Church History PART ONE

In 1939, because the church had raised enough money to repair and remodel parts of the church, the Board of National Missions made a liberal offer to settle the outstanding indebtedness of the church. They helped members work out a plan to pay off the church loan.

The depression made it difficult to pay off the debt for this building but the church finally paid off their debt in 1943. On May 2, 1943, the motion was made that the in a congregational meeting to pay off the church debt. The Debt Liquidation Committee members were G.W. Ewing, Sr., Mrs. W.R. Lace, A.J. Buchanan, C. O. Thompson, Sr., Treasurer, R.E. Lee, Clerk of Session and Victor K. Aubrey, Pastor. The celebrated this event by burning the mortgage on February 27, 1944. Participating in the ceremony were Dr. George W. Fender, Dr. Henry C. Schneider, Chaunce O. Thompson, Jr., fourth generation descendant of J. M. Ward a charter member of the 1888 church and the Debit Liquidation Committee Members.

G.W. Ewing lit a candle which he passed to thirteen-year-old Chaunce O. Thompson, Jr., to hold while R.E. Lee gave each of the participants a page of the mortgage document. Each person touched his page of the mortgage to the candle, thereby eliminating the mortgage.

During 1946, the church purchased a manse at 711 West Lindsey for $6,000, borrowing $2500 of that amount. 

This note was burned on September 22, 1946, s the congregation sang The Doxology.

On November 17, 1946, a new organization called “Junior Deacons” was organized in the church to encourage young men to work for their church. Three of the original nominees served as officers in this church many times and for many years thereafter: John Creagh, Thad Kelley and C. O. Thompson, Jr. In 1946 a remodeling program on the church building at Williams and McAmis was begun. It was completed in 1949. A new electric organ was purchased for the sanctuary at this time, too. This organ was replaced and dedicated in 1985 when a new computerized organ was installed. In 1958, a building committee composed of Russell Payne, Guy Ewing Jr., and C.O. Thompson, Jr., was appointed to study possible plans for remodeling or building a new church. The Building Committee was expanded by the addition of John Cook, Ruth Holder, Leon Ford and W.J. Rhodes. The congregation at the same meeting voted to build a new facility at the corner of Williams and McAmis. In 1961, three additional members were added to the Building Committee: Mrs. R.A. Ritchey, Mrs. Jo Welch and L.W. Brooks, Jr. 

The decade of the 1960’s was focused on the construction of a new church building. Thanks to the donation of land on West Elliott, the church decided to build a completely new church at that location and to sell the property of their current church site. The church also accomplished the building of a new cabin at Buffalo Cabin Encampment and the church indebtedness was significantly reduced. In 1972, this church became a member of the Union Presbytery of Palo Duro of the Presbyterian Church in the United States  America. In 1973, the church sold the manse and bought a new manse at Westridge Circle. The new church building loan was paid off in 1975. The 1978 celebration of the church’s 100th anniversary was celebrated. 

In 1939, because the church had raised enough money to repair and remodel parts of the church, the Board of National Missions made a liberal offer to settle the outstanding indebtedness of the church. They helped members work out a plan to pay off the church loan.

The depression made it difficult to pay off the debt for this building but the church finally paid off their debt in 1943. On May 2, 1943, the motion was made that the in a congregational meeting to pay off the church debt. The Debt Liquidation Committee members were G.W. Ewing, Sr., Mrs. W.R. Lace, A.J. Buchanan, C. O. Thompson, Sr., Treasurer, R.E. Lee, Clerk of Session and Victor K. Aubrey, Pastor. The celebrated this event by burning the mortgage on February 27, 1944. Participating in the ceremony were Dr. George W. Fender, Dr. Henry C. Schneider, Chaunce O. Thompson, Jr., fourth generation descendant of J. M. Ward a charter member of the 1888 church and the Debit Liquidation Committee Members.

G.W. Ewing lit a candle which he passed to thirteen-year-old Chaunce O. Thompson, Jr., to hold while R.E. Lee gave each of the participants a page of the mortgage document. Each person touched his page of the mortgage to the candle, thereby eliminating the mortgage.

During 1946, the church purchased a manse at 711 West Lindsey for $6,000, borrowing $2500 of that amount. 

This note was burned on September 22, 1946, s the congregation sang The Doxology.

On November 17, 1946, a new organization called “Junior Deacons” was organized in the church to encourage young men to work for their church. Three of the original nominees served as officers in this church many times and for many years thereafter: John Creagh, Thad Kelley and C. O. Thompson, Jr. In 1946 a remodeling program on the church building at Williams and McAmis was begun. It was completed in 1949. A new electric organ was purchased for the sanctuary at this time, too. This organ was replaced and dedicated in 1985 when a new computerized organ was installed. In 1958, a building committee composed of Russell Payne, Guy Ewing Jr., and C.O. Thompson, Jr., was appointed to study possible plans for remodeling or building a new church. The Building Committee was expanded by the addition of John Cook, Ruth Holder, Leon Ford and W.J. Rhodes. The congregation at the same meeting voted to build a new facility at the corner of Williams and McAmis. In 1961, three additional members were added to the Building Committee: Mrs. R.A. Ritchey, Mrs. Jo Welch and L.W. Brooks, Jr. 

