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OUR STORY

Nappanee First Brethren Church-local church history

Evangelists (some of whom are pictured below) sent out in behalf of the Brethren church came to Milford and Gravelton where there were Brethren churches. As early as May 14, 1885 these evangelists came to Nappanee to hold services. For several years brethren services were held only on occasion. Then on February 6, 1888 the Brethren church class met at the home of the Guilford Leslie for perfecting the organization.

On May 24 1888, the Nappanee News gave this account: “The baptismal service of the progressive Dunkards that took place last week on turkey creek was well attended. Those baptized were: Mr. And Mrs. D.M. Best, Mr. And Mrs. Nick Arch and daughter, Miss Sadie Fraser, miss Etta Hunt, Miss Jesse Webster, and Miss Hattie Culp. Reverend A. A. Cober of Milford officiated.”

On July 15, 1896 plans were made to build a church. The two lots on which the church was built had been a saw mill and a cider mill. The new building was dedicated on February 28, 1897. (pictured at right) The membership at that time was 55 with average Sunday school attendance of 80.

In 1910 a building program to enlarge the exterior of the church was undertaken with dedication of the remodeled church held on January 22, 1911. (see below)

1922 saw the beginning of the Brethren Retreat movement at Shipshewana and First Brethren dismissed services on July 9 in favor of that opening day.

The 1920s and 30s saw the start of two very important characteristics that continue in this local body to this very day: The sending of missionaries from this congregation and a hunger for news of how Brethren were reaching the world for Christ. In 1927 two members of the congregation were serving as missionaries in India: Frieda Price Stoffer and Harvey W. Becknell. (In case you are interested, the membership in 1927 was listed as 547.) On January 27, 1938 Rev. Charles F. Yoder, Missionary to South America and a well-respected Brethren writer, spoke at First Brethren. C. F. Yoder’s book God’s Means of Grace was the most important volume written by the Brethren during this time period.

The conflicts that marked the late 1930s and early 1940s had a profound impact on the congregation. The reality of World War II affected the whole country and the divide with the Grace Brethren churches also took a toll. In 1943 the church minutes were taken to the court house in Goshen to protect church property (pictured below) from schism from the Grace Brethren Church.

Then an event happened that drastically impacted the congregation. “About 5:00 in the morning of February 13, 1945, fire was discovered in the south wing of the old church, and although fireman and others were soon on the ground, it was seen that the building and all contents were doomed. Records, equipment library, musical instruments, everything was destroyed. Under the inspiring leadership of Rev. J. Milton Bowman, the Brethren with singleness of heart and purpose, worked (and I do mean worked) to erect this new brick and stone edifice (at the corner of Locke and Walnut streets) of modernistic architecture and design, with all the equipment of a modern building. This fireproof structure in 36 x 108 feet with an L-shaped wing 40 x 42 feet.” The building (pictured below) was dedicated to the service of the Lord on June 27, 1948.

Sunday school and Christian education have historically been part of the fabric of this local body. In 1948 the average Sunday school attendance was 263 and remained at that level for the next 2 decades even while worship attendance was substantially lower. In 1963 the congregation supported the founding of the Bible teaching in the public schools under Nappanee Committee for religious Education (release day-time). In 1985 the Awana program was started for supplemental Bible training of the children of the church and community.

Ministry beyond the local context became a trait during the late 20th century as pastors of the congregation engaged in writing and service to be Brethren denomination. Pastor Alvin Shifflet (pictured at right) published his book The Blue Jeans Theology of James while serving as pastor of this congregation. Virgil Meyer went from pastoring First Brethren to serving on the staff of Ashland Theological Seminary. Virgil Ingraham took the reigns of leadership of Brethren missions upon completing his ministry in Nappanee. Ken Hunn went from Senior Pastor to accept the call the Brethren Church as Executive Director in 2003 (see picture below of current building on day First Brethren commissioned Ken to his new assignment).

Being stewards of all that God has given, including some of our best young men and women and giving them unto the Lord, has continued through the years. These include:

• Charles Kraft and his wife, Marguerite (daughter of former pastor J. Milton Bowman) to missions (Africa in 1956) [Currently Chuck is on the faculty of Fuller Seminary and a well known author of books of missions and spiritual warfare.]

• Waldo Gaby was called to the ministry (1959).

• Randal Best received a call to Christian ministry (called in 1967 & ordained 1976) [Randy served Brethren congregations in Pittsburgh, PA and Stockton, CA as well as service at Riverside Christian School in Lost Creek, KY.]

• Phillip Hershberger was ordained 1968.

• Brad Hardesty received a call to Christian ministry in 1982 [Brad served Brethren congregations in Milledgeville, IL and Winding Waters/Elkhart, IN and is currently serving in the Church of the Brethren.]

• Mike Kupke was commissioned to jail ministry in 1984 [Mike continues to serve as chaplain for the Elkhart county Jail and is one of the Mission Partners ministries of the congregation.]

• John Maust of Media Associates International [John continues to serve as President of this organization training writers to share the Gospel effectively – another one of our Mission partners ministries.]

• Scott Ailes received a call to ministry in 2002 [Scott served for a year at Crossroads Community Church in Bradenton, FL.]

• Bart Shaw received a call to ministry in 1997 and in 2005 was called back to this congregation to serve as Pastor of Nurture & Discipleship.

• Blair Baumgartner served for a year on the mission field in northern India with Pioneers in 2004 and now serves as a youth pastor in Southern California where he is also a full time student at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA.

• Ben and Leah Pippen are responding to a call to attend Ashland Theological Seminary (2005)In the summer of 2008 Ben will begin serving the St. James, MD Brethren Church as Associate Pastor.

1984 saw the beginning of the process to build a new church on the north side of town, across form the High School in order to accommodate the growth of the congregation and its ministry. Ground breaking and land dedication was held for this move and project after services on the new site on Easter Sunday, April 3, 1988. The congregation moved into the facility and it was dedicated to the Lord on June 11, 1989.

Nappanee First Brethren Church • 1600 North Main Street, Nappanee, Indiana 46550 • Office (574) 773-4252 • Fax (574) 773-3928

© 2010 Nappanee First Brethren Church