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The city of Olathe was founded during the
troubled times preceding the Civil War. In 1858, Jeanette Chapin, a
widow from Virginia, came to Olathe. Together with the Reverend I.C.
Beach, she supported the founding of a New School Presbyterian Church.
(Her name is on the plaque below the organ, which is dedicated to her).
On October 20, 1858, a loan of $450 was secured and a mortgage was
signed by four men, one of whom was S.R. Forrest. He was the great
uncle of Helen Voigts, a present member of this congregation. Less than
a year later the church became the quarters for the local company of
Union soldiers.
Anger developed between the Old School
and the New School Presbyterians. Border warfare caused a drop in
population. Quantrill's Band raided Olathe, during which a soldier was
shot to death in our first church building because he would not wake up
on order to do so. By war's end, only 520 people still lived in the
town. The church was barely alive, and the Minutes of Presbytery in
1867 stated, "The church at Olathe must be stricken from the roll."
Five members of the New School Church split from the Old School Church
and formed the Congregational Church in October of 1865.
On October 8, 1865, Leavenworth
Presbytery missionary Reverend Willson formed the First Presbyterian
Church with 18 signing the charter. With $500 from Presbytery and
individual contributions, a $1900 building was erected on North Cherry.
The first services were held on June 1, 1866.
Christmas of 1867 sounded over the town
with our bell, the only one in Olathe at the time. It cost $219.08 and
was cast in Troy, New York. The bell currently rests on the church's
front lawn.
Communion was being served from a
pitcher, glasses, and a bottle. A member of the congregation suggested
to some girls in a Philadelphia school that they purchase linen and a
communion service for the Olathe Church. This service is displayed in a
case at the front of the Sanctuary.
In 1897, the church bought a site at
Loula and Kansas Avenue for $900. On February 6, 1898, a building
costing $6,000 was dedicated, with two of the original charter members
still attending. This building was used until June 29, 1958, when the
congregation moved into our present Fellowship Hall (Julien Hall) for
services. Less that three years later, on January 14, 1961, the
congregation entered a new sanctuary with the Reverend Ted Sperduto in
the pulpit. The Sanctuary was dedicated on January 29, 1961.
The education unit was finished and
dedicated on March 7, 1965.
In 1974 the Sanctuary was enlarged by
moving out the walls. At the time there were 1,174 members to sing, "O
For A Thousand Tongues to Sing" at the dedication, under the Reverend
Robert Baxter as minister. Also in 1974, our first Youth Minister went
on staff.
During the late 1970's the office wing
was added, paid for by contributions of money, materials, and labor by
members of the congregation, under the direction of the Marvin Allen
family.
On December 11, 1977, the congregation
split. Associate Pastor Bud Stanfield elected to stay and was shepherd
to an ever-growing flock until his retirement December 31, 1980. Bud
has been honored as Associate Pastor Emeritus, and continues to serve
the church through teaching a Sunday School class and offering ministry
assistance.
In November of 1978, Dr. Raymer B. Matson
answered our call with the announced intention of helping to lead our
congregation back into responsible membership in the Presbyterian
Church without compromising our evangelical integrity. In June 1981,
The Reverend Alex P. Ayers III answered the call of the congregation to
serve as Associate Pastor.
A total indebtedness of $710,000 was
incurred through mortgages for the erection of our present church
facilities. These mortgages, starting in 1957, were completely paid off
June 30, 1990. A symbolic burning of the mortgage took place at the
125th Anniversary Service on October 7, 1990.
In 1985 the church hired its first
Director of Children's Ministry.
In 1991, Pastor Matson accepted another
call. Alex Ayers assumed interim responsibilities until 1992, when he
received another call. Rev. Charles Legvold was called as our pastor in
March 1993 and he served this congregation for nearly seven years. Rev.
John-Nelson Pope was pastor for two years, February 2001 - February
2003. The Rev. Barry Anderson served for two years as Interim Pastor.
On October 8, 2005 we celebrated our
140th Anniversary with a community concert featuring Leon Patillo. On
Sunday, October 9, Mayor Michael Copeland presented the congregation
with a Proclamation from the City of Olathe. Rev. Henry Roberts was our
preacher that day, which was also the last worship service held in the
sanctuary as the remodel project began the next day.
The Rev. Mark Hawke began ministry here
on February 19, 2006, the same Sunday we returned to our remodeled
Sanctuary.
On Sunday, September 24, 2006, we
celebrated the completion of the Sanctuary remodel with a special
dedication service and organ recital featuring Carolyn Steele, resident
organist. Contemporary and Classic Church Organ Co. had designed
an integration of the existing Reuters Pipe Organ with a Rodgers Custom
Organ, the console having been formerly located in Carnegie Hall.
As we look back over our church's
history, we thank God for all the consecrated men and women that He
guided in their faith and works. His continuing guidance makes it
possible for our church to carry on our service for the advancement of
the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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