Congregational Church of Jewell
Located on Main Street at the present UCC Federated Church site
Congregational Church of Jewell
Located on Main Street at the present UCC Federated Church site
The Congregational Church of Jewell was established with about a dozen members in 1883, shortly after the town was founded. They first met along with people of other denominations in Rhodearmill's drug store on the north side of the tracks, and later in the school house on the south side. Ministers of the various demoninations came from other towns to preach for these services.
Early records show that Congregational Church members included Mr. and Mrs. Dave Warburton, Mr. and Mrs. Cooper with daughter Jennie, who later became Mrs. Herby Hood, Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson, Mrs. G. W. Quiggle with daughter Susie, and Mr. and Mrs. John Warburton and others. Rev. Countyman was their pastor when the church was organized. This was a small group which did not have the funds to erect a building, so aided by Methodists, they set to work, determined that Jewell should have a church. They gave dinners, did sewing, tied comforters, and even sewed carpet rags. Later when the Methodists decided to build a church, the Congregationalists helped them in return.
In telling of the early days in Jewell, Mrs. Hoon said, "We had no wells; water for cooking and drinking was carried from the nearby farms. For washing and scrubbing, we melted snow or carried water from the big pond where the Federated Church and other buildings now stand." The site for the church was chosen probably because it was cheap, for it was practically a slough and had to be filled in. This was not done until later, so the church was often surrounded by a pond. Rev. Hicks was the pastor as the church building was under construction. When the foundation was being built, and was about half as high as it should be because they could not afford to build more, Mr. G. W. Quiggle, who was not yet a member of the church, said, "That will never do! The water will come in to the church floor. I will pay to have the foundation built higher, rather than see it left that way." The girls of the church made a quilt and sold it to help pay for the large window in the front of the church. They made candy and sold it at socials to help pay for the bell.
The Congregational Church building was completed in 1884 where the Federated UCC Church is now located, and of course, there was quite a debt which was not paid until during Rev. Darley's pastorate in 1919.
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will soon be taken for the thorough repairing of the Congregational
Church. The workmen will probably begin next week.
Next Suday morning at the Congregational Church the pastor will
speak upon the theme: "The Sunday School." This is a timely
topic. All are invited.
The Congregational Association for the state of Iowa meets in annual session at Atlantic, May 15 to 21. Over three hundred and fifty churches are represented in this association. Jewell Church will be represented by pastor and one lay delegate. |
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| A series
of special meetings will be commenced in the Congregational Church
next Tuesday evening, February 25, to continue one week. Rev.
Clyde will conduct the meetings and you are most cordially invited to attend.
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Rev. A. S. Willoughby, of Creston, Iowa, will preach two sermons in the
Congregational
Church next Sunday at 11 a.m. and 7:30 P.M. All are invited
to attend.
One of the most pleasing entertainments ever held in the city was that given by Miss Lorence Monsen, of Story City, at the Congregational Church last Friday evening. Miss Monsen is a young lady of pleasing appearance and is a thorough master of elocution - her pantomimes being especially fine. The program was interspersed with instrumental music by Miss Edith Foster and Messrs. Coleman and Johnson, all of which was well received by the audience. The attendance was not very large, but we can assure Miss Monsen that should she ever give another entertainment in Jewell, she will be greeted by a much larger audience. |
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Rev. John P. Clyde - Services each alternate Sabbath at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sunday School at 10 a.m. D. R. Warburton, Superintendent, and Mrs. Lura Clark, Secretary |
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| Rev.
C. A. Payne of Milwaukee will lecture on "Ten Thousand Miles of Travel"
at the Congregational Church next Wednesday evening.
Mr. Payne was raised and Iowa boy, by his own efforts educated himself,
has been active and successful in pulpit and platform. He has
spent much time in Europe and his lecture "Ten Thousand Miles of Travel"
which gives the result of his life on the continent is one of the very
best of its kind. Rev. Payne has consented to give this lecture
for the benefit of the Y. P. S. C. E. of Jewell and the proceeds will be
applied by them on the new seats for the Congregational Church.
Mr. Payne presents his lecture with the aid of the best stereopticon to be found in Chicago. His theme is one with which he is able to entertain any audience. Admission 25 and 15 cents. Lecture begins at 8 o'clock. |
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Don't miss
the Wales Concert Co. at the Congregational Church next Monday evening.
Reserved seats at Snyder's - 25 and 35 cents. Doors open at
7:300 p.m. Entertainment at 8 o'clock.
