Missions
Missions |
Trinity Presbyterian Church
Founded February 22, 1864
"Our country was in the midst of the Civil
War when the Clarinda United Presbyterian Church was organized on February 22,
1864. Rev. D.C. Wilson, a young man only two years out of the Seminary was
the minister at the College Springs congregation then known as Amity. He
found a number of United Presbyterians in the new town of Clarinda who wanted to
have a church of their own.
Several other churches were in Clarinda, but People then were more denominationally
conscious than today. Each had certain distinctive principles in belief,
practice, and form of government which they preferred to any other. The United
Presbyterians, in common with most of the others, believed the Bible to be the inspired
word of God. They believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God who died on the cross
we might be saved. So did most of the other churches. But, like the others, they had
their own distinctive principles. They were exclusively Psalm singers. At that time no musical
instruments were permitted to be used in worship. No person who was a member of a secret order
could be a member of the church. There were probably other things in which they differed
but these will show why they wanted a church of their own and gradually each of these has disappeared.
We doubt that any denomination would permit a church to be organized under such strict conditions
today, altho many denominations still hold to the distinctive principles they had a century ago."
"The Clarinda United Presbyterian Church was organized the same year
that General Grant started the drive to capture Richmond, and General Sherman made his famous march
to the sea to end the civil war the following year."
Rev. Wilson conducted church services here and at College
Springs for a while then left, but returned in 1886 to continue as pastor for 21 years.
"Services were first held in the Presbyterian Church, a frame building located on the present site of the
Westminster Church. On May 1, 1871, the trustees bought for $1000.oo the church building and lot from
the First Baptist Church which was approximately the east half of the present quarter block now owned
by the Trinity Church." ~ "This building previously had belonged to the Methodist Church. This served until 1885
when more room was needed and the building was sold to the United Brethren church and moved by them to the southeast
corner of 11th and Main streets."
"A new brick church costing
$7000.oo was built and dedicated
on Oct. 3, 1886. Dr. Wilson resigned in 1887 feeling that his work in Clarinda had been accomplished." He
was known to have considered the building of the church his monument. "During
his pastorate 344 had been received into the membership but removals, etc., left the number of active members 110. The session
records of that time indicate a strict discipline was maintained. Members were expected to attend services regularly.
If there was a long continued absence a member of the session was sent to find out the reason and try to
get them to return. This was often successful although there were times it did not succeed and it was necessary to drop
the names from the roll. Then, too, if a member was rumored to be doing things which were wrong a committee
of the session saw the party and made arrangements for him or her to appear before the session. This was
sometimes effective but sometimes resulted in entire families leaving the church."
After leaving Clarinda Dr. Wilson served in Tingley, Iowa for a short
time. From 1888 on he made his home in Tarkio, Mo where he was in
business as a book seller. Clarinda had been his primary ministry.
"Rev. J.M. McArthur was pastor from 1897 to 1900, leaving because of his wife's illness. He was followed by Rev. J.W.S. Lowry, who was a native of Ireland and came to the church from the Canadian Presbyterian church. He was a firm believer in the singing of the Psalms in worship. He also maintained that the patron saint of Ireland was not a Catholic and ably defended his position in an argument with the Catholic priest in Shenandoah. He resigned in 1903."
Rev.
William McNary Jackson, who was just out of the seminary, took up his work
as stated supply August 1, 1904. This was his first charge, and he was
installed as pastor on May 12, 1905. The debt for the church
was cleared away and a parsonage was purchased at 622 N. 14th
Street. He left the church service to pursue another field and
the pulpit was declared vacant on Dec. 17, 1908. 
"Dr.
W. C. Williamson started his work as pastor May 16, 1909. He had been
pastor of the church at Keokuk, Iowa, for almost 20 years and at Burlington for
some years. He was 67 years old when he came as pastor and planned to stay
only a few years. Coming in 1909, by his tact and Christian love he
succeeded in healing differences which had existed in the church for many
years. Mrs. Williamson died in 1921 and the pastor resigned feeling
that he could no longer continue the work without her. But the church
could not agree on a successor, so in 1922 he agreed to return but not as
pastor. He would only come as a stated supply, an arrangement
which permitted him or the church to end the pastorate when either saw
fit. Some years before it was evident that a larger church building was
needed. Since that would require a large amount of money, and there
were many who opposed going into debt for such a building, it was decided to use
the method used by the Building and Loan Association. Arrangements
were made with the Page County Building & Loan Association for about 200
shares. These were bought by the members of the church with the agreement
that when matured the money was to be used by the church toward a new
building. Cost of each share was 80˘ a month and the time of
maturity was estimated to be 90 months. It had been planned to build only
on the lot then occupied by the church and plans were so made. But it was
found the family living next west of the church was willing to sell and since a
much better building arrangement was possible with the two lots the property was
bought and the plans changed. The matured
Building and Loan shares
made a good start on the cost.
