The Building of the Church In January 1911, the citizens of the Metz Community deemed it necessary to have a church in the neighborhood. The first minutes on January 3, 1911, called to order by Rev. N.G. Thomas, states that a motion was made to call the new church METZ BAPTIST CHURCH. The first board was: George Hitchler, William Brock, Charles Emmack, Elmer Emmack, Herbert Tharp. [All but Tharp are buried in the Sugar Grove Cemetery] On January 31, 1911, the church approved the committee to try to secure a lot from Mrs. Sara Spain as first choice for the location of the church. Second choice was the lot offered by T.J. Kating. The Spain lot was purchased for $150.00 On February 4, 1911, J. Crawford and one assistant were hired to oversee building of the new church. Costs of building the church Chairs: $250.00 Lumber Bill: $924.61 Carpenter work: $267.75 Furnace: $185.00 Piano: $25.00 Cement Work: $172.00 Total bill to build the church was $2,477.79 The church was dedicated on June 3 & 4, 1911. The program began on Saturday evening with a song service and a sermon titled, Faith In God. Sunday services lasted all day long and into the evening. The theme of the dedication sermon was: A Glorious Church. Two other sermons were also given that day. Rev. Thomas left the church later that year and Rev. Coppoc became the pastor and served until May 1913. Rev. L. B. Pruitt served as minister from Fall of 1913 until August 1914. The Young Peoples Organization On Sunday evening, March 5, 1911, the young people of the neighborhood voted to organize a B.Y.P.U. (Baptist Young Peoples Union). Thirty-one young people were at the meeting and signed up for membership. They met each Sunday afternoon and held a business meeting. After the business meeting, they took turns leading the lesson. The entry on November 12, 1911 the secretary writes this about the lesson: "The case against the saloon was discussed and some very pathetic stories were told of the ruin that liquor has done." Other topics discussed were: The literature and publication work in China Lessons from Great Lives Mission work in the West Indies The evangelization of Mexico Christian Virtues - Generosity The kind of life we shall wish we had lived How can we enrich our Sabbaths Jesus prays for his followers What should Christian people think of their appearance What is Christian Common Sense The last entry in the book is may 31, 1941. No other books are to be found.  Metz Home Missionary Society The Metz Home Missionary Society began April 20, 1911. According to the records, the ladies met together at their homes to help make quilts for each other. Apparently each member paid .10 dues. The records indicate that they met all year long, even in the winter. As each quilt was finished the member paid the Society for the quilt. This was their way of raising money for different projects. From time to time, they purchased things for the church or helped pay off some item the church had bought. The last record in the book is April 4, 1918 but the last entry shows they approved buying a new secretaries book so assume they continued on. Freedom Bible Camp First mention of the Freedom Bible Camp is August 13, 1950. The records state that no services were held today as a group took basket dinners and went to Freedom Bible Camp at Chariton. Those attending camp were: Paul Lane, Benjamin Sample, Robert John Hitchler, Janice Clement, Mary Joan Selbher, Deanna Lane. Over the years, we've had many children attend Freedom Bible Camp and several who have served as Counselors over the years. Bob and Mabel McGowan are special couple from Metz Church that have put a lot of time into the Camp. Each year they spend a week at the camp cooking meals for the boys and girls. I know that Bob and Mabel also help with the clean up each year before camp starts.	Pastors Serving the Metz Church N. G. Thomas 1911 Rev. Copoc 1911 - 1913 L. B. Pruitt 1913 - 1914 L. R. Daley 1914 - 1916 C. H. Berry 1916 - 1917 M. Jones 1918 Mr. Smith 1921 Mr. Martin 1986 - 1987 Johnnie Kain 1950 - 1952 Charles Hawkins 1953 - 1954 Walter Martin 1957 - 1960 Neal Busker 1961 - 1962 LeRoy Kelderman 1962 - 1964 Jim Davidson 1964 - 1966 Harold Den Hartog 1966 - 1988 Gary Davis 1989 - 1990 Gerald Quick 1990 - 2000 American Sunday School Union Rev. H. L. Van Dellen 1919 - 1949 Lee Hutchinson 1949 - 1951 Robert Baker 1951 - 1953 Charles Burton 1953 - 1955 Bill Harringer 1955 - 1960 Clarence Hovan 1960 - 1969 Neal Alexander 1969 - 1986 Arvid Ellis 1986 - 2000 Missionaries Supported Sarah Bakker 1950 - Linda McGowan