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ftr^VirgasB *cMf*BV MM..***»t 3931 W. MAIN McHENRY "Serving McHenry Since 1922 y;i;aai PAGE 4 - PLAINDEALER CENTENNI4 (Continued from page 5) for parking space in this location at 3929 West Main street, McHenry. This in­ formation was shared with the • ' Texas church and their mission's committee came to Northern Illinois to look over the field and the building. They were so impressed that they negotiated to purchase the building and gave $1,000 as a down payment. The Rev. Virgle L. Chappell, wife and four children had been praying for the Lord's leadership to a pioneer field to serve the Lord in a challenging manner. The Rev. and Mrs. Chappell had graduated from Southwestern Baptist seminary, Fort Worth, Texas May 19, 1961, and arrived at McHenry June 7, pulling two rental trailers. Their children were Lee, age 14, Rosemary, age 12, Ronald, age 7, and Crista, age 4. The mission pastor's salary was to be paid by the Fox Valley Baptist association and the sponsoring church. Soon the local mission group would assume a share of the responsibility. One of the first tasks to be done was to paint over the potato and onion signs in the building and put up more ap­ propriate signs concerning Christ and the church. Men from the Calvary Baptist church, Woodstock, assisted in taking down partitions, pain­ ting and retiling the floor. They also built a pulpit stand out of old TV cabinets which were left in the deserted shop. The Texas church had five workers go to McHenry help in the opening week of the new work which included a Vacation Bible school and revival. Miss Willette Barn­ well, one of the Southern Baptist summer-student missionaries worked for a week before the opening of the chapel and during the Vacation Bible School and revival. She made surveys and visits. The Rev. Chappell was so anxious to get the building ready for the opening service that he started working with hammer and saw at 4:30 one morning. A policeman came and told him that he would have to wait and work during the day because he was disturbing the peace. The first week's services resulted in twenty-seven ' present for the first Sunday School, 59 enrolled in VBS, the revival averaged fifty-two in nightly attendance and four­ teen people requested mem­ bership with the new chapel. New additions to the mem­ bership continued and twenty- three professions of faith were made in the revival that was held early in the fall, Oct. 1-8, with the Rev. Bill Crowhurst from New Mexico, as evangelist. On Nov. 8, 1961, the group voted to plan to constitute into a church on Dec. 31, 1961. Plans developed and on Sunday, Dec. 31, the year of 1961 closed with a special service for the group which had been known as the First Baptist chapel. The program throughout the day was centered around a con­ stituting service which was the formal birth of a new church in McHenry. The church began its existence with sixty-two charter members. Rev. Virgle Chappell was called as pastor of the new church. Mrs. Donald McMillan was the church clerk, Mrs. Earl Reed was church treasurer, and Mrs. Rudolph Lense was church pianist, all of whom are still active members of the congregation. Jack McGue was leading the Sunday School and DelRoy Kauke was the Training Union director. Mrs. Earl Reed and Mrs. Monica Morris were directors for the two choirs. The-.church membership continued to grow and on March 4, 1962 fellowship meetings were begun Wonder Lake, and held^at Mathew'shall, 7314 E. Hancock drive. The Rev. Robert Langdon, Wonder Lake, did the preaching. As the mission grew in strength, arrangements for a loan from the Illinois Baptist State association were made and a large house was pur­ chased at 7303 Oak street, Wonder Lake, and remodeled to serve as a combination home for the mission pastor and a meeting place for the mission group. On Dec. 1, 1962, twenty- one Baptists in Wonder Lake became the First Baptist church and called the Rev. Bill Crowhurst as its first pastor. Beginning on Aug. 6, 1962, a Vacation Bible school and revival services were held in the Lilymoor-Lakemoor area in the "Little Schoolhouse" at the corner of Lily Lake road and Route 120. On Oct. 1, 1962, the Rev. Don Allen, his wife and four children moved to Lakemoor from South Elgin, to be in charge of the mission, known as the Bethel Baptist chapel. Due to the rapid growth of the First Baptist church of McHenry, it was soon evident that more space would need to be made available as soon as possible and plans to purchase property on which to build a building were under way. A petition for zoning for property located on South Route 31 was presented for hearing Oct. 3, 1962. THE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3717 W. Main Street McHenry Methodist Congregation Organized In Year 1840 The year was 1840 in a small hamlet only 4 years old in the newly formed county of McHenry. The new settlers were coming in small groups to find a new life on the Fox river, where only a few log cabins had been built to house the inhabitants of earlier arrivals. The Potawatami Indians had a village not too far away on the river where they hunted and fished in peace with their neighbors. The main street of this new settlement was a dirt road heavy with dust or a quagmire of mud after a summer rain. It was in the area of Riverside drive which was a boardwalk lined with stores, which met the needs of these people who came to shop or gather neWs. The businesses then consisted of On Sunday, Dec. 16, 1962, members and friends of the First Baptist church of McHenry met on their newly acquired property south of McHenry for ground breaking services. Those on the program included