In 1856, Reverend Jesse SHERWOOD was the first Methodist minister stationed on the circuit which included Mount Ayr.
Rev. SHERWOOD visited every charge in Ringgold County every three weeks, preaching at the sixteen-foot log school house
which was usually filled. Whten the frame court house was constructed in Mount Ayr in 1859, the congregation used
that building as their place of worship.
The Methodist Church, under the pastorate of Adam BURRIS, was the first church building erected in Mount Ayr. It was
erected in 1870, located on the site of the present-day Methodist church on West Madison Street. The church was
completed in 1871 under the pastorate of W. T. SMITH. The parsonage was built in 1871, a small house on the northwest
corner of East Jefferson and North Polk Streets. A new parsonage was built in 1881 west of the church.
With the congregation growing in numbers, there was a need to erect a larger church building. Reverend W. E. HARDAWAY,
who came to Mount Ayr in 1907, led the way for the construction of this new church. Razing of the old church began
on May 16, 1911, which was completed thirteen days later. The old church was sold for $200 to E. W. POOR. CRAIG and
WELCH, contractors from Clarinda, started work on the new church.
The new church site at the corner of Madison and Pierce Streets in Mount Ayr was selected during a meeting of the
Des Moines Annual Conference held September 9th through the 15th. During this conference, the women of the
Ladies Aid Society prepared and served more than 1,000 meals. The profits were used for construction expenses and
other purchases for the new church.
Excavation for the basement began on June 20, 1911;
footings were pours on June 23; the cornerstone was laid on July 31, and the new church was completed on April
16, 1912, at a cost of $26,508.70 which included furnishings. Bishop Joseph F. BERRY was present when the new
church was dedicated on April 28, 1912.
On Easter Sunday
evening in 1913 a major storm struck while the church was packed with people attending a program. The wind toppled
two chimneys and the roof caved in. Trees and power lines were blown down everywhere. People were urged to remain
in the building until some men carrying lanterns arrived to usher a few at a time to safety. The choir and
congregation passed the time praying and singing hymns.
The Mount Ayr Methodist Church congregation celebrated their centennial November 29 to December 2nd of 1956.
Circuit rider W. C. WILLIAMS was the first pastor to serve the Methodist church in Mount Ayr with Charles "Skip" RUSHING
becoming number fifty-six in July, 2009.
| YEAR |
PASTOR |
| 1858-1860 |
Rev. E. E. SPOONER |
| 1860-1862 |
Rev. B. SHINN
Rev. Jerry HUGHES
Rev. Oliver WILLIAMS |
| 1863-1864 |
Dr. U. P. GOLLIDAY
Rev. Rex COLLINS |
| 1864-1865 |
Dr. D. B. CLARY |
| 1865-1867 |
Rev. BAKER |
| 1867-1868 |
Rev. CALFEE
Rev. C. A. B. WATSON |
| 1868-1869 |
Rev. E. M. WALKER
Rev. E. M. KING |
| 1869-1870 |
Rev. Adam BURRIS |
| 1872-1873 |
Rev. M. MILLER
Rev. B. D. HINEBAUGH |
| 1874-1875 |
Rev. H. W. DESHLER
1st parsonage built |
| 1875-1876 |
Rev. HAYES |
| 1876-1877 |
Rev. BARTHOLOMEW |
| 1877-1880 |
Rev. U. P. GOLLIDAY |
| 1880-1881 |
Rev. Jacob MILLER |
| 1881-1882 |
Rev. MOORE |
| 1882-1884 |
Rev. CHAMBERS |
| 1884-1887 |
Rev. VOLMER |
| 1887-1892 |
Rev. William B. THOMPSON |
| 1892-1893 |
Rev. William W. RAMSEY
Rev. William G. RIHELDAFFER |
| 1893-1895 |
Rev. Charles L. NYE |
| 1895-1898 |
Rev. William C. MARTIN |
| 1898-1900 |
Rev. Homer P. DUDLEY |
| 1900-1904 |
Rev. Peter V. D. VEDDER |
| 1904-1906 |
Rev. Theodore J. REAM |
| 1906-1907 |
Rev. A. B. WHITMER |
| 1907-1912 |
Rev. William E. HARDAWAY |
| 1912-1914 |
Rev. Willis H. CABLE |
| 1914-1917 |
Rev. Raymond M. SHIPMAN |
| 1917-1921 |
Rev. Frank G. BEAN |
| 1921-1928 |
Rev. Jay KIRKENDALL |
| 1928-1933 |
Rev. Edwin S. MENOHER |
| 1933-1935 |
Rev. M. R. TALLEY |
| 1935-? |
Rev. Warren W. BENTZINER |
Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Wednesday, February 14, 1917
REVIVAL INTEREST STEADILY INCREASING
Methodist Meetings Under Coleman and Kemp
Drawing Large Crowds, Many Coming Forward
Large congregations have been attending the special services now being held at the Methodist church. On several
occasions the south gallery has been in use, a part of the house that is opened only when unusually large congregations
are present. Sunday night the church was crowded, and many who came had to leave because the accommodations were exhausted.
