| LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA |  |
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| LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA | |
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Columbus Junction, Iowa
Transcribed by Beverly Gerdts, August 3, 2016
The Independent Bible Church of Columbus Junction was organized in October, 1941. The new Church held its first service on November 16,1941, with Reverend J. Lynn Pace officiating. That first service was held in the west room of the Community Building and it was soon necessary to meet in a larger room in the building.
The name ”Independent Bible Church” was carefully chosen. “Independent” means locally owned and governed and free of any ecclesiastical body. “Bible” in the name indicates that the Church is founded on the Bible and the Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. “Church” in the name refers to a body of believers of like precious faith who worship together.
Some of the first members of the Church were Mr. and Mrs. George Jarrard; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Jarrard; Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Lutz; Reverend and Mrs. J. Lynn Pace; Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bausch, Sr.; Mr. and Mrs. John Coffin; Mrs. John Delzell, and Leuna and Florence Delzell. Other members who came into the Church a few weeks later included Misses Bessie and Nellie Moore; and Mrs. Frank Moore, and Burdette, Lyle, Margery, and Dorothy Moore.
On April 28, 1943, the Church was officially received into the fellowship of the Independent Fundamental Churches of America (IFCA).
A Parsonage, located at 401 Locust Street, was purchased and modernized in 1944.
On the evening of November 2, 1948, the Independent Bible Church Board met with a committee from the Iowa Synod of the Evangelical and Reformed Church to purchase their Church building and parsonage. The purchase price was $7,250.
The Church building was constructed around 1884 by the Evangelical Association. An Evangelical Reformed Group that was organized in the community in 1861 by the Reverend J. H. Buser purchased the building in 1891 while Reverend J. C. Beade was the pastor.
In 1934 the Church building was moved east to an adjacent lot and placed on a new foundation to make way for the construction of highway 92.
The first service in the building that was the new home of the Independent Bible Church congregation was held on November 7, 1948. Two hundred people were in attendance to enjoy the service that observed the seventh anniversary of their Church.
In 1954 the former Evangelical and Reformed Church parsonage was sold to Mrs. Bessie Lee and moved.
In 1962 a new parsonage was built by Arthur Madsen and the old parsonage located at 401 Locust Street was sold.
A number of improvements have been made to the Church building since it was purchased in 1948. In 1955 a balcony and classrooms were constructed. A dedication service was held on June 19, 1955, with Reverend Nye J. Langmade, National Executive Secretary of the Independent Fundamental Churches of America serving as the guest speaker. A new organ was purchased and dedicated in 1966. A new kitchen was completed and the basement was carpeted in 1981. Two new gas furnaces and an air conditioning system were installed in September, 1986
Building improvements of historical interest are noted in Church records. The Church bell, formerly used in the St. Paul’s Church, was installed in April, 1918. In November, 1941, the Aurora glass windows were purchased by Miss Musa Todd in memory of her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth J. Todd, who was a charter member of the Evangelical Reformed Church. Mrs. Elizabeth Todd was the youngest sister of Hiram W. Bliven who was a great –grandfather of Helen Aringdale. The E.P. Shellabarger Drug Store donated money to pay for the installation of the windows.
For many years the Church held and all-day anniversary Bible Conference in November, and at other times in connection with evangelistic meetings and missionary conferences. A number of pastors, missionaries and laymen spoke at these well attended meetings at which the Church ladies served meals. When these conferences were in session a children’s meeting was held after school in at the Community Building. Over 100 children attended many if these meetings.
Mrs. Floyd Pine started the children’s Bible Club meetings which were later taken over by Mrs. Vernon Chatfield.
Two ordination services have been held in the Church. Reverend Enoch Sanford was accepted into the ministry on August 16, 1948 and Reverend Paul Schwarze was ordained on January 25, 1955.
| Reverend J. Lynn Pace | 1941-1943 |
| Reverend W. L. Sanford | Feb. 1944-June 19,1955 |
| Reverend George V. Neal | June 1955-June 1959 |
| Reverend Walter E. Wulff | 1959-1966 |
| Reverend W. LaRoy Anderson | Nov. 1966- Aug. 1980 |
| Reverend James Douglass | Sep. 1980-Oct. 1982 |
| Reverend Don Clenney | Feb. 1983-Apr. 1984 |
| Reverend Larry Bronkema | Aug. 1984-May 1988 |
| Reverend Rovert Thomas | Nov. 1988- |
| Reverend George A Brown | Supply pastor from time to time |
Several Independent Bible Church people have, or are, serving as missionaries. The first missionary from the Church, named in November, 1950, was Miss Margery Moore, who served in India and later in Taiwan. A few years later her sister, Dorothy, and husband, Paul…
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… Schwarze and family went to Borneo. They had a son, Stephen Schwarze and family who served in the Philippine Islands.
