Sterry Historical Information
History of Sterry Memorial Church *
By Helen Lowell
1894-2006
The First 50 Years
In
1894, recognizing the need for religious services in the community, a group of
On
April 21, 18 98 a petition signed by fifty-two persons was presented to the
Presbytery of Boise requesting that a Presbyterian Church be organized in
Roswell . In compliance with this
request the Synod Missionary, W.E. Wishard, and the Reverend M.H. Mead visited
the Roswell area on Saturday, April 23, 18 98 , held two preaching services the
following day, and evening services Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the next
week. Wednesday evening, April 27,
eleven persons presented themselves for membership: Mrs. E.S. Hayman, Miss Ann
Hayman, John S. Hayman, H.H. Hayman (all received by letter from the Methodist
Episcopal Church of Curlew, Iowa); Robert B. Murry, Mrs. Mary A. Murray (by
letter from Novinger Circuit, Kirksville District, Missouri); William Hatch and
Mrs. Mary H. Hatch (from the Presbyterian Church, Nova Scotia, Canada); Miss
Letha M. Hatch and Harvey Hatch (received by profession of faith after being
baptized); H.J. Hickok (by letter from the Methodist Episcopal Church of North
East Pennsylvania).
The
organizational meeting was concluded with prayer and hymn singing and notices
given that the Reverend William Judson Boone would come the next Sunday to
conduct the election and ordination of two elders.
May
15, 18 98 ,after preliminary service of prayer and hymn singing, R.B. Murray was
elected for a two-year term of eldership and William Hatch for a one-year term.
John Hayman was elected trustee for a three-year term, William Hatch for
two years, and Mrs. E.S. Hayman for one year.
The elders were then ordained and they and the trustees installed.
The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was celebrated and the First
Presbyterian Church of Roswell was duly organized.
It
is assumed that the Reverend Boone continued to conduct the preaching services
in the school house and that the Sunday School flourished, but there are no
further written records available until June 12, 19 00 when, under the
pastorship of the Reverend M.H. Mead, the congregation voted to purchase two
acres of land from Ben and Charles Murray for “Church purposes.”
It is also recorded that a rental fee for the use of the schoolhouse by
the church was $25 annually which included fuel and lights.
Rev.
A.P. Haydon served as pastor from 1903 to 1904.
In 1905 the Reverend George Runciman became pastor and a committee
appointed to obtain plans and estimated cost of building a church.
A.J. McCormick was appointed chairman of this committee.
In
1906 the Reverend Charles Woodward became pastor and in January 1907, by a
unanimous vote of the forty-one members, the chairman of the Board of Trustees
was instructed to mortgage the church property for $1,000 to the Board of Church
Erection Fund,
From
1909 to 1910 the Reverend M.M. Camp was pastor.
The Reverend Franklin Conner served as pastor from 1910 to 1911.
He was succeeded by the Reverend E.P. Lawrence, who served from
1912-1917. Records of 1916 show 130
members, 47 members in the Christian Endeavor Society (a youth group), 18
members in the Women’s Missionary Society, 65 members in the Ladies Aid, and
two active Boy Scout Troops.
The
Reverend John Rayan Welsh served as pastor from 1918 to 1923.
The Reverend H.H. Hayman, professor at the
In
1928,
In
1930, the Reverend Rider resigned and again Dr. H.H. Hayman supplied the pulpit
until the Reverend Davis Oatsler accepted the call to be pastor in 1931.
During this time the Oatslers instigated the “All States Dinner.”
This was an evening affair when people were seated at the table of their
birth state and were responsible for that table’s decoration and presenting a
“skit” representing that state.
In
1940, the Reverend Herman Bailey became pastor.
It was at this time that the men of the church prepared and served a
dinner to honor the churchwomen. This
was perhaps the forerunner of the men’s pancake supper.
The Reverend Bailey resigned in 1942 and again Dr. Hayman supplied until
the Reverend Thorndike came in 1943. This
was during World War II and teachers for public schools were scarce.
Pastor Thorndike helped by teaching some of history classes in
In
1948, the church celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its organization with
Dr. Hayman the speaker at the morning worship service.
During this service, two of the representatives who had been appointed
twenty years previously by elders, were present and letters read from the other
representatives. The present elders
appointed young people to represent them at the seventy-fifth anniversary.
The Next 25 Years
During
the summer of 1949 a new manse was built in memory of Mrs. W.H. Kniefel.
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Shupe were the first occupants of this new home.
During Dr. Shupe’s ministry the Homebuilders Group was organized.
In 1954, Dr. Shupe retired from active service in the ministry and the
Reverend John Shaw became pastor in July of that year.
In
December 1954, a few minutes before Sunday School convened, the Church building
burned completely. For the next two
years Sunday School and Church services were held in the
On
March 11, 19 56 , the first services were held in the new building and an
“Open House” was held on Sunday afternoon, March 18.