Lonnie Campbell, chairman of deacons, Mr. DelRoy Kauke, Training Union director, Mr. C. Edward Erb, Jr., secretary of the trustees for the church, Rev. Virgle Chappell, pastor and Mr. Donald P. Ddherty, Mayor of the City of Mchenry. Building plans and con­ struction progressed and in May, 1963, the City Council of McHenry approved annexation of the Baptist church property to the city. The location of the new church would be known as 509 N. Front street, McHenry. On July 28, 1963 the church met together for the first Sunday service in the new building. The Rev. Ernie Gouge, Amarillo, Texas, brought the messages for the day. On Sunday af­ ternoon, December 1, 1963, members of almost every religious denomination in McHenry were in attendance at the dedication service of the First Baptist church building. Guest speaker was the Rev. Noel Taylor, executive secretary of the Illinois Baptist State association. Other speakers included Mayor Donald P. Doherty,,Miss Adele Froehlich, Mrs. Walter Patzke, Mr. C. Edward Erb, Jr., William Miller, Rev. La Verne Hicks and the Rev Virgle Chappell. Growth continued and when the church observed its fourth anniversary in June, 1965, the resident church membership was 157, Sunday School enrollment was 253 and plans ^wer^jinder way for an addition lo the building. In June, 1966, fellowship meetings were begun in the American Legion building at Richmond, under the leader­ ship of Eddie Erb, a ministerial student at Oklahoma Baptist university, under the spon­ sorship of the First Baptist church of McHenry. In August, 1966, the Rev. Ernest Gouge of Amarillo, Texas was called to be the pastor of the new mission. In October, 1967, the group was constituted into a church with fifty charter members. The Rev. Gouge remained as pastor. On March 17, 1968, ground breaking services were held for the construction of a church building at 15 Hill road, just south of Richmond. In "the summer of 1966, ground breaking services were observed for the building of a two-story educational unit to be added to the original structure of the church at McHenry. Plans called for completion and use of the new unit by early 51967. A license to operate a day care center known as the First Baptist church nursery was obtained effective Sept. 1, 1967, to provide care for a maximum of twenty-five children as a ministry to the community. In February, 1973, the license capacity was increased to sixty-one children. Easter Sunday, April 14, 1968, the church began a bus route as a special service to the com­ munity for parents who do not have transportation or cannot bring their children to Sunday school. The bus ministry has continued to grow until there have been as many as six different routes on Sundays with a total of 260 riders. A ministry for interpretation of the iservices to the deaf began in 1968. Mrs. Tom Jackson is director of the program and has led in the training and involvement of others of the church. Mrs. Lee Chappell assists Mrs. Jackson. A ministry to the Spanish speaking people of the com­ munity was started in 1969 and in February of 1971, the Rev. Ramiro Rodriguez and family came from Texas as pastor for the group which meets in the First Baptist church. With double use of all present facilities and the renting of outside space in the McHenry public schools, attendance had grown in 1972 to more than three times that it was when the addition was completed. In June, 1972, the church voted to enter a "Together We Build" campaign to pledge funds to build a multi-purpose building at the rear of the church auditorium to provide space for Sunday school, children's church, youth activities, fellowship and assembly hall, extra day care space as well as a gymnasium. This building was completed for occupancy jn the winter of 1972-73. drygoods and grocery store, shoe and boot shop, a blacksmith shop, a saw mill, a carpenter shop, a post office and 2 hotels. It was on a hot summer day that a few people met in the home of Ira and Mary Colby to discuss the forming of a prayer group. Darius Reynolds and his wife, Alden and Mrs. H. Har­ vey, Freeman and Abigail . Harvey, with the Colbys organized the Methodist Church. They met each Sunday in the old schoolhouse where the Masonic hall now stands, with the Rev. H. Stocking the presiding elder and Rev. William Vallette the first preacher. After the courthouse was built on what is now the city park, the Methodists met there every fourth Sunday and in the homes of its members other Sundays. The Methodist was the second Protestant society to form, as the Baptists were 3 years old. In 1850 the Methodists helped the Free-will Baptist church to build a brick church on the corner of green and Elm street (where the State bank now stands) and used the sanctuary on alternate Sundays. The Rev. Vallette received a yearly salary of $357 from the Circuit which then consisted of eight chapels: McHenry, Queen Ann Prairie, Solon, North and South Hebron, Ringwood, English Prairie and Richmond. A quarterly conference was held at a different chapel with the entire circuit meeting for a two-day session. At these conferences the pastors' licenses were renewed or revoked. New trustees were elected and reports on the condition of Sunday School and church reported. These meetings were usually at­ tended by fifteen to twenty-five men. Many times the con­ ferences were postponed because of muddy roads or heavy drifted snow which prevented the pastor's presence. At the Jan. 15, 1853, quarterly conference a motion was passed to provide a parsonage for the pastor. The first chapel THE REV. RALPH SMITH First United Methodist raising $400 could have the parsonage in its village. Greenwood, a new chapel in the