First Christian Church

First Christian Church - Wayne City, Illinois

1889 - May meeting was held at the Methodist Episcopal Church presided over by Elder J.S. Rose of Albion. The meeting lasted 18 days and culminated in the organization of the First Christian Church of Wayne City. Fifty-two members were in attendance at the meeting.

Church officers appointed by Elder Rose:

• J.K. Ashley, elder
• J.M. Lee, elder
• Job Pixley, deacon
• Jonathon Bratton, deacon
• John Gaddis, deacon
• J.H. Gaddis, clerk

1889 - October 29 - the church purchased three lots from P.A. & John Gaddis for $200 and construction began on the church building.

1890 - church building completed, measuring 28' x 48' 

1890 - October 19 - church dedicated by Elder Rose. It was a great day for the young church, and services were held at 10:30 am, 2:30 pm and 6:30 pm with large attendance at each of the services. Trustees were A.G. Scudamore, E.B. Reid and J.M. Whitson. 

1901 - May 19 - church offices appointed:

• D.G. Bayles
• Paul Hardy
• V. Hunter
• Charles Whitlenburg
• Hugh Nichols

1921 - officers

• James M. Forth, elder
• James C. Lathrop, elder
• W.W. Reid, elder
• R.B. Butler, elder
• Charles Brown, elder
• W.A. Newman, deacon
• James R. Gurley, deacon
• Cloyd Mills, deacon
• S.A. Wilson, deacon
• H.C. Willeman, deacon
• W. Brown, deacon
• H.C. Willeman, clerk
• Hattie Thompson, deaconess
• Leah Harvey, deaconess
• Daisy Dickey, deaconess
• Verda Forth, deaconess

Sunday School Class - Lou (Speer) Gurley, seated second from left

1921 - Growth in the 1921 Sunday School Department, increasing from 26 to 83 in an approximate 90 day period - an increase of 373 percent - phenomenal for any organization! Officers of that department were:

• W.W. Reid, superintendent
• Cloyd Mills, assistant superintendent
• Fuhrer Dickey, secretary
• Hattie Thompson, treasurer
• Leone Thompson, pianist

1933 - officers:

• O.A. McRill, elder
• W.W. Reid, elder
• J.M. Forth, elder
• W.A. Newman, deacon
• Ellis Newman, deacon
• James R. Gurley, deacon
• Hattie Thompson, secretary-treasurer

1933 - services were conducted twice monthly.  The church contained two large coal stoves with one situated on each side of the building. Two entrances one at the north and the other at the south end of the building.  The first improvement was a new floor.

1940s - a basement was dug, the interior was re-plastered, new windows were installed, and central heating was installed.

1953 - a two bedroom parsonage with basement was built. Lyman & Cora Gurley donated the land for the parsonage. Later, two rooms and other improvements were added. 

1955 - March - Anna Butler & Heirs sold the lot behind the church to the church.  An educational building was constructed there. 

1955-1959 - New pews, a piano and pulpit furniture purchased. 

1959 - November 19 - Trustees elected:

• O.A. McRill
• Carl Wells
• William Fleming, Jr.
• Joe Wright 
• Elston Gurley

1959-1961 - a new educational building built

1965 - Roy & Leah Harvey donate 20 acres to the church

1966 - July - The late Frank & Fannie Mae (Gurley) Mateer left the church a generous sum of money, to be used only for construction of a new church building. At that time a building fund was initiated. 

1968 - July - the church purchased a lot from C.L. & Audrey Wood across the street from the church to be used as a parking lot.

1973 - the Harry Willeman property directly north of the church was purchased from Ida Willeman. It is upon part of this property that the new church has been constructed, while the other portion is utilized as a parking lot. 

1976 - Property of Clarence & Lena Reigling, north of the church was purchased.

1977 - December - At the annual business meeting steps were taken to advance plans for the present new church building. A building committee was appointed. Lowell Legg was named chairman of the committee, with Dean Wells, Kenneth Johnson, Hardy Sledge, Benny Greenwalt and Owen Rainwater selected as members. 

1978 - April - several men from the church and the community met and cleared the trees on the north side of the church.  

1978 - July - Property of Jerry & Geraldine Dickey purchased, north of the church for a parking lot.  

1978 - October 8 - Groundbreaking ceremonies were conducted immediate after church services. 

1979 - June 17 - Dedication services held with Charles Webb officiating. 