Dedication services were held May 18, 19 56 with the sermon given by Dr.
Andrew Sharp, Administrative Secretary of the Board of National Missions.
The
Reverend John Shaw left in 1958 and the Reverend Ralph Marshall supplied the
pulpit until the Reverend Richard Mastbrook accepted the pastorate in 1959.
He established the Women’s Bible Study Class which has continued to
this day (1998). The Reverend
Mastbrook served for three years and was succeeded by the Reverend Wayne Douglas
who served until 1967. The Reverend
Stanley Banks of Parma served as supply pastor until the Reverend Raymond Wilson
accepted the church’s call and was installed June, 1968.
On
March 1, 1970 , it was voted in a congregational meeting of the church to join
with the Kingman Community United Presbyterian Church of Adrian, Oregon.
The Reverend Wilson was to be pastor of both churches and the Reverend
Stanley Banks his assistant.
The
seventy-fifth anniversary of Sterry Memorial was celebrated April 29, 1973 .
The Reverend John Shaw, Pastor of Sterry Memorial from 1954 to 1958, gave
the anniversary sermon which was entitled, “Next Item on the Agenda.”
Other pastors who participated in the service were; the Reverend Raymond
Wilson, the Reverend Wayne Douglas, and the Reverend William Ailer, Synod
Education Consultant. Dinner, served
in the church dining room after the service, was followed by an informal program
of music and reminiscing. Elders
appointed young people to represent them at the Centennial Celebration in 1998.
1975 – 1993
Pastor
Ray Wilson resigned in 1975 and the Reverend Robert Ball became the pastor
serving both churches until he resigned in 1980.
He was succeeded by Pastor William Wartes.
In 1983 Dean Lantz became co-pastor and served with the Reverend William
Wartes until 1986 when Pastor Wartes retired from active ministry because of his
health.
In
September 1985 the congregation of Sterry Memorial church voted to dissolve the
yoke relationship with
The
Reverend William Webster became pastor of Sterry Memorial church in 1986.
He cooperated with the Reverend Paul Evans of
1993
– 2003, A Decade of Growth
Prior to the Reverend Hughes’ arrival, plans were in
progress by Mary Ann Sorenson and a committee created to organize a youth
group," God's Gang”. This
group, started in 1994, meets once weekly after school for religious
instruction, recreation and dinner and is open for children of the nearby area.
Soon this group increased until more space for the program was needed.
Also, facilities to accommodate handicapped persons and more classrooms
became priorities. Hence, in 1997,
the congregation voted that a multipurpose addition be built onto the present
church structure. Larry Sorenson and
Melvin Goodson were elected co-chairmen to supervise this project and a drive
for funds instigated.
In
December 1996 an Advent Communion Service for women of area churches was held in
Sterry Memorial Church Sanctuary. This
was instigated primarily be Mrs. Nancy Cormack-Hughes.
To
make room for the expansion the manse was moved to property just east of the
church. This property was donated to
the church by Virgil and Virginia Story. Construction
began on the new church addition in 1997.
During
these one hundred years the original purpose of the pioneers, “To provide a
place for the religious needs of the community” has been maintained.
In more recent years the purpose additionally has stated, “The mission
of the
1998
was a year to remember in
This
was also the year when new pew Bibles were received in memory of Larry Abbott.
In
1998, under the leadership of Wanda Goodson and Laurie Correll, a youth ministry
for Middle and High school young people was organized.
This group, called “Connection” reaches teen-agers outside our church
as well as our own young people with the Gospel message.
“God’s
Gang” continues to grow and
In
June, due to a contribution from Leona Tuning in memory of Clarence Tuning,
plans were made for a Children’s Library.
In
1999, the church property was expanded with the purchase of the Eggler property,
just south of the addition, to provide needed parking space.
Landscaping was done around the new building and a
Pastor
Phil Hughes organized a new adult Bible study group, “Table Talk” to meet
during the morning Sunday School hour. Additionally,
under the leadership of Pastor Hughes, a Prayer Ministry was begun to help those
who desired special help.
The
Roswell Community Picnic, a project of the Evangelism Committee, continued to
grow in outreach and the “Ground Hog Lunch and Auction” for the Building
Fund was a success.
In
December 1999, the third Women’s Communion Service, which included women from
other churches in the area, was held, and thus became a tradition.
In
June 2000, ten young people and eight adults went to
The
house on the Eggler property was torn down to establish a parking area and a new
lawn sprinkler was installed and improvements added in the new additions.
Internet was installed in the church office and a Web page launched to
provide another avenue of information about
Average
attendance at Sunday worship service was 135.
In
March 2001, the church sponsored sixteen young people and adults on a mission
trip to the Bay area.