"Dr. Carl E. Person coming from the Englewood Church, Chicago, Illinois, was the next pastor, starting Feb. 15, 1926. He was a thoroughly consecrated minister and a practical preacher, who served the congregation well during the most difficult period of the depression in the 1930s. Accepting a call to the Laurelhurst Church, Portland, Oregon, he closed his work here April 30, 1937."
Dr. Henry Orr Lietman was the next pastor, coming from the Ravenswood Church, Chicago Illinois, installed Nov. 3, 1937. During his pastorate a parsonage was purchased at 212 North 18th Street, and the window in the front of the church sanctuary added. He started the devotional booklet, The Garden of Prayer, which has done much to encourage family worship in many churches. .... It was during his ministry that rotary eldership was started, permission was given for the choir to wear robes, and the Psalter-Hymnal and Bible Songs Hymnal were first used. He accepted a call to the Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Church and left Feb.28, 1948. .... At the close of Dr. Lietman's pastorate the church thought it best to sell the 18th Street parsonage for $12,500.oo and buy the present parsonage at 600 S. 16th St. This cost was about $21,000.oo."
"To succeed Dr. Lietman the church was fortunate to secure the services of Dr. Clair E. Hawthorne, who was closing his 25 years of work at Wallace Memorial Church of Washington, D. C. Although coming from a big city church, both Dr. and Mrs. Hawthorne had been raised in the Taylor-Ringgold area of southwest Iowa. both were graduates of Tarkio College and his early ministry was spent in Iowa Synod. Excellent bible students they brought us a new and wonderful interest in the beauty and power of the Holy Scripture. Their concern for the children of Clarinda resulted in the buying of a used bus to bring them to Sabbath School. This aroused an interest of other churches and busses were purchased by the Pentecostal and Holiness congregations for the same purpose." While this service was abandoned by Trinity by 1973, it helped spread the gospel to parts of Clarinda. "The Youth Club and Junior Church were used to advance the work."
Toward the close of their pastorate Dr. Hawthorne was offered the opportunity to go to the Holy Land as Chaplain of a tour group. ..... Dr. Hawthorne resigned and closed the pastorate here Dec. 30, 1956."
"Dr. J.D. Almes, pastor of the First United Presbyterian Church of Wichita, Kansas,
accepted the call to 
come to Clarinda and was installed May 1, 1957.
..... About a year after his coming to Clarinda, the United
Presbyterian Church of North America of which this congregation was a part,
united with the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America thus
becoming a member of the United Presbyterian Church U.S.A. However,
since there was a Presbyterian Church U.S.A. in Clarinda and since each church
was known as the "First" it was necessary to change our
name. The former First Presbyterian chose the name
"Westminster" and the First United Presbyterian by vote of the
congregation chose "Trinity". This also necessitated a new
incorporation so the the rules of church government would follow those
established by the new denomination. Committees to write the new
constitution and by-laws were appointed and with the help of Attorney W.C.
Hemphill, ..... wrote the necessary Articles. These were submitted to a
congregational meeting October 17, 1962, and with some changes adopted. Shortly
after coming to Clarinda, Dr. Almes started publication of The Flood Light, a
mimeographed newsletter containing news and programs of Trinity church
work. It is sent to each church family monthly except during the
summer." Dr. Almes closed his ministry
here the last Sunday in January 1973.
In June of 1973 pastor Wayne Fisher came to Trinity, and was here until September of 1980. The bus ministry was re-activated during his pastorate.
Rev. Charles Bulger gave his first sermon at Trinity in October 1981, and served the church until April 24, 1994.
Pastor Mark Wright's first sermon at Trinity was Feb. 2, 1997, and he served until August 7, 2005.
Rev. Charles Bulger is now back at Trinity filling in as pastor on an interim basis.
The church now (in 2006) has a 7 passenger van in place of the original bus.
SABBATH SCHOOL
"The date of the starting of the church Sabbath School is not known. We do know that this has been an important part of the church since the early years. For a long while there was but one superintendent who handled all the classes. Later, the departments were divided with a superintendent for each and all directed by the general superintendent."
"Although conduct of the Sabbath School has changed with changing times, the study of the Bible is the main center of teaching. And, we hope this will always continue. The spiritual and moral instruction is given that is often lacking in the home and public schools. And these are a must for both church and country."
MUSIC
"Music has been a part of worship from ages past. The early songs of the Reformation were from the Psalms. The early music was sung from Psalm books with metrical verses but no music, led by a precentor who used a pitch fork. Since there was no printed music the number of tunes was limited and often a new tune had a difficult time getting started as the old tunes were better known. The old tunes were sometimes called: "The Seven Tunes God gave Scotland". No date can be found for the first choir or the first organ. The latter came likely in the late (18)90's and is said to have been slipped into the church on Saturday evening. One aged member is said to have turned around and walked out when he saw it. The choir was not approved either and there were some protests over anthems."
"The present pipe organ was installed in 1925."
Information source - the Trinity Centennial booklet compiled in 1964
(direct quotes from booklet are in Quotation marks, text without quotation marks is paraphrased.)
ŠTrinity Presbyterian Church 1964