Panci 1971 - 2000   Rev. H. L. Van Dellen American Sunday School Union The first mention of an American Sunday School Missionary visiting Metz was May 11, 1919. That Missionary was Rev. H. L. Van Dellen and he resided in Pella. He served in this capacity until 1949. Miss Sara Bakker, Missionary The first record of Miss Sara Bakker is January 26, 1950 showing that she came and spoke to the church. Miss Bakker served on the mission field with the Sudan Interior Mission. She is now (1995) living in Pella, Iowa. Johnnie Kain, Pastor During Lee Hutchinson's service, Rev. Johnnie Kain came to Metz to serve as pastor of the church. First mention of the Kains indicate that in June of 1950, they would be conducting Bible School. Johnnie, his wife Helen, and two girls, Beverly and Mary served as pastor from 1950 through November 1952. Beverly, Joann, Beverly, Mary and Johnnie Kain Continue with more information on pastors and missionaries
Early Sunday School Records The first records for the Sunday School are June 14, 1914. However, I suspect that the Sunday School existed before that as the dedication program lists Herbert Tharp as the Superintendent and mentions the other officers. Records for these first years are not available. Marvel Clement told me she thought that they had been having Sunday School and Church services in the school house. The June 1914 records indicate that Georgia Emmack was the Superintendent. Teachers were George Hitchler, Edith Bell, Rev. Gregson. Rev. Gregson was no doubt a visiting minister Total attendance was 16. Collection was 37 cents. The Sunday School carried on and one year later we find Mrs. Rosa Clement the superintendent and the teachers were Katie Walker, Mr. Hitchler and Rev. Hass. Attendance was 20 and the collection was 32 cents. In the early years they often had only Sunday School and no church services. Sometimes the minister was shared by the Baptist Church in Newton. Others lived away from Newton and had to travel a distance to be here. Often times, especially in the winter or when the roads were bad, the minister did not make it. Rev. Pruitt left in the fall of 1914 and Rev. Daley began later that year and served until early 1916. Rev. Barry started sometime in 1916 and was still preaching in 1917. The last minutes recorded for the church was June 19, 1917. The next time records began for the church is in October, 1940. However, we do have records for the Sunday School during this period. By June of 1917, the Sunday School attendance has risen to 41 and Elmer Emmack was the superintendent. From the Sunday School records, we can tell that a Morgan Jones served as pastor of the church in 1918. The first mention of an American Sunday School Union Missionary visiting Metz was May 11, 1919. That Missionary was Rev. H. L. Van Dellen and he resided in Pella. He served in this capacity until 1949. During the years he served as our Sunday School missionary, he visited the church often. Marvel Hitchler Clement and Marjorie Hitchler Lane remember that he walked everywhere he went. In the early years, the Sunday School records indicated that Sunday School was held all year long. However, about the time Rev. Van Dellen came in 1919, records indicate that Sunday School was held only from about April to December of each year. Every spring Rev. Van Dellen would walk back to Metz and reorganize the Sunday School. In the minutes of November 18, 1956, we find that the death of Rev. Van Dellen was announced. Several times during the next years, a couple of ministers came and stayed a year or two and then moved on. Mr. Smith was at Metz in 1921 and Mr. Kirlin served in 1936 and 1937. The Sunday School actually sustained the church from about 1917 to 1950. Pastors, missionaries, or other groups would come and hold services from time to time and they often had a basket dinner after the services. One of the ministers who visited quite often was from Des Moines. His name was Rev. Clyde MacDonald. He also sold fuel oil to the farmers in the area. He must have been quite well known for I found in the Sunday School minutes where his death was announce and they decided to send flowers to his funeral. In 1925 Carrie Clement is the superintendent and the teachers are Mrs. Clara Lind, Mrs. George Hitchler, Mrs. Lewis Anthony and Mr. Homer Clement. Attendance was 43 and the collection was $1.97. Five years later in 1930 Lewis Anthony is superintendent with the teachers are Mrs. Homer Clement, Mr. Art Kenner, Mr. George Hitchler, Mrs. Viola Kenner. Attendance is down to 15 and the collection is $1.15. Another ten years down the road in 1940 we find Louis Dammeier is the superintendent and the teachers are Mrs. Homer Clement, Louis Dammeier and Elda Clement. Attendance is 32 and the collections is 89 cents.	