1979 board members:

• Frank McDuffee
• Harry Irwin
• Lester Webber
• Carl Wells
• Hardy Sledge
• Fred Edmison
• Albert Beasley
• Benny Greenwalt
• Jay Lane
• Kenneth Johnson

Pastors:

• Elder J.S. Rose 1889-1890
• J.W. Ingram
• J.C. Ashcraft
• W.S. Willey
• A.W. Adams
• Ralph Stead
• C.L. Wood
• C.E. Babcock
• C. Edwards
• George E. Kelley 1933
• Brother Arnold
• Brother R.E. Lee 
• Brother Charles Webb 1949-1953 - first full time minister
• Brother Jack Conder 1953-1955
• Brother Charles Johnson 1955-1959
• Brother Fred Keim 1959-1961
• Brother Loyal Gallaher 1961-1965
• Brother Charles Webb 1965-1970
• Brother Jim Donna 1971-1972
• Ron Mullens 1972

Charter Members:

• Mr. & Mrs. W.W. Reid
• Mr. & Mrs. J.M. Forth
• Mr. & Mrs. R.B. Butler
• Mrs. Rado Forth

Members in 1979:

The late W.A. Newman, a deacon of the church is the only known person whose family can trace five generation of membership in the church.  Of all the charter members of the church, Verda Forth Palmer is the only living descendant residing in Wayne City. The oldest living membership in the church, living in Wayne City: Mary & Paul Nichols, Zola Newman Staggs, Fred Newman, Verda Forth Palmer and Golda Calhoun and Ella Robinson, who is now in the Fairfield nursing home.  The three eldest persons and members of the church living in Wayne City are: Mae Choate, 90 years of age; Fred Newman, 86 and Frank McDuffee, 85.  Brother McDuffee has been an elder in the church for 37 years.  

Excerpts from Supplement to Wayne County Press, History of the Church, 1979.

First Christian Church Record of Baptisms pages 113-116 which came from the Gurley family to me.  I have no idea what happened to the rest of the book. 

Baptisms performed by S.T. Fannon, Nov. 1909 in Wayne City, IL

• McWilliam, Addie
• Riggs, Frances
• Riggs, Arthur
• Cooksey, Anna
• Cooksey, W.L. 
• Cooksey, Dora M.
• Keen, W.C.
• Harvey, James
• Moore, Cora B.
• Moore, T. Frank
• Smith, Geo. W.
• Smith, Mrs. Geo. W.
• Warren, Lou
• Smith, Ruth

Newman, Thomas baptized Feb. 5, 1911 by B.S. Kello in Wayne City, IL

Baptisms performed by S.M. Martin on Dec. 7, 1914:

• Neva Scudamore
• Nora Scudamore
• Daisy Dickey
• Bernice Moore
• Ruby Gurley
• Elston Gurley
• Edna Gurley
• Walter Williamson
• Ovid Willeman
• Jeffie Hilliard
• Fuhrer Dickey
• Lena Wilson
• Eldo Forth
• Russell Wilson
• Frank Allen
• Glen Sherman
• Ewell Miller
• Morris Carroll

Bruce F. Willeman baptized April 25, 1915 by J.D. Bruce

Baptisms performed by Leroy F. Sargent, Mar. 1, 1921 in Wayne City:

• Laura Newman
• Mary Newman
• Erncel(?) Newman
• Marie Newman
• Corine Ridgeway
• Mildred Sherman
• Veva Scudamore
• Alma Harvey
• Gladys Miller
• Leone Thompson
• Lyman Gurley
• Harry Ethridge

Baptisms performed by Leroy F. Sargent, Mar. 4, 1921 in Wayne City:

• Grace Newman
• Eunice Scudamore
• Ross Sherman

Grace Monroe baptized Dec. 14, 1941 by John Walser held 2 weeks meeting last of Nov.

Josie Austin baptized Sept. 19, 1944 Bro. Raymond Lee, Wayne City, IL

Baptisms performed by Bro. Chas. Webb Nov. 1950 in Wayne City:

• Kathleen Riley
• Hettie Witherow
• Emma Lou Robertson
• Sybil Hertenstein

Mary Joe Austin baptized Sept. 1949 by Bro. Chas. Webb

William Fleming Jr., baptized May 1937 by Bro. Levern Taylor

Roy Fairfield bapt. Nov. 1946 by Bro. Raymond Lee

Sam Heifner bapt. by Bro. Kelly

Mrs. Sam Heifner bapt. by Bro. Kelly

Leone Harris bapt. May 1947 by Bro. Raymond Lee

Sybil Hertenstein bapt. Nov. 1950 by Bro. Chas. Webb

Frank McDuffey bapt. May 1937 by Bro. Lavern Taylor

Mrs. Nellie McDuffey bapt. May 1937 by Bro. Lavern Taylor

Barney Newman bapt. Nov. 1946 by Bro. Lee

Marcia Newman bapt. Nov. 1950 by Bro. Chas. Webb

Kathleen Rainwater bapt. Sept. 1944 by Bro. Raymond Lee

Mary Jeanne Rainwater bapt. Sept. 1944 by Bro. Raymond Lee

Joyce Robertson bapt. June 1949 by Bro. Chas. Webb.