Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
Sweet Home United Methodist Church is inviting the public to celebrate its 60th anniversary at 11 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 18.
A buffet lunch will be served following the 11a a.m. worship service, which will feature guest speaker Karen Little.
The church was established in 1948 as the result of a community survey.
A group called the Council of Churches conducted a door-to-door survey in Sweet Home to find out who didn’t have a church here, said Donna Ego, a United Methodist Church member. The group found out Sweet Home had more Methodists than the other denominations represented by the council, including Presbyterians among others.
Quickly, the council supported efforts to build a Methodist church while the other denominations stayed out, she said. The Community Church Methodist held its first services in 1948.
“We build Him His Church” was the theme of the sermon given by the Rev. William Hobbs to a group of 35 worshipers at 5 p.m. Vesper Services held in the Long Street Grade School gymnasium on Oct. 28, 1948, which is now the District 55 Central Office.
As the number of worshipers increased, the time of the meeting was changed and morning worship begun.
On Dec. 19, 1948, Community Church Methodist was officially organized by then district Supt. Dr. Roy Fedje with Hobbs as pastor. There were 76 charter members.
In August 1949, ground was broken for the church building at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Ironwood Street. Bishop Gerald Kennedy attended the cornerstone laying ceremony on Oct. 23, 1949.
The first complete service was held in the new building on Easter Sunday in 1950.
The architect was Raymond K. Thompson of Portland. The builder was Harlow Hudson. The Methodist conference provided loans and grants to construct the new church.
The church building is the result of many donations in the early days, church members say. The stained glass window depicting Christ with welcoming arms was dedicated in memory of a “beloved daughter,” Ego said, and Genevieve Rice said many of the building’s parts were donated.
The church bell was given by the Brownsville Methodist Church, said Ego, whose parents, Dan and Daisy Ashton, were charter members. That church bell was brought from the East Coast by ship around Cape Horn.
The pews were built by a retired minister, Rev. Knight, according to Jean Baker.
“Beautiful” teas and big bazaars were common in past years. Sarah Johnson said the church used to hold “elegant” Mother and Daughter teas, to which Hilda Davis always added grace and style.
Myrtle Gates, who now lives in Virginia, remembers leading the church choir and attending the Bible Study for 20 years.
Sarah Payne and Mary Brendle have fond memories of the church’s youth activities and the large numbers of people who attended services in the 1960s and 1970s.
“On Easter, especially, it was standing room only,” Brendle said. “We’d put chairs in the aisles and there still wasn’t enough room. That made Ivan Hoy, who was fire chief at the time, pretty nervous.”
The first officers of the new church were trustees Howard Reed, Harold Dishaw, William Heseman, Dan Ashton, A.V. (Jack) Gilbert and Ernest Van Dusen. Stewards were George Gwinn, Larry Barsness, Guy Oliver, Daisy Ashton, Mrs. E.B. Redmond, Mrs. William Heseman, Mrs. Ivan Hoy, Carrol Drew and Ed Herschi. Commission secretaries included communion steward Mrs. E. Van Dusen, Church School Supt. Mrs. Carrol Drew, recording steward Genevieve Rice, membership secretary Mrs. Avery Hash, lay leader Harold Dishaw, financial secretary Dan Ashton, treasurer Mrs. Ted Musgrave and world service secretary Mrs. Sam Emery.
The building plans committee included Harold Dishaw, A.V. Gilbert, Floyd Crenshaw and William Heseman.
Ministers serving the church were Hobbs, Garner, James Thompson, Ralph Smith, Lawrence Loftus, Raymond Otto, Betty Luginville, David O’Dell and Karen Little. April Hall Cutting is the current minister.
Jean Trask holds the longest continuous membership. Ego holds the earliest membership in the church today, although her membership was not continuous as she moved away for a time.
The complexion of the church these days might seem quite different from the images portrayed by its history. During the winter months the Sunday School and worship services are held in the Fellowship Room, which has a fireplace, to save on utility costs.
The Bridal Room spills over into the halls with donated gifts for Santa’s Workshop each Christmas season. Santa’s Workshop, member Delena Gilman noted, was set up “so our Christmas food box recipients could shop for their families. It’s really spiritual to see a child go in and find a gift for Mom and Dad.”
Over the years, the church has focused on community service, Ego said. That lives on in the church’s programs today.
“There’s no holiness except social holiness,” Ego said quoting Methodist church founder John Wesley. The church’s dining room on Friday nights is used for MANNA meals, “a free meal for anybody who wants to come,” said Linda Rowton.
A large group turn out each week for good home cooking and fellowship, provided by church members and volunteers from other churches in the community.
“We’re living out the Methodist message,” said Bob Hartsock. “The work we do here reflects an outreach to the people living in Sweet Home.
Funds for the MANNA kitchen are raised each Christmas season by nut sales, presided over by Rod Fielder.
During the recent cold snap, member Vicki Mote said, “UMC opened its doors to homeless people, giving them the opportunity to sleep in a safe, warm place.”
Sleeping bags are stored at the church for the next time the next opportunity to be of service. People from the entire community have contributed their love, time and supplies to this effort.
The church’s pastor, the Rev. April Hall Cutting, points out that “engagement in the community” is a historic part of the Methodist tradition.
“Now we are looking where God is at work and where we (can) partner with that (work),” she said.
Members say that this congregation has particular “spiritual energy,” is “a warm and caring church” and “celebrates life and beauty.”
“There is a love and spirit woven throughout this small church,” Betty Potter said. “MANNA adds to the church’s spirit and has added to mine. I have personally experienced the church’s love and spirit. I’m so very grateful to the men and women of Sweet Home’s United Methodist Church. I think that God continues to smile on this church and blesses each of us.”
– Church member Linda Neal contributed to this article.