Tingley U. Presbyterian Church celebrates 125th Year, 2008

GIESE, BRANTNER, BEESLEY, MORRISON, GORDON, SKARDA, PATCH, DOLLISON, LININGER, BERAN, EPPINGER, KINTON, WEEDA, STEPHENS, IDE, WHITE, LECHTENBERGER, FERGUSON, FRANCIS, LONG, REED, VOGT, DAHL, MARKMAN, WEBBER, MOSBY, KOEHLER, HAWKINS, GALLGHER, HARVEY, TEIG, MERCER, BRANDES, REED, EIGHEME, WEBB, SHAY, BOYD

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 7/17/2012 at 06:03:07

Mount Ayr Record News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa

Tingley United Presbyterian Church
celebrates 125th anniversary September 14, 2008

The Tingley United Presbyterian Church celebrated its 125th year on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008 with 71 persons celebrating together in worship, dinner and fellowship.

The church was organized July 1, 1883 with 15 members. The congregation increased in membership quite rapidly and on May 26, 1896 it numbered 251 communicants. Sabbath school attendance in 1907 averaged 140-150 each week. Ten separate classes met in every corner of the building.

Early services were held in the schoolhouse, the Christian church and the Methodist church. On August 12, 1888, land was purchased for the new building. Construction was started in 1888 and finished in 1889. The bell for the steeple was to be of material to weigh not more than 600 pounds. The church building was dedicated on Sunday, February 3, 1889, entirely free of debt. Many of the members came to the services by horses and buggies, wagons, saddle horses and sleighs.

Member of the Shannon City United Presbyterian Church came to Tingley for worship during the winters of 1958 and 1959. In 1960 the two congregations united. In January 1965 Tingley was yoked with the First United Presbyterian Church of Mount Ayr and was known as the Ringgold United Presbyterian Parish. Platte Center Presbyterian Church joined Tingley and Mount Ayr in January 1995 and became Faith Presbyterian Parish. The Mount Ayr Church left the Faith Presbyterian Parish on November 1, 2004, leaving the Platte Center and Tingley churches as members of the Faith Presbyterian parish. On January 22, 2006 the congregation voted to join with the Platte Center Presbyterian Church and the United Church of Diagonal in becoming the United Faith Parish.

On May 1, 2008, the Rev. Bruce GIESE became pastor of the United Faith Parish.

For the 125th celebration, two former pastors, Rev. Karl BEESLEY and Rev. Pete BRANTNER and spouses -- several who had filled the pulpit during the search for a new pastor and Rev. John BERAN, who moderated the session, were also present. Pete BRANTNER and Karl BEESLEY assisted Pastor Bruce GEISE with the worship service. Donna MORRISON and Becky GORDON played the organ and piano for the worship service.

A bountiful meal at the community building was catered by Wagon Wheel Cafe. This was followed by a program of celebration of what God was and is doing in and through the ministry of this congregation. Member Peggy SKARDA accompanied Dave PATCH of Ellston who sang two songs -- one to begin and another to end the celebration program. Pastors, present and through letters, shared how it was a blessing to serve as well as grow during their ministries there.

Several others shared the impact the church had on their lives, as well as members of their family. One shared how her son came home from church one morning and said he was going to become a pastor and he did. Another member sited (sic) the impact of the church and its Sunday school teachers upon her life.

Diane and Joe DOLLISON of Polk City and the Ankeny church, presented a framed quilted picture of the church which Diane had made. The DOLLISONS often spent weekend at Sun Valley Lake and worship with the church when they are in the area.

Those attending were as follows: Pastor Bruice GIESE and Shirley LININGER of Diagonal; Rev. John BERAN and Rev. Pete and Kim BRANTNER of Lenox; Dr. Priscilla EPPINGER of Lamoni; Pastor Doris KINTON, Margie and David PATCH of Ellston; Phyllis WEEDA of Des Moines; Keith and Twilla LININGER, Ruby STEPHENS, Richard IDE, Eloise WHITE, Curt and Terry LININGER of Shannon City.

Gay Lou and Dick LECHTENBERGER, Sierra WHITE, Shirley Ruth IDE, Ann and Dale FERGUSON, Vonda LONG, Susan and Steve WHITE, Jim and Marilyn FRANCIS and Norma FRANCIS of Creston; Joe and Diane DOLLISON of Polk City; Don Ella REED, Donna MORRISON and John MORRISON of Mount Ayr; Ken and Marcella VOGT of Nevada;

Kim, Ethan and Emeline DAHL, Annie MARKMAN and Kathy WEBBER of Olathe, KS; Karl and Barb BEESLEY of Linwood, KS; Roberta Mary Jan MOSBY of Gretna, NE; Becky GORDON of Fayette, MO; Quita and David KOEHLER and Kelle and Sandi Jo HAWKINS of Winterset; Michael, Michelle and Emma GALLGHER, Gabriel HARVEY and Mary LININGER of Cumming;

Rich and Judy TEIG of Norwalk; Gary FERGUSON of Baxter; Lori and Richard MERCER of Kellerton; Phyllis REED BRANDES, Hancock; Frank and Marilyn EIGHEME of Arispe; Norma and Bill WEBB, Brandi, Addison and Adden SHAY, Elbert and Peggy SKARDA and Mildred BOYD of Tingley.

Photograph by Sharon R. Becker, July of 2012
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, July of 2012

Ringgold Documents maintained by Tony Mercer.
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