circuit, beat McHenry and Ringwood, and as a result the parsonage was built in Greenwood. In 1857 only four chapels were in the circuit: Greenwood, East Greenwood, McHenry and Ringwood, and the total budget for that year was $500 and McHenry had to raise $125 of it. In 1859 the present church located on Main and Center street was made possible, "as George and Martha Gage deeded the land to the Methodist church. The cost of this building was approximately $400. All of the men in the community worked many hours to construct it. There was a hole in the ground for the furnace, plain glass windows, candles for light, one door and the roof was the ceiling. The church was painted white on the exterior and papered in­ side. When completed, the church was dedicated free of debt. The first trustees were William Harrison, Freeman Harvey, Ira Colby, F.G. Meyer and Francis Gale. The parsonage was built in 1878. The Rev. Adron designed and built the parsonage with the help of the men in the community. It was started in March and finished Oct. 16, 1878, for $1,500. When the Rev. Adron left in 1880, 200 gathered for his farewell. He was respected and loved by all the community. The Rev. John E. Bassett, the great grandfather of Lisle Bassett, served as an assistant pastor from 1854 until his death on Jan. 9,1893. When a minister was unable to fill the pulpit, the Rev. Bassett would then preach the sermon. On Nov. 15, 1862, McHenry received its first full time minister. Rev. H.S. Trumbull. When he left, McHenry went back to the circuit with Ringwood, Volo or Spring Grove as a fellow church. In 1948 McHenry again received the appointment of a full time minister, which has been the turn upward in its growth. In January of 1876 a portion of the worship service was (hanged. The congregation joined in the singing. In the Fall of 1937 a dream was finally coming true. The Sunday School, which had grown to sixty members, could have more rooms, and dinners could be served better and^ fellowship meetings could be held in a basement when the men of the community com­ pleted the project. The men dug by hand the dirt and wheeled it out in wheelbarrows each night after they had done a full day's work of their own. The women would prepare food which was served at the parsonage. Dr. Klontz was made famous by his oyster suppers, too. It was a "•project that men of all faiths joined hands in and enjoyed the fellowship and work which was completed in April of 1938. The men then prepared and served a dinner as a formal opening. The Universalist church, which had closed its doors in March, presented the treasury a check for $2,200 and its church building to the Masonic order. Another improvement was made when a new parsonage was built to provide better housing for the pastor. The church had gone back to full time ministers when Rev. Wayne Price was appointed in 1948. The parsonage was dedicated in 1950. By then the congregation had increased in size, so more room was needted to continue Sunday School, meeting rooms and more room generally. A fund raising in 1953 resulted in the building of the Educational unit. It was dedicated Oct. 10, 1954. During the years, many people have made donations which have added enjoyment to its congregation. The sanctuary was com­ pletely remodeled in 1964. The carillons and many other gifts to the church were given as memorials. One of the most active groups of the church during its 134 years has been the women's group, which was first known as the Ladies Aid society. This title was replaced by the Woman's society of Christian Service in 1940 and more recently it has been renamed the United Methodist Women. The functions of this body have been varied. As Ladies Aid they were responsible for the greatest support of the church financially, so church dinners and bazaars were their most meaningful way of raising money. The missionary field is another field of endeavor their interest has expanded. The ladies have worked with un­ tiring effort to all departments of the church, which is Sunday school, youth and choir groups. Youth groups are MYF and IYF The Friendship club is a senior citizen group and meets once a month. City's Second Lutheran Church Founded In '65 As the result of a survey in 1965 conducted by The American Lutheran church, THE REV. ROGER SCHNEIDER Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran with headquarters in Min­ neapolis, Minn., it was decided to begin a mission congregation in McHenry. Pastor Norman "Orth, the regional missions director for The American Lutheran church, purchased property and supervised the construction of the first unit of the church and a parsonage. In the summer of 1965, Parish Worker Janice Wick and Pastor Donald Johnson arrived on th scene to begin forming a congregation and start a ministry. The steering com­ mittee for the church consisted of Louis Draeger, John Flint, George Kammerer Jr., Robert Peterson, and James Widen. On Sept 19, 1965, the church edifice was dedicated. The first church council consisted of Roger Burns, Louis Draeger, John Flint, Herbert Hagemann, Frank Holmes, George Kammerer Jr., L. Alan Olson, Robert Peterson and James Widen. During the fall of 1968, the (Continued on page 7) SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS LUTHERAN CHURCH 404 N. Green Street McHenry OUR ORIGINAL LOCATION! SELLING TIRES IS ONLY PART OF OUR TRADITION! On March 28, 1922 the McHenry Tire Mart opened its doors to the public. Walter Freund, owner, designed his store to service the people of McHenry County with quality tires and batteries. Now 53 years later it,stands as one of McHenry's oldest businesses. Hardwork and dedication has truly been the heart of their success.