Repairing God's House Records kick in again for the church and on October 10, 1940 we find that some of the members of the church met for the purpose of electing trustees for the church: Lewis Dammeier, Homer Clement, and George Selbher. Records state: "The object of this meeting was to elect officers to look after repairing the church." You can tell that some repair work was done by the bills that were paid the next four years. The records stop again in 1944. In 1945, the Sunday School is still active and holding the church together. Carrie Clement is the superintendent. However the teachers seem to vary from week to week. Attendance is 30 and the collection was $2.24. Our next church records fall into line here with a meeting on February 1, 1948. They met at the church for the purpose of making arrangements to repair the church. New trustees were Delmar Emmack, Phil Lane, and George Dammeier. Carl Clement and George Selbher were elected to act as a fund raising committee. Pledges were taken at the meeting and a total of $711 was pledged that day. According to the Sunday School minutes, the first recorded wedding performed in the church was Beverly Emmack and Richard Allfree on April 17, 1949. When Rev. H. L. Van Dellen left in 1949, Lee Hutchinson took his place as our American Sunday School missionary. Records indicate that Rev. Hutchinson first visited Metz on January 15, 1950. Lee served in this capacity until sometime in 1951. Church Molds Several Faiths If the Christmas spirit is alive anywhere this weekend, it will be in the small, wood-framed Metz Community Church. There a congregation of about 40 families will gather Sunday evening to celebrate the birth of Christ with singing and short plays by their children. What makes this country church exceptional is the congregation. Made up of Lutherans, Baptists, Methodists, and most of the other Protestant faiths, the members worship together under one roof every Sunday. That varied group, led by the Rev. Harold Den Hartog, worship at the church that sets atop a hill overlooking the small unincorporated village of Metz located southwest of Newton. Why would someone choose to attend a non-denominational church located miles off a paved road? Ruth Rutter attends the church with her husband and two children. Though she lives in Newton, Rutter says she jointed because of the friendliness her family found there. "It's a loving church," says Marvelyn Adams. "My family likes it because the congregations is like a big family. We support each other through problems and joy." Carl and Marvel Clement are natives of the Metz area and attended the church when it was originally Baptist and later Methodist. Marvel's grandfather was a founder of the church in 1911 when $2,444 was spent to build it. Most of the labor was donated and the lumber cost $924. In 1962 the Metz Community Church was formed. "We felt we needed a church here," says Marvel. "A Sunday School missionary helped us investigate the possibilities of a nondenominational community church. We have our own by-laws and constitution." The next step was getting a minister. The Clements say the Sunday school missionary told them of Harold Den Hartog, an active layman of the Central Reformed Church in Oskaloosa. "They were invited to the church and we all fell in love with them," say the Clements. For two years Den Hartog drove from Oskaloosa to perform services in Metz. He received his ordination through studies from the Evangelical Church Alliance. He and his wife, Evelyn, now live in Newton. "I felt that's what the Lord wanted me to do," says Den Hartog. "We had to accept the invitation." Currently the Metz church has about 40 families I its congregation, with an average of 80 to 90 people attending services every Sunday. It also has an active Sunday school. Most of the members come from Metz, Newton and Colfax areas. The Christmas services start at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in Metz. Den Hartog says the church welcomes anyone who would like to attend.
If you have old photos of stories of Metz, please send to Marvelyn Lane Adams at mladams@js-adams.com. I will be glad to give you credit for the submission. Thanks. Return to History of Metz Page Return to Metz Homepage Return to Jasper County GenWeb Pages Created Summer 2000. Updated for GenWeb September 2002