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| Rev, Earl M. Munger and wife will arrive in the city Saturday evening to assume the pastorate of the Congregational Church. Rev. Munger is a highly educated, active young man and will create new life and enthusiasm in the religious work of Jewe. |
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Seldom,
if ever, in the history of Jewell has the passing away of a single individual
caused such universal sorrow as did that of Rev. W. L. Brandt, who departed
this life Wednesday afternoon, March 15, 1905, between the hours of four
and five o'clock. His sickness had been of such a short duration
that it was almost impossible to realize that he was no more, that he would
no more meet and greet us with that pleasing and winning confidence and
good will of all with whom he came in contact. As the sad news
spread, it cast a gloom over the entire community, as all, from the little
children of the public school, to the college student and business men
of the town felt that in him they had a personal friend. Coming
to Jewell less than eighteen months ago, he knew the people much better,
perhaps, than many who had resided here for years, as he was ever in search
of the sick, the sorrowful and the suffering that he might comfort and
cheer. His life was truly a ministry of good works.
As pastor of the Congregational Church since October of 1903, he
has ever been a faithful consistent worker for the advancement of Christ's
Kingdom upon earth. He was spiritually minded and always exhorted
his people by earnest effort and eloquent appeal to live pure, clean, devoted
lives. He has gone to his reward but his good works in Jewell,
as well as elsewhere, will live after him. "Blessed are the
dead who die in the Lord."
Wesley L. Brandt was born Nov. 1st, 1842, in Fairfield County, Ohio, and lived there with his parents until 1863 when he enlisted in Company C, 17th Ohio, Army of the Cumberland. He served faithfully during the remainder of the war taking part in all of the campaigns of his army. Loyalty to country was a passion with him. He came of a family of soldiers and no one who has heard him from the pulpit could doubt his genuine patriotism and love of country. On Nov. 21, 1865, he was united in marriage with Amelia J. Ashbrook, the faithful companion who still survives him. He continued to live in Fairfield County, Ohio, until the spring of 1883, when with his family he removed to Polk County, Iowa. There he purchased a farm in the vicinity of Polk City upon which he resided until his entrance into the ministry in 1889. At this time he accepted a call to the pastorate of the Congregational Church at Baxter, Iowa. He was afterward in charge of the congregational churches of Reinbeck, Doon, Kellogg, Mitchelville and Jewell, and in all of these places the churches prospered through his noble Christian efforts. He was called to his reward March 15 of the present year after a brief illness of two weeks duration. This is a portion of the complete obituary which you may view and read. |
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| The Congregational, Methodist and Christian churches are preparing for a Union Thanksgiving Service on the eve of Thanksgiving at the Congregational Church, sermon by Rev. J. J. Williams. Full program will be announced later. |
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Thanksgiving ServiceEverybody will be cordially welcomed at this service and Christian people are urged to plan to be there. |
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| The
ladies of the Congregational Church will take everybody who wants
to go around the world a week from next Saturday night for the small sum
of 25 cents.
Four foreign countries will be visited, and at each one, refreshments of the country will be served by ladies attired in costumes of the country. The places representing each of these countries will be decorated and arranged in harmony with the land it represents. The company finally will be returned from their visits to Denmark, China, Germany and Ireland to Washington, D. C., where they will be welcomed home by Uncle Sam, George and Martha Washington and the Goddess of Liberty, and will be treated to a chicken pie supper. Next week the ladies will announce the character of the entertainment to be offered at each of the places visited. Watch for their further announcements and do not gorget the date. You cannot afford to miss this treat. |
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View the page showing 1909 Christmas news at the churches of Jewell. |
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Movement Under Way in Jewell Towards Union of Christian, Congregational and Methodist Churches as One Church Body May organize as Presbyterian Ever since the union revival meetings of last month, there has been a feeling of union and harmony existing between the membership of these three churches such as has never before existed. It is a matter of common knowledge that Jewell has too many churhes, more than the town can support. The membership of none of the three churches is strong enough to pay pastors the salaries they ought to have, and the burden of supporting three denominations, none of them with a strong membership, has been a heavy one. Immediately upon the close of the union meetings the pastors and members of the churches began the talk of a permanent union. The sentiment seemed very favorable towards such a step. Never befoe has there seemed to be so little denominational feeling evident and on every hand seemed to exist the desire for co-operation and closer relationships. The meetings at all three churches have been almost altogether of a union nature ever since the evangelistic meetings, first one church, then the other and then the third making overtures towards union services. The feeling of harmony between all three churches has been a splendid one. Out of it all developed a meeting Turesday night of thei week, attended by fifteen men, members of the Methodist and Congregational churches. No repreentative of the Christian Church membership was present, but that fact is not taken as signifying that there are none of the membership of that church desiring union. Committees were appointed, Joh Foster to canvas the membership of the Methodist Episcopal Church, L. G. M. King the membership of the Congregational Church, and Otto Fenton and John Groves to canvas others who hae not yet placed their membership with any of the three churches. The plan adopted is to organize as a denomination different from any of the three now existing, and the Presbyterian was selected as one upon which all might unite. It was felt that greater harmony would result by such a step than by attempting to unite the three churches into any one of the present denominations. As the matter stands at the present time, it seems very evident that the Congregational and Methodist churches at least will unite to organize one church. The members of the Christian