Part 22 Growth in Sunday School, Pain in the Pocketbook
The Sunday school of the late 1920’s was maintained at about 300 members although numbers were diminished during the summer months. The trustees accepted a request to rework some of the inner space in the parish hall and vestry to accommodate the expanding need for classroom space as well as offices. The Ladies Parlor for example had to go as well as that space that had formerly been a kitchen. The architect responsible for redesigning the spaces was none other than Oscar T. Emerson who also served as the Secretary of the Trustees. J.H. Webster, a local contractor, was awarded the bid for renovations. The painting contractor was James Sutherland. Mr. Sutherland was a member of the official board. The project of renovations cost around $5000 and the members of the various church-sponsored organizations assisted in the final cleanup of the newly renovated spaces. The various organizations were also asked to raise the funds to pay the bill rather than indebting the church.
The Sunday School for example developed a “Mile of Pennies” project. The Ladies Aid Circle developed a “Friendship Quilt”. Mrs. Sutherland led this project. Mr. Emerson secured dime banks for adult giving. While this project didn’t work out, Christmas Banks followed it up and proved to be much more successful at gathering additional funds. 50 banks were acquired and distributed. Most of those 50 banks were returned at Christmas time.
When the late spring rolled around the women and other bodies within the church would put on a lawn party on the church property. This was probably the precursor to summer fairs, Strawberry festivals and Yard Sales that would be used as money earners in the future. Another moneymaker came via a British Evangelist by the name of Mr. Stafford, an eminent British divine who preached in the Peoples auditorium. Part of a silver collection would be gathered for his expenses and the rest went to budget matters.
These, like so many times in the life of the church were “penny-pinching” times. Because the cost of fuel had become so expensive the Official Board authorized all Bible classes to be held in private homes. This would allow for great savings of fuel. From recent examples of Bible study away from the church this experience probably led to greater community building than otherwise might have been possible.
It seemed as if once one major project was completed that others immediately popped up. Chimney reconstruction, water delivery problems, shingling of the church roof, the safety of the belfry, adding the veranda and enclosing it were all issues that had hit by the mid’1920’s.
It was reported on January 11, 1923 that the membership officially stood at 217 with 6 probationers. Sadness was experienced when longtime leader of all major committees and boards, C. A. Tilton passed away. As much as his passing saddened the congregation John W. Woodbury capably filled his role as President of the Official Board. Mr. Walter Campbell, a prominent local grocer became the leader of the usher corps.
Mr. Files, the longtime janitor, having been asked to do more than he had before because of the changing configuration of the church property demanded that he be paid $25 a month for the next 6 months and then $30 thereafter. If these changes were not agreed to, Mr. Files indicated he would have to leave and seek employment elsewhere. Since the records indicate that Mr. Files is there for more than 5 additional years it appears that the church voted to retain him at the new demanded rate.
While most times in the history of the church were hard financially there was always a need to celebrate. Celebration was met with additional expense, but there seemed to always be someone or some way of meeting those needs. In April of 1926, Peoples Church heard that their pastor of 10 years, Frederic Olson would be moving on. Ten years was a rather remarkable period of time to have served one parish. This length of time was a year longer than Pastor Lord had served earlier in the century. In the lengthy history of Peoples the only Pastor who will have served longer would be Reverend Lynwood Arnold who would serve 17 years from the 1970’s into the 1990’s. The Official Board authorized a farewell reception, to be held later in the month, to celebrate the ministry of this beloved pastor. This event was held on a Thursday evening as a public supper. A silver collection paid for the festivities and the event was well attended by parishioners of all ages. The period of Pastor Olson’s ministry corresponded with a long period of growth in the membership and the activities sponsored by the church. It had been a period of reaching out to the community and finding that not only member organizations but also community organizations could use the facilities.
Shortly after the farewell reception for Pastor Olson was held, a welcome reception was held for the new pastor, Charles F. Brooks and his family. This event was held on the night of May 20, 1926. As the reader may discern the Maine Conference at that time was held in late March or early April as opposed to early June as it is today. Before the new pastor could move in to the parsonage at 94 Broadway a number of updates had to take place on the property that could have added to the expenses and debt of the parish. Choosing to raise money to make these changes, the trustees chose to ask for special collections that were for the most part forthcoming and therefore added little to the debt. Using “in-house” labor three bedrooms were repapered and painted and the study was papered and varnished. A new rug was also laid in the parlor. All of this was done for a reported cost of $291.79. Additionally the house was fully electrified, water pipes were upgraded and new shelves were added to the kitchen. At first report it seemed that all of these items that were included were taken care of in the previously mentioned figure. It seems the first report was somewhat misguided and later, in June, another bill for these services was submitted for a figure of $300. While these figures may be laughed at by today’s costs remember that the American dollar today is valued at no more than $.25 of what the dollar was able to buy in 1926.
