Ridge Church of the Brethren, situated just a short distance from Custer, was built in 1894. Sister Ella Williams, who is the only surviving charter member of this church, was also the first member of the church to find a residence in this community. She and her husband settled here about 1880.
For some time they were without religious services. Joined by Brother and Sister Dague and Brother and Sister Henry Saunders, they were instrumental in securing the services of Brother Berkebile of Wauseon, Ohio, for a series of revival meetings, which were held in 1883. During this series of meetings nine members met at the home of Brother and Sister Dague for the purpose of organizing the church. Brethren Dague, Williams, and Jacob Shuelmeyer were elected the first deacons. The nine charter members were Brother and Sister Dague, Brother and Sister Williams, Brother and Sister Saunders, Brother and Sister George Meyers, and Brother Shuelmeyer.
In the following June the Kree and Mahler families moved here and Brother Will Kree was elected the first minister in this church. Services were held in schools, homes, barns and groves, depending upon the weather. Communion services were held in the barn on the Dague farm.
Gradually the membership grew as new members moved in. In 1893 Brother and Sister Israel Fisher came. The following spring Brethren Fisher and Mahler were elected deacons, and at the same council Brethren Fisher, Mahler,
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and Weirich were appointed a committee to see what could be done toward the building of a suitable house in which to worship. Five of the members donated two dollars each to buy the land on which the church now stands. The work of clearing the land of trees was done by the members. The church gets its name, Sugar Ridge, from the great num- ber of sugar maples which grew on this land.
SUGAR RIDGE
The building committee of the mission board donated one hundred dollars and the churches from which the members formerly came gave enough more to get the building pro- gram well started. Many days of hard work by the various members followed, and on the evening before the day set for the dedication, the shavings were swept out of the building and another Brethren church was ready to be put into the service of the Lord.
Brother John Lair arrived soon after the church was first used, and from his arrival until several years later he served the church as elder. Some of those who came to
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this community shortly following the building of the church were the Teeter, Cable, Harter, Engle, and Saxton families. All of these families had much to do with the upbuilding of the church, which steadily grew to be a factor in the growth of the country round about.
At one time members from this church traveled to Fern, Fountain, East Riverton, Elm Flats, and other places to hold church services. With the help and guidance of the min- isters of this church the following churches were later or- ganized: Hart, Long Lake, Marilla, Lake View, Homestead, and Onekama.
About 1910 a large wing was added to the east side of the church, and in a few years a large full basement was put under the entire building, which equipment helped the church to meet the spiritual needs of the community.
The membership increased steadily through the years. A large daily vacation Bible school is carried on each year. The church is well organized with a pastor's cabinet, a men's club, a ladies' aid, a B.Y.P.D., nine separate classes in the Sunday school, a young people's chorus, and a mothers and daughters club. Such a well-balanced organization assures them of a working church. Seldom does the super- intendent of the Sunday school have to worry about filling any teacher's place, but if a teacher is needed there are always some willing to teach; it is the same way in every branch of the church. A worker asserts: "We feel that the Lord has surely been good to us in the building and growth of our church, and the least we can do to show our gratefulness to him is to do our part in advancing his king- dom here in this community."
Brother and Sister Homer N. Kiracofe were called to the pastorate in June 1941. Sister Kiracofe is the daughter of the presiding elder, Brother B. A. Miller. Brother Miller has been a resident minister for many years and also the
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presiding elder. Brother Kiracofe is a graduate of Bethany Biblical Seminary, Chicago. The district elders' body voted to advance him to the eldership, and he was ordained in September 1944.
The church elected the following deacons in April 1943: Brother and Sister Alva Kirkman and Brother Halley Wil- son. This same spring the church celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the erection of the church building with a significant program. The occasion brought much rejoicing in the achievement of a half century of Christian work.
The district conference was held at this church in August 1944. Prior to this meeting some improvements were made to the building which enabled the members to care for the large attendance. Many changes in the community could be noted by those who had attended the district meeting there in 1915. Brother J. Edson Ulery and Brother Samuel Bollinger, who served on the elders' body then, were privi- leged to be in attendance at this district conference.
SUNFIELD
There were thirty-five members at the time of the or- ganization of this church in September 1877. The first elder was Isaac Miller of the Woodland church. The first com- munion was held on October 13, 1877, in Benjamin Fry- fogle's barn. Soon after the organization the church be- came interested in missionary work and a missionary fund was started.
The first district meeting in the Sunfield church was held sometime in the spring of 1881. Since that time the church has been host to the district conference in 1889, 1896, 1907, 1919, and 1940.
