The Mail-Journal, Volume 26, Number 20, Milford, Kosciusko County, 1 July 1987 — Page 56

THE MAIL-JOURNAL —Wed., July 1,1987

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First church started in 1863

The exact date the SyracuseWawasee Ministerial Association was organized may be lost in antiquity, but Harlan Steffen, pastor of Wawasee Lakeside Chapel, said it was in full operation in 1966 when he came to the Syracuse area. He said Church of God pastor, Rev. McKibben, was association president at that time and came to Goshen College to invite him to the area. Association membership was about five churches at that time and has grown to include most of the Syracuse area churches. The group meets informally once a month and usually has a dinner when a minister either comes to a member church or leaves the area. The Ministerial Association has

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been very active over the years, according to Rev. Steffen. It was instrumental in getting the day care center started at Calvary Methodist Church and started the popular summer boat-in services as part of a coffee house operation at Waco Beach in 1969. This cooperative group of ministers in recent years has organized community Lenten, Thanksgiving, Good Friday and Easter Sunrise services. The association this year has also organized a community Vacation Bible School to be conducted by Syracuse Church of God. Most area churches are joining in this Bible School event, Marketplace A.D., which will be held at Oakwood Park on Aug. 6-8. Rev. Steffen said that Father

Hyndman, Vicar of All Saints Episcopal Church, also came to Syracuse in 1966 and joins him as one of the senior members of the association. “It has been excellent in helping churches recognize their oneness in the worship of the Lord,” said Rev. Steffen. “There has always been a lot of good fellowship and support for local ministers in the Syracuse-Wawasee Ministerial Association.” Following are historical sketches of some area churches. St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church Saint Andrew’s United Methodist Church began in Syracuse in April, 1870, when a small class of seven members

was organized into the Methodist Episcopal Church by Rev. William Graham. This small class worshiped together initially in the McCloud School House, north of Milford. Ground was broken to build the congregation’s first church in May, 1886. The pastor was Rev. G. M. Carpenter when the new building was dedicated on October 15, 1886, with the debt balance of $2,000 paid off. The first ladies aide society of /the church was begun in October, 1897. X By 1954 the building had been remodeled twice and was small and overcrowded. A building fund was started for a new building and the new cornerstone was laid on December 31, 1961. On June 24, 1962, when the building was consecrated, with Rev. James Armstrong as speaker, the congregation numbered,s73." The church became Saint Andrew’s United Methodist Church by vote of the congregation after the Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren churches had merged on April 23,1968. On Nov. 22,1970, a special centennial worship service was held and on Nov. 28, 1971, the official church mortgage burning ceremony was held. Church of God Syracuse was a thriving community with a population of over 300 people in 1863. It did not, however, have a church. Elder George Thomas then came to Syracuse to correct that oversight by starting a church. At the end of a six-week period in which a series of meetings was held morning, afternoon and evening, Elder Thomas had seen 40 conversions and baptisms and the Syracuse Church of God was born. In 1866 Elder J. Shock was instrumental in the building of a 38 by 56 ft. frame house of worship. It was located on the hill at the north town limits on Washington Street, which was soon called Church of God Street. The church was built at a cost of about $3,000. Joseph DeFrees donated the land for the church with the stipulation that “all Orthodox denominations of Christians shall be permitted to worship according to their several creeds.” In keeping with this stipulation a plan to share the cost of the church was devised. The Church of God would pay $31.25 of the sexton’s SBO wages''and the

balance would be shared equally between the Methodists, United Brethren, Lutherans and Dunkards. The first Church of God Sunday School was held in 1873. A classroom was added on the east side of the church in 1917 and a basement was dug in 1951 to house more classrooms and a kitchen." In 1964 two more classrooms were added. In 1973 ground was broken for the twostory brick educational wing which was built on the east side to replace the old 1917 addition. The members of the Syracuse Church of God are proud of the long 124 year history of their church in the community. As Syracuse celebrates its Sesquicentennial, Pastor Michael Johnson and the congregation share the hope that they may join other churches in the area in offering spiritual guidance as the church has done in the past. Quaker Haven Friends Church Under the guidance of Indiana Yearly Meeting and Wabash Friends Church, 11 concerned Friends were present on Sept. 10, 1980, to establish the Quaker Haven Friends Church. It was decided that the congregation would meet in Quaker Hall on the grounds of Quaker Haven Camp, which is located on the east side of Dewart Lake at CR 500E and CR 900 N. After four years a pulpit pastor was hired and weekly attendance has increased to 35 to 45 worship 2 pers each Sunday. Sunday School classes are available for all ages, primary to adult. Realizing that their church is in a unique setting and situation, the members decided to include a summer boat-in service during the summer months. This ministry has been very well received and appreciated by area residents and visitors to the lake. Many people attend the services on the shore in the comfort of their lawn chairs and others come by boat and anchor offshore. The boat-in service is held every other Sunday from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. The service consists of 15 minutes of live gospel music and 15 minutes of gospel message. Church of the Brethren The Church of the Brethren, on West Main Street in Syracuse, was built in 1887 and dedicated by A. H. Puterbaugh. The congregation was organized in April, 1907, with J. C. Stoar, A. L. Neff and J. W. Kitson as ministers and John Neff as the first deacon. The first Sunday school was organized by Otho Warstler, who served as superintendent until 1908 when he was called to the ministry. In 1930 J. Edwin Jarboe conducted a revival and continued as the church’s pastor for seven years. Ministers serving the church after Rev. Jarboe were Ralph Rarick, Lee Cory, Russell Sherman, Virgil Mock, Charles Stouder, Noble Bowman, Otto Laursen, Clayton Mock, Lavon Symensma, Roy Stiffler, Ethel Denton, Harvey Landis, Harlan Smith, Ralph Wagoner, Jack Farrell, George Phillips, John McFarland, Ernest R. Jehnsen and Robert Eby. The current minister is Rev. D. Arnold Naff and Rev. Jehnsen is church moderator. All Saints Episcopal Church All Saints Episcopal Church, on the south edge of Lake Wawasee at Vawter Park, was built and consecrated in 1907 by Right Rev. John Hazen White, first bishop of the diocese of Indiana; Col. Eli Lilly; and Charles A. Sudlow. Until May, 1966, the church was used as a summer chapel only. In 1966 Rev. David Hyndman, the current vicar, came to the chapel to establish an organized mission (Continued on page 9)