Under John Woodbury as head of Official Board the financial work of the parish was divided into two roles. Many other parishes had begun the practice before Peoples. The first person serving as Financial Secretary was Arthur Blake and the first person serving exclusively as Treasurer was L.C. Bubier. The division of these two financial functions followed the death of Albert Thurrill. Mr. Thurrill, the local druggest, had served in the expanded role of Treasurer for more than 30 years.
The year 1926 was concluded with a Memorial Service on December 31 that was planned by Reverend Brooks, Mrs. Sutherland and Ms. Emily York. Those members of the congregation who had passed from our midst were memorialized and duly mentioned before the service was concluded with communion. While the event was somber, Reverend A.C. Goddard, District Superintendent spoke of the accomplishments of the mentioned folks and the church and how their passing should be inspirational to those who now lead.
Under Pastor Brooks leadership the church continued to serve the community of Ferry Village which in those days had expanded to some extent beyond the parameters of the immediate village. The parsonage that had been purchased in 1914 was located at 94 Broadway near where Preble Street meets Broadway. At that time Preble extended across Broadway and met Front Street where High intersected. Many other streets and houses could be found in that area also. The original configuration of streets was disrupted and torn asunder when the shipyards were built at the beginning of World War II.
Because of the distance from the church and the increased cost of fuel, Pastor Brooks often used a room in the parsonage as the office, not for just his own needs, but for those of the parish as well. Two items that were requested and eventually installed in the parsonage were a typewriter and a mimeograph. It would appear that part of the ministerial duties of the pastor were to provide all communication via his own hand and his own cranking power on the mimeograph. Parishioners could tell on Sunday morning when the bulletins were printed based on the black ink that stained the hands of the pastor if he was late in reproducing the bulletin.
The Sunday school of the late 1920’s was maintained at about 300 members although numbers were diminished during the summer months. The trustees accepted a request to rework some of the inner space in the parish hall and vestry to accommodate the expanding need for classroom space as well as offices. The Ladies Parlor for example had to go as well as that space that had formerly been a kitchen. The architect responsible for redesigning the spaces was none other than Oscar T. Emerson who also served as the Secretary of the Trustees. J.H. Webster, a local contractor, was awarded the bid for renovations. The painting contractor was James Sutherland. Mr. Sutherland was a member of the official board. The project of renovations cost around $5000 and the members of the various church-sponsored organizations assisted in the final cleanup of the newly renovated spaces. The various organizations were also asked to raise the funds to pay the bill rather than indebting the church.
The Sunday School for example developed a “Mile of Pennies” project. The Ladies Aid Circle developed a “Friendship Quilt”. Mrs. Sutherland led this project. Mr. Emerson secured dime banks for adult giving. While this project didn’t work out, Christmas Banks followed it up and proved to be much more successful at gathering additional funds. 50 banks were acquired and distributed. Most of those 50 banks were returned at Christmas time.
When the late spring rolled around the women and other bodies within the church would put on a lawn party on the church property. This was probably the precursor to summer fairs, Strawberry festivals and Yard Sales that would be used as money earners in the future. Another moneymaker came via a British Evangelist by the name of Mr. Stafford, an eminent British divine who preached in the Peoples auditorium. Part of a silver collection would be gathered for his expenses and the rest went to budget matters.
These, like so many times in the life of the church were “penny-pinching” times. Because the cost of fuel had become so expensive the Official Board authorized all Bible classes to be held in private homes. This would allow for great savings of fuel. From recent examples of Bible study away from the church this experience probably led to greater community building than otherwise might have been possible.
It seemed as if once one major project was completed that others immediately popped up. Chimney reconstruction, water delivery problems, shingling of the church roof, the safety of the belfry, adding the veranda and enclosing it were all issues that had hit by the mid’1920’s.
