MUSCATINE COUNTY IOWA HISTORY

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Pictured Interior of Grace Reformed Church, Christmas 1908 – Courtesy of Blanche Kelley

The Grace United Church of Christ – Wilton, Iowa

Transcribed by Lynn McCleary, April 18, 2015

     Grace United Church of Christ was organized as the German Reformed Church with a congregation of 22 members, on Saturday, April 14, 1860 by Rev. Joshua Riale in the old school house on West 6th Street in Wilton. As this building was not well suited for religious services a lease was secured to hold worship every other Sunday in the Congregational Church. Later a lease was procured from the Presbyterian Church for their new brick building for warship on alternate Sundays with the Presbyterian congregation.

     In 1869 the name was changed to the Reformed Church in the United Sates. In 1870 a lot at the west end of the 500 block on west Fifth Street was donated to the group for the erection of a church. The corner stone was laid Jun 2, 1870. It was a frame building 54’ by 34’ and 14’ high at the sides with an arched ceiling. This building was dedicated Oct. 16, 1870. A tower contained a belfry and steeple. A gilded cross surmounted the 75’ steeple. This cross had been placed on the steeple under the direction of the pastor against the wishes of the majority of the congregation. Upon the insistence of the congregation the pastor…

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… resigned and the incoming pastor brought about peace by sawing off the arms of the cross.

     At this time the Wilton church held services every other Sunday as they shared the pastor with Tipton. In 1873 the pastor arranged to have Tipton exchanged for the Clifton charge at Columbus Junction. This was done because the bad roads made it difficult to travel to Tipton, but Columbus Junction could be reached by railroad.

     In 1878 Columbus Jct. desired to become a separate charge. Funds were secured from the Board of Home Missions and Wilton became a Mission by itself and services were held every Sunday.

     A number of Wilton church members moved to the territory north of Moscow so a sister congregation to be known as Trinity Church was organized on Aug. 22, 1897. The two churches became the Wilton charge.

     In 1904, the congregation, wishing to have their church located in a more central part of town, purchased the lot a 111 West Fifth Street. The new building, which is the one in use today (1976), was dedicated on Sept. 25, 1904.

     Two of the pastors of this church married local girls. Rev. John B. Bloom, 1904-1909, married Ida Wildasin in June 1907, and Rev. C. Irvin Lau, 1912-1915, married Delilah Lenker in 1914.

     Rev. Joseph M. Newgard became the pastor in 1926 and served for 25 years. It was through his efforts that Wilton and Trinity Mission became self sustaining in 1934. He not only served the local church well, but he held offices in the Iowa Classis, the Mid-West Synod of the Reformed Church in the U. S. and the Iowa Synod of the Evangelical and Reformed Church. Rev. Newgard entered into Wilton community activities and was a vital force in the development of Wilton.

     In 1934 the Reformed Church of U.S. and the Evangelical Synod of North America united to form the Evangelical and Reformed Church., which became the official name for the congregation. In 1960 the Congregational Christian Church united with the Evangelical and Reformed Church to form the United Church of Christ.

     Rev. Harold C. Potts is the present pastor, having come to Wilton in 1971.