The decade of the 1960’s was focused on the construction of a new church building. Thanks to the donation of land on West Elliott, the church decided to build a completely new church at that location and to sell the property of their current church site. The church also accomplished the building of a new cabin at Buffalo Cabin Encampment and the church indebtedness was significantly reduced. In 1972, this church became a member of the Union Presbytery of Palo Duro of the Presbyterian Church in the United States  America. In 1973, the church sold the manse and bought a new manse at Westridge Circle. The new church building loan was paid off in 1975. The 1978 celebration of the church’s 100th anniversary was celebrated. 

I

The decade of the 1980’s presented the opportunity for the church to sponsor two Cambodian refugee families and to aid two churches which were victims of flood. The Rev. Andrew Channer became the pastor of this church in 1982 and remained the pastor for over 36 years. The highlight of the 1990’s was the installation of stained-glass windows in the sanctuary in 1999. The windows were paid for through donations and contributions from the congregation.

From 2000 through 2010, the church faced many challenges. Constant repairs to the church and manse took center stage and the church managed to get them all completed without taking out any loans. In addition to repairs. The first half of the decade found the church financially able to donate funds to many missions: Project Graduation; Festival Faith ; Meals on Wheels; Buffalo Gap Encampment; John Hyson Education Center; Presbyterian School in Chimayo, New Mexico ; Hunters for the Hungry; Souper Bowl Sunday offerings; Presbyterian Medical Care Mission; NOROC Romanian Grannies; Evergreen Presbyterian Ministries; Florida Hurricane Victims; Tsunami Relief; One Great Hour of Sharing; Presbyterian Children’s Homes; Cross Plains Fire Relief; Fire Department Fire Safety Educational Program; Belize School Project. The church also helped financially to build the Breckenridge Cemetery Memorial Pavilion. The Prayer Request Box was established so that the community could drive by the church and leave a prayer request. The church’s 125th Anniversary was celebrated. In 2007 the Great Recession began, and it lasted until 2009. The result was that the funds of the church were deeply affected because the interest rates were so low. However, the church continued to help as many as possible. The church did help one family with funds for roof repair and paid for a church member’s roof replacement. During this decade, the church helped 131 families locally with food vouchers and utility bill assistance. 

Repairs on the Manse and the church continued to be the major focus of the Session from 2011 through 2020 and by the end of the decade the Church was faced with deciding whether to keep the manse or sell it. The church’s dedication to helping the community families in need was still the main priority and 191 families were helped with either food vouchers or utility assistance during these years. The church continued to give between eight and eleven food baskets to needy families at Christmas every year using benevolence funds and free will offerings. Using a combination of free will offerings plus available benevolence funds, the church was able to continue its support of Meals on Wheels, Feed My Lambs, Senior Citizens Center, Presbyterian Children’s Homes, the Presbyterian Medical Care Mission, Buffalo Gap Encampment, the Gideons, Natural Disaster Assistance as well as financial assistance for individuals needing help. With the resignation of our long-time Pastor, Andy Channer, after 36 years, the Nominating Committee begin its work to find a new pastor in 2019. Because of the pandemic and violence nationally, the church implemented security measures by locking their outside doors during Sunday worship services and installing security cameras and an outside doorbell. The implementation of outdoor services was begun using a sound system and everyone sitting in their cars or lawn chairs beside their cars when indoor services had to be curtailed. Because of declining membership, the number of elders on the Session was reduced from nine to six. The school district expressed a need for more children’s masks and thermometers and this church purchased enough to provide for one elementary school on two separate occasions.

From 2021 through 2024, several changes were made. Pastor Linda Leveridge, a former member of this church from childhood returned to take over the duties of the Pastor. The membership continued to decline as did most of the churches in this county. Throughout the life of this congregation, the mission to serve the local community and the community of God’s Kingdom internationally continued. Even in the “lean” financial years, the congregation continued to support missions locally and around the world. The addition of the Christmas Shoebox program, the church started with fifty shoeboxes and expanded to 100 shoeboxes within two years without outside help. Providing help, resources and financial help to women and children increased through Backpacks for Women, Food Vouchers increases, Utility assistance, and Feed the Lambs. Focusing on prayer for others through the Women’s Prayer Chain and the Session Prayer Chain and the Pray For Us Mailbox outside the church were also successful and rewarding. “The Walk to Emmaeus” group began using the church fellowship hall for meetings. Innovative Maunday Thursday programs and Easter Sunday programs as well as the reinvigoration of the Palm Sunday experience, plus an Easter egg hunt for the littles of the church, enhanced our church involvement. Every Sunday, the congregation chose three Presbyterian Churches in the United States to pray for during church services. Letters to individuals on our Sunday prayer list were increased to notify them that they had been prayed for during our service. The church manse was sold. The City and the County continue to request the use of the fellowship hall for elections and the soccer/baseball field is still being used by the community for practice sessions. The sign in the front yard was repainted using Martha Kelley’s original art-work as the basis. The search for an organist and adult Sunday school teacher is an ongoing issue. In 2024, the church received four new members.