Miss Marilyn Bausch became a missionary in Florida in 1974, and her brother, Philip Bausch and family have served as missionaries in Belgium.
Miss Mary Schneider (later Mrs. James Rees of Tipton, Iowa) was a missionary in Ireland until she resigned due to ill health.
Several of the pastor’s children have also served as missionaries or pastors. Monard Sanford was a pastor. John Sanford and his family were missionaries in the Belgian Congo, the Philippine Islands, and in Zaire, Africa. Enoch Sanford and wife, Marjorie Woodruff Sanford were missionaries in Cuba and Ecuador. Lynn Sanford and family served in Venezuela and David Sanford and family were missionaries in Ecuador.
Following the sudden death of Reverend W. L Sanford on July 11,1957, his widow was in Ecuador, Venezuela and the Philippine Islands from 1957 to 1970 serving as a teacher in a missionary children’s schools. She died on May 15, 1978 at the age of 90 years and six days.
John Sanford was killed in a plane accident in the Belgian Congo in 1973 and his widow, Ferne, then went with the children to the Rift Valley Academy in Kenya where she was a teacher and house-mother for several years. In 1991 she was working with widow women in Uganda and Kenya, Africa.
When Reverend and Mrs. George Neal and family left the pastorate in Columbus Junction they spent several years in the Little Mountain Mission in Little, Kentucky. One of their daughters, Jean and husband Phil Thomson, and family, served as missionaries in Arizona.
Paul Wulff became a pastor.
Dr. Daniel Anderson was inaugurated as President of the Appalachian Bible College in Bradley, West Virginia on October 14, 1983. His sister, Judy, with husband John Jueckstock, and son Jordan, left in August, 1991 to be missionaries in Italy.
Other people from the Independent Bible Church have been pastor’s wives and teachers in Christian schools, and many other missionaries, Bible Colleges, and other Christian organizations have been partially supported by the local Church. The first nursing home services provided by the Independent Bible Church were held at Restopia in Columbus Junction on October 5, 1960. Services were later provided to the Morning Sun Manor, the Phares Nursing Home near Lone Tree, and the Louisa County Home. In 1991 services were being held at Colonial Manor in Columbus Junction, at Morning Sun Manor and at the Louisa County Care Facility.
The Church started its “Bible Echoes” Sunday morning broadcasts on radio station KCII in Washington, Iowa on March 31,1963. These broadcasts were continued until December, 1965 when they stopped due to rising costs.
On March 28,1953 eight women of the Church met to organize the Christian Missionary Fellowship. On April 7,1953 the Fellowship elected the following officers: Mrs. Betty Chatfield, President; Mrs. Adeline Bausch, Vice President; Mrs. Georgia Jarrard, Secretary; Mrs. Harriet Walter, Treasurer; and Mrs. Lillian Kottkamp, Pianist. At the June meeting Mrs. W. L. Grupe spoke about a trip to Africa to visit missionaries. Early members of the fellowship included Dorothy Van Sant, Jennie Hopkins, Mildred Smith, betty Chatfield, Alta Lukins, Lillian Kottkamp, Martha Moore, Harriet Walter, Georgia Jarrard, Fannie Jarrard, Mildred Lutz, Leona Crull, Adeline Bausch, Rosetta Bass, Rosabelle Wagoner and Mrs. Sanford. The ladies did much sewing for the missionaries and for children in orphanages and provided other support for the missionaries. They also made cookies for nursing home residents and had specials services for them during the holiday season at year-end. On April 3, 1979 the Fellowship Group voted to stop holding regular meetings.
The young people of the Church formed an “Ambassador” group that for several years helped support the missionaries and other Church projects.
During the Columbus Junction centennial observance in 1974 the Church served free dinners on two days to the highway patrolmen and the police officers who were helping with the celebration.
On July 4, 1976, a special service was held at the Church to observe the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. All those people present rang the Church bell following the service.
Many Bible College groups have presented musical programs in the Independence Bible Church.
A special event was noted in June, 1978, when all 14 children of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bausch were home together for the first time in their lives.