Church, with probably has a trifle stronger membership at the present time than either of the other two, are not yet taking any active steps towards union, but a strong sentiment exists among a portion of the Christian Church membership, that may result, after further consideration of the proposition, in bringing that church too into the union movement. If the project as it is being developed should result in the union of all three churches into one strong church body, it will without doubt mean a very great deal for Jewell. In place of three struggling churches, there will be one strong church, which, with the present strong Lutheran churches, will be ample for the town. The three congregations will be working in harmony and the result of their efforts will be bound to be far larger. Three churches, agreeing in the all-important matter of preaching the same Gospel and worshiping the same God but differing in minor matters of form of government and less essential matters of creed, means division where there should be united effort. Especially in such a case as exists in Jewell where the field warrants only one church instead of three, the differences naturally become more pronouced between church denominations. Were the field amply large to fully support all three churches, three separate denominations could work together in greater harmony than is possible under present conditions. The lack of sufficient numbers to warrant division intensifies differences when the division exists. The Record welcomes the movement towards church union, and sincerely hopes that the ultimate result may be a union of these three denominations into one, and the resulting permanent continuation of the present feeling of harmony and union that seems to prevail. View this 1911
News Article
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Held Annual Church Meeting
The members of the Congregational Church met at the church Thursday evening of last week for their annual business meeting. The attendance was by a wide margin the largest that has gathered at the annual meeting for several years. A bountiful supper was served by the ladies as only the ladies of the Congregational Church can -- at least the men of that church most vigorously so declare -- after which the business meeting was held. The reports from each department and auxiliary of the church were in every respect completely satisfactory, showing good work done during the year and finances in good shape. Church officers for the coming year were elected as follows: L. G. M. King, trustee, J. S. Smith and C. A. Pfund, deacons, F. G. Snyder, treasurer, E. G. Clark, clerk, Bess Sidenstucker, chorister, Harold Slater, pianist, Richard Snyder and Harry O' Conner, ushers, C. A. Pfund, Sunday School superintendent, Att. Alexander, Sunday School treasurer, and Lyle Sidenstucker, Sunday School secretary. |
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(View that news article.) |
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There
will be no Bible Study this Thursday night as the minister expects to be
absent at that time. The services for next Sunday are worthy
of your attention. They are as follows:
We rejoice to see the increasing numbers of young people who make up the evening audiences. It is good for us to have them and it is good for them to be here with us because we are convinced they receive inestimable benefit from our services. Let more come to the home-like church. R. G. Heddon, Minister
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Will
Erect Addition This Summer 20 Feet Long,
Last Sunday the people of the Congregational Church of Jewell definitely decided upon a building improvement plan for this summer that will mean a great deal for that chuch and for social activities of the community generally. The building program that has been decided upon by the Congregational Church involves an amount of approximately three thousand dollars and the fine part of it all is that already all but about five hundred dollers of the amount has been pledged. Plans have been decided upon for the contemplated improvement and include an addition on the west of the church building 20 feet long, with a full basement beneath the entire building. The church is to be raised two feet higher than at present which will permit a well lighted basement, and also of a grade entrance on the north side near the west end of the building. In the new additon will be a large choir loft and in front of it the pulpit, with about six feet of space in front of the pulpit between the altar and the front row of seats. The seats will be arranged with an aisle down the center and the resulting capacity will be increased from 153 to about 300, practically being doubled. There will be a choir room in the northwest corner of the building, north of the choir loft with a vestibule to the east of this choir room. There will be a grade entrance to this vestibule, with entrances from it into the choir room and into the church as well as the front entrance to the church through the vestibule where it is now located. From the grade entrance vestibule there will also be a stairway leading down into the basement. This basment will be a fine feature of the church. Besides the furnace room in the northwest corner of the basement, there will be a well equiped kitchen in the southwest corner of the basement and the rest of the basesment will be one large room about 30 by 20 feet in size except for one corner underneath the front vestibule. The basement equipment will serve a big purpose for the use of the ladies of the church and for the various social activities of the church. It will be available for the use of the public generally for various occasions, the location of the church close to downtown making it very convenient. |
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Rev.
Edw. L. Darley last Sunday forenoon presented his congregation his resignation
as pastor of the Congregational Church in Jewell, effective December 1st.
Rev. Darley will move to Mitchellville, Iowa, having accecpted the pastorate
of the Congregational Church at that place, at a salary of $1700. a year
and parsonage furnished. The Mitchellville congregation pays
his moving expenses.
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| Later in 1920, the Jewell
Methodist
Church (organized in 1883) and this Congregational Church (also
organized in 1883) federated and worshiped together in this Congregational
Church building. Further federation between the two churches
came in 1938, when some of the indebtedness was cleared up and the church
property was deeded to the federation. On December 8, 1920,
the two Aid Societies merged. The federation grew in 1933 when
the Christian Church joined the Federated corporation.
1938
In 1938, negotiations were closed for a transfer of ownership of this Congregational Church property, lots and church building, to the local Federated Church of Jewell corporation. |
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