Hickory Grove Advent Church
BROWN, MARSHALL, BIXLER, FILLMORE, GLENDENNING, HUGHES, RICHARDS, NEAL, BAKER, EWING, SHIELDS
Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 6/23/2009 at 02:10:23
HICKORY GROVE ADVENT CHURCH
Middle Fork Township, Ringgold County, Iowa
In the late 1860's, Mrs. Susan BROWN, a widow, arrived from Indiana with her children, settling on the land where the Hickory Grove school would be built later. A deeply devout woman, Mrs. BROWN often held church meeting in her home. When the weather permitted, the congregation held services in the hickory grove near the BROWN home. After the Hickory Grove school was built, the congregation met in the schoolhouse.
In 1888 when Reverend Ferd WATKINS was the minister, the Hickory Grove Church was built on land donated by Isaac MARSHALL. When the church was dedicated on January 13, 1889, the church was free of debt.
Elder R. A. BIXLER became the pastor in 1897. He sought to bring an organ into the church, a proposal which was met with some opposition. Some members of the congregation didn't believe in the use of musical instruments for religious services. Elder BIXLER won out and those who had opposed the placement of an organ soon agreed that it was a nice addition to church services.
With the arrival of Elder H. D. FILLMORE to the pulpit in 1901, the congregation decided that the FILLMORE family should be provided with a parsonage. Once again Isaac MARSHALL donated land adjoining to the church and cemetery [which had been established in 1889]. The parsonage was completed by February of 1902.
One member of the congregation, Tommie GLENDENNING, grew up to be Elder T. E. GLENDENNING. He filled the pulpit when Hickory Grove Church was between pastors.
Under the pastorate of C. A. HUGHES, Hickory Grove Church celebrated its golden anniversary on February 26, 1939.
Reverend Robert RICHARDS organized a gospel chior in the 1950's or 1960's. Known as the Gospel Singers, they preformed at the Iowa State Fair on various occasions. The Women's Home and Foreign Missions was organized in the 1960's, meeting every two weeks at the homes of the members.
From the 1960's through the 1980's, Dennis NEAL was Hickory Grove's pastor. In the 1990's, Albert BAKER and Dean EWING were the pastors.
On November 17, 2002, 113 guests attended Reverend Ed SHIELDS' Ordination Services. Rev. SHIELDS had been the pastor of the church since 1999.
Hickory Grove Advent Church located south of the intersection of County Road 310 and County Road 210, approximately 8 miles southwest of Redding, Middle Fork Township, Iowa.
SOURCES:
Mount Ayr Record-News, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa. July 1, 2005.AVITT, Mike. Pages and Pictures from the Past . . . Ringgold County, Iowa: 1885-2005 p. 37. Paragon Publications, Inc. Mount Ayr, Iowa. 2009.
Photographs by Sharon R. Becker, May 22, 2009
Submitted by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2009
Hickory Grove Advent Church
Ringgold Documents maintained by Tony Mercer.
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