During the summer of 1882 the present church house was erected. It was dedicated on December 23. The ma-
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terial for the house had been prepared and gotten in readi- ness in 1881. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Elder George Long. Other ministers present on that oc- casion were Eliezer Bosserman, Daniel Chambers, J. G. Winey, and Jacob Kepner. In the evening the first com- munion was held in the new building.
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SUNFIELD
In August 1882 Brother Peter B. Messner and wife left Albion, Michigan, and moved into the Sunfield church ter- ritory on a farm which he rented from E. J. Wescott. One year later they moved into a new house which they had built on twenty acres of land purchased from Brother Ben- jamin Fryfogle. Peter Messner, his wife, his sister and his brother-in-law were baptized on Sunday, October 16, 1881, by Benjamin Fryfogle. These were some of the first members to unite with the Sunfield church. Peter Messner was elected to the ministry by this church on December 22,
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1882. At this same meeting Brethren John Peiffer and Basil Wells were chosen as deacons.
On June 10, 1899, at the age of forty-six, Brother Henry W. Smith was called to the ministry. On December 2, 1905, he was ordained as elder. He served the church as minister and elder for seventeen years. When the church was re- modeled he gave freely of his time and also assumed his share of the financial burden. Because of added responsi- bilities brought on by an enlarged church program, Brother Smith felt that the ministerial responsibilities should be taken over by younger hands.
In 1917 Brother Roy E. Miller of Rocky Ford, Colorado, accepted the call of the church to become its first part-time pastor. Under the leadership of Brother and Sister Miller the church grew rapidly. In 1918 Brother Miller accepted the call to serve the Grand Rapids church.
Brother John Bjorklund and wife, then living in the South Woodland congregation, accepted the call to take over the pastoral work in the Sunfield church in 1918.
In 1919 Brother Gilbert George and family of the Wood- land Village congregation moved on a farm in the church vicinity. Brother George willingly accepted the ministerial duties and served the church faithfully for two years.
Brother Royal Frantz, a resident minister elected in 1919, has been faithful in the activities of the church there and in the district. He has been active in the preaching program and the work of the church school. He and his family have made a wonderful contribution in the church by their music leadership. When the church was without a pastor, Brother Frantz assumed the ministerial responsibilities.
Brother S. B. Wenger of Grand Rapids served the church as part-time pastor in 1921.
In 1922 Brother Archie L. Patrick was secured as part- time pastor. Brother Clarence Shockley served the church
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YOUNG PEOPLE'S CLASS OF THE SUNFIELD SUNDAY SCHOOL ORGANIZED UNDER THE NAME OF "THE STRAIGHT LINE CLASS."
The picture was taken August 15, 1915, and was furnished by Mrs. William Gow. Front row, left to right: Edith Frantz Cheal, Martha Frantz Gierman, Viola Meadow Gow (teacher), Mae Clark Wagner, Erba Gorham Merriam; second row: Galen Smith, Ora Frantz, Ena Barnum, Eva Cheal Brovont, Cora Ives Prince, Mildred Hunt, Vera Flewelling, Sidney Brown; third row: Archie Gorham, Ernest Frantz, Homer Harrison, Orvin Smith, Dan Wise, Archie Cheal, Earl Harrison (deceased).
as summer pastor in 1924. Under his leadership the Sun- day school enjoyed its first vacation Bible school.
The remodeling of the church was begun in 1924 and on June 26, 1927, it was rededicated. Brother J. Edson Ulery had charge of the service and preached the sermon.
In 1928 Brother Mark Schrock accepted the call to become pastor at Sunfield and Woodland Village. The circuit plan worked very well and both churches progressed. Brother Ervin Weaver was called to serve the Sunfield and Wood-
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land Village circuit in 1929. He served this circuit for two years. Brother and Sister D. H. Keller of Battle Creek served the church as pastors from 1934 until Brother Keller's death in February 1940. Sister Keller continued in the pastoral duties until September 1, 1940.
Brother Walter G. Fisher served as pastor from 1940 to 1942. Brother Hiram W. Peters of Lansing was the elder- in-charge for several years. Brother and Sister H. V. Town- send were called to the pastorate in September 1943. The installation service was held on Sunday, September 19, 1943, with Brother Walter M. Young of Lansing officiating. Brother and Sister Townsend accepted the call to the pas- torate of the Battle Creek church and terminated their pastoral service here on February 1, 1946. The church, under their supervision, inaugurated a very active program of Christian teaching and nurture.
Within the past five years the church has called to the deacon's office Brother and Sister Delmond Frantz and Brother and Sister Donald Collier.
New carpet for the church aisles was purchased by the women's work group. Their women are energetic and al- ways working in the interest of others. New hymnals have been purchased recently. The church has been painted. Four heifers for Europe have been donated by the men's work.
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