Every member of the Independent Bible Church congregation is thankful for all the faithful members who have served the Church in various capacities and they pray that all members will continue faithful until the Lord returns.
The 50th anniversary of the Independent Bible Church of Columbus Junction was a memorable occasion on Saturday and Sunday, November 16 and 17, 1991.
On Saturday an all-day meeting of the Iowa Region of Inpendent Fundamental Churches of America was held at the Church. Reverend Henry Heijermans, president of the Fellowship of Missions, gave three Bible messages during the day on the theme of “Missions” and told about conditions in the European area where he had been a missionary. Two other missionaries present also gave short talks: Paul Schwarze, a recently retired ….
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…missionary in Borneo; and Skip Britton, who is with the Trans World Radio. There were about 50 present.
On Saturday Evening the anniversary services began at 6:30 p.m., with former pastor W. LaRoy Anderson bringing the message. Special music was provided by Mrs. Julie Peterson and Mrs. Nancy Chilton. The anniversary theme was “ Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”
On Sunday morning the messages were given by former pastors Walter E. Wulff and George V. Neal. In the afternoon various people read letters from missionaries; the Allen Pierschbacher family, Wendell and Florence Ann Hayden, Miss Marilyn Bausch, Mrs. Ferne Sanford, Enoch and Marjorie Sanford, and Dr. Daniel Anderson, president of Appalachian Bible College.
Telephone greetings were received from Philip Anderson in Oregon, and from Judy Anderson Jueckstock and family in Italy.
Four former missionaries from the local Church were present and spoke of their work. Speakers included Phillip Bausch, Miss Margery Moore, the first missionary from the church, who told about attending the first service at the church; and Mrs. Dorothy Schwarze, who told of early memories of the church and of her missionary work.
Special music during the afternoon was by Leonard Chatfield and Gary Bausch, who sang a song written by Frank Barnhart many years ago; and by Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Chatfield.
There were several people present who had attended the first service of the church in Columbus Community Building on November 16, 1941. A number of them gave testimonies and remembrances. The afternoon closed with a message by the first pastor of the Church, J Lynn Pace.
Former pastors and missionaries present were Pastor J. Lynn Pace of Red Bluff, California; Pastor and Mrs. George V. Neal of Osceola; Pastor and Mrs. Walter E. Wulff of Owensville, Missouri; Pastor and Mrs. W. LaRoy Anderson of Red Oak, Iowa; Miss Margery Moore of Davenport; Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schwarze of Rock City, Illinois; and Phillip Bausch and sons, Jeremy and James of Mount Pleasant. Mrs. Pace and Mrs. Bausch and Lois were unable to attend due to illness.
Pastor and Mrs. George Brown of Fort Madison were present on Saturday. Many former members and friends attend.
The meals for both days were served by the church ladies.
A church history was written by Helen Aringdale.
Picture: Adult Sunday School. Front pew Brother Hartford Patterson, Leonard Chatfield. 2nd pew Helen Aringdale, Steven Bausch. 3rd pew Douglas Chatfield, Dawn England, Samantha England, Pastor Robert Thomas. Last pew Jim Bower, Mildred Smith, and Raymond Smith.
Picture: Youth Sunday school classes and teachers – March 1993. Front row: Samantha England, Anna Boyd, Jennifer Hammons, Billie Nelson, Ruth Thomas. Back row: Carol Chatfield, Dawn Boyd, Krista Nelson, Tiffannee Hammons, Sally Bausch, Joan Thomas.
Picture: Evangelical Reform Church members: (Before the Independent Bible Church was organized) Musa Todd, Hattie Browning, Blanche Lewis, ---, Jetta Knot, ---, ---, Callie Meridith, Stella Hall??, Elsie Gabriel.
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Picture: Evangelical Reform Church Sunday School: (Before the Independent Bible Church was organized). Musa Todd (on left). Jetta Knott (with turban). Children.
Picture: (L to R) Pastor and Mrs. Robert Thomas and baby Ruth, Reverend J Lynn Pace, Reverend and Mrs. George Neal, Reverend and Mrs. W. LaRoy Anderson at the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Independent Bible Church on November 16, 1991.
Picture: (L to R) Paul and Dorothy Schwarze and Margery Moore (sisters). The first missionaries from the Independent Bible Church, the three served in that capacity for over 30 years.
Picture: Reformed Ladies Aid Society at work. 1908
Picture: Independent Bible Church, Col. Jct.
Picture: Rev. & Mrs. W L Sanford, 1944-1955