Pastor
Hughes was given a four month Sabbatical (May to September).
During this time the Reverend Phil Rogers, various preachers, and some of
our own lay people conducted the Sunday worship service and lay people assumed
responsibility for other needs of the church.
Due
to a sewer overflow, the church basement was completely flooded, necessitating
general clean up, painting, and new carpeting.
This inspired clean up of every room in the building and the pastor’s
study was renovated and air conditioning installed there.
In
September a celebration was held to welcome Pastor Phil and family home and
express thanks to the Reverend Rogers for his help in the absence of Pastor
Hughes. That fall a confirmation
class for middle school children started and the Tuesday morning Pastor’s
Prayer Gathering began.
The
choir increased in membership and Pastor Phil Hughes, Mick Sharkey, (guitar) and
Jay Stark, (drums) contributed their talents.
Under the dedicated leadership of Hester Wamstad the choir provided
inspirational music to the regular morning worship service and special
occasions.
Many
books were added to the Adult and Children’s libraries.
Through the diligent work of the library committee, books were catalogued
and entered into the computer. Small
portable CD players were purchased for use with the library’s CD collection.
Over 800 books are now listed in the library.
During
January Mini soccer for three to five year old children is held in the
multi-purpose room as an Evangelism project and has proved to be a popular
outreach to young families.
“God’s
Gang”, “Connection”,
Others
activities included: “Ground Hog Lunch and Auction,” “March Madness,” an
intergenerational dinner, a dessert held for new people in the church,
Sterry Memorial Community picnic, “Invite your neighbors to Church and
Dinner” and the Women’s Advent Communion service in December.
2001
saw a growth in membership to 136.
In
2002, a Special Adult Ministry Committee was formed.
Under this Committee’s direction, a Senior Advocacy program was
developed and a Worship tape ministry started.
Four senior members of the Sterry family, who were without family near
by, became the first recipients of this worthwhile program.
In
March, another successful Annual Gravy Feed and Auction was held, and the same
month, the Worship Committee hosted the “Jews for Jesus” group.
In
June, the first Basketball Camp,
Growth
brought many new faces and the need for better communication.
New bulletin boards and a glass enclosed display case to display pictures
and names of all members of the congregation were put up.
Procedures were taken to identify each child left in nursery care, and a
seminar was held to improve the care given in our nursery.
The Roswell Community picnic, also impacted by this growth, doubled in
participation and was held at the manse, home of Pastor Philip and Nancy Hughes.
This
year, the first Sterry Women’s Retreat was held in September at
By
December of 2002, the growth of Sterry necessitated having a second Sunday
morning Worship service at 8:30 A.M. Two
identical services were provided and soon the fledging 8:30 service was seeing
regular attendance of 70-80 faithful members.
2003 – 2005, Growth and Change
In
2003, major changes were made to the outside property.
The large irrigation ditch in the church yard was tiled, thus providing
additional parking space and a safer area for our children, and a beautiful new
courtyard was constructed and dedicated. The
south parking area was leveled, lights installed, and a fence erected on the
west and south sides of the property.
Special
2003 offerings were taken for One Great Hour of Sharing and in December an
offering was received for African Relief.
The
Adult Ministry Committee also initiated an afternoon social group for the senior
women of Sterry known as, “Oldies but Goodies” and Youth Education added 5th
grade girls early morning Bible Study to compliment the Middle School Girls
Bible Study time.
December
brought the annual Women’s Advent Service attended by approximately 200 women
from across
The
year ended with 136 members.
In
2004, the Elders of the church decided to make a decisive effort to reduce the
Church building debt. Approximately
$100,000 was pledged and given during this year.
The
emphasis at Sterry continued on children and youth with a Parenting Class
provided and all the youth ministries continuing to grow.
Three youth were sponsored by the Church to attend the Triennium Youth
Conference at
Building
improvements found the forty-five year old carpet in the Sanctuary replaced, and
a new CD/tape machine purchased to improve the quality of the worship tapes that
are part of the Sterry Worship ministry.
The
Church sponsored the Alternative Christmas Tradition Market in November giving
$1543 for needed items in
Membership
was now at 149 with twenty new members having joined this year.
November
16, 2004 , a special Session meeting was held to hear the resignation of Pastor
Philip Hughes as he had accepted a call to another church.
A Congregational meeting was held on December 5, 2004 , to formally
dissolve the Pastoral Relationship between Pastor Philip Hughes and Sterry
Memorial Presbyterian Church, effective December 26, 2004 .
We wished the best for Pastor Philip, Nancy, Sena, Cara and Jordan.
Sterry is thankful to God for the blessing and dedication that the Hughes
family has been during the past eleven years. - Helen Lowell -December 2004
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Last Revised: Jan 1, 2006