It was reported on January 11, 1923 that the membership officially stood at 217 with 6 probationers. Sadness was experienced when longtime leader of all major committees and boards, C. A. Tilton passed away. As much as his passing saddened the congregation John W. Woodbury capably filled his role as President of the Official Board. Mr. Walter Campbell, a prominent local grocer became the leader of the usher corps.
Mr. Files, the longtime janitor, having been asked to do more than he had before because of the changing configuration of the church property demanded that he be paid $25 a month for the next 6 months and then $30 thereafter. If these changes were not agreed to, Mr. Files indicated he would have to leave and seek employment elsewhere. Since the records indicate that Mr. Files is there for more than 5 additional years it appears that the church voted to retain him at the new demanded rate.
While most times in the history of the church were hard financially there was always a need to celebrate. Celebration was met with additional expense, but there seemed to always be someone or some way of meeting those needs. In April of 1926, Peoples Church heard that their pastor of 10 years, Frederic Olson would be moving on. Ten years was a rather remarkable period of time to have served one parish. This length of time was a year longer than Pastor Lord had served earlier in the century. In the lengthy history of Peoples the only Pastor who will have served longer would be Reverend Lynwood Arnold who would serve 17 years from the 1970’s into the 1990’s. The Official Board authorized a farewell reception, to be held later in the month, to celebrate the ministry of this beloved pastor. This event was held on a Thursday evening as a public supper. A silver collection paid for the festivities and the event was well attended by parishioners of all ages. The period of Pastor Olson’s ministry corresponded with a long period of growth in the membership and the activities sponsored by the church. It had been a period of reaching out to the community and finding that not only member organizations but also community organizations could use the facilities.
Shortly after the farewell reception for Pastor Olson was held, a welcome reception was held for the new pastor, Charles F. Brooks and his family. This event was held on the night of May 20, 1926. As the reader may discern the Maine Conference at that time was held in late March or early April as opposed to early June as it is today. Before the new pastor could move in to the parsonage at 94 Broadway a number of updates had to take place on the property that could have added to the expenses and debt of the parish. Choosing to raise money to make these changes, the trustees chose to ask for special collections that were for the most part forthcoming and therefore added little to the debt. Using “in-house” labor three bedrooms were repapered and painted and the study was papered and varnished. A new rug was also laid in the parlor. All of this was done for a reported cost of $291.79. Additionally the house was fully electrified, water pipes were upgraded and new shelves were added to the kitchen. At first report it seemed that all of these items that were included were taken care of in the previously mentioned figure. It seems the first report was somewhat misguided and later, in June, another bill for these services was submitted for a figure of $300. While these figures may be laughed at by today’s costs remember that the American dollar today is valued at no more than $.25 of what the dollar was able to buy in 1926.
Under John Woodbury as head of Official Board the financial work of the parish was divided into two roles. Many other parishes had begun the practice before Peoples. The first person serving as Financial Secretary was Arthur Blake and the first person serving exclusively as Treasurer was L.C. Bubier. The division of these two financial functions followed the death of Albert Thurrill. Mr. Thurrill, the local druggest, had served in the expanded role of Treasurer for more than 30 years.
The year 1926 was concluded with a Memorial Service on December 31 that was planned by Reverend Brooks, Mrs. Sutherland and Ms. Emily York. Those members of the congregation who had passed from our midst were memorialized and duly mentioned before the service was concluded with communion. While the event was somber, Reverend A.C. Goddard, District Superintendent spoke of the accomplishments of the mentioned folks and the church and how their passing should be inspirational to those who now lead.
Under Pastor Brooks leadership the church continued to serve the community of Ferry Village which in those days had expanded to some extent beyond the parameters of the immediate village. The parsonage that had been purchased in 1914 was located at 94 Broadway near where Preble Street meets Broadway. At that time Preble extended across Broadway and met Front Street where High intersected. Many other streets and houses could be found in that area also. The original configuration of streets was disrupted and torn asunder when the shipyards were built at the beginning of World War II.
Because of the distance from the church and the increased cost of fuel, Pastor Brooks often used a room in the parsonage as the office, not for just his own needs, but for those of the parish as well. Two items that were requested and eventually installed in the parsonage were a typewriter and a mimeograph. It would appear that part of the ministerial duties of the pastor were to provide all communication via his own hand and his own cranking power on the mimeograph. Parishioners could tell on Sunday morning when the bulletins were printed based on the black ink that stained the hands of the pastor if he was late in reproducing the bulletin.
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