Last Thursday evening the invitation was given for the first time, and from that time till the present there have been
responses at almost every service. At the service last evening there was the largest response that there has yet been,
over twenty people coming forward, some of them for reconsecration and others for decision and for the first confession.
Those who came when the invitation was first given were children, over whose coming there might well be great
rejoicing. Lately, however, older persons have been coming.
The outlook now is that there will be still others
and larger results are yet in the future.
Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, December 19, 1940
Mrs. H. M. MILLER last week presented a Hammond organ to the Methodist Church in Mount Ayr. Although reluctant to describe this generous deed, she did say that she wished the organ dedicated to the "glory of God."
Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, February 23, 1941
Dedication services for the Hammond organ, which was presented by Mrs. H. M. Miller to the Mount Ayr Methodist Church, will be held January 26. Guest organist for the occasion will be Mr. Ford, organist at the Cottage Grove Avenue Presbyterian Church in Des Moines.
Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, November 15, 1956
A centennial pageant, one of the highlights of the 100th anniversary observance of the Mount Ayr Methodist Church, will be presented
Nov. 29. Members of the cast are Roy LEPLEY, Martha BEVINGTON, Cathi REYNOLDS, the Mesdames Joe GROSS, Esther JOHNSON,
Lynden TAYLOR, L. H. GRAY, Harold WEBB, Leo TAYLOR, J. H. EDDY, Lyle DUNLANY, Chas. A. HETZEL, Percy SKINNER and Marvin
REYNOLDS, Joen [?] ROSS, the Messrs. and Mesdames Bill RUSK, John McGILVREY, Walter HUDSON, Paul JOHNSON, Earl SCHARDEIN,
C. Arthur HANSEN, Donald DAILEY, Laurance BISHOP and George JACKSON, William HAROVER, Doyle HUNTER, Milton HENDERSON,
John DENHART, C. O. RHOADES, J. M. ANDERSON, Arthur RAUCH, Royce DAVIS, Dave IRVING and Olin HOFFMAN.
Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, December 24, 1987
The smallest church in Ringgold county has to be the one in the Mount Ayr United Methodist Church basement. But then it was never meant for big folks. It was build for little folks, with little folks' help and has been named the "Wee Church." It is too big to ever be taken out of the basement in one piece, yet small enough to be "just right" for the 14 preschool and kindergarten church school class taught by Rick and Marilyn HAWKINS.
Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Mount Ayr church planning centennial
On Sunday, April 29, the Mount Ayr United Methodist Church will celebrate the 100th birthday of the present building.
A special worship service is being planned for that day, including display of photos from previous years.
In addition to the old photos, a picture of the present day church family will be taken on November 13.
Anyone who attends the Mount Ayr United Methodist Church is invited to be at the worship service at 11 a.m. on November
13 to be included in the photo.
If anyone in the community has some old photos of the church, church members, pastors
and their families or other photos that they would be willing to loan for display during the celebration, please
contact the church office at 464-3636. Please write on the back of the photo to whom it is to be returned.
SOURCES:
TERRY, Jack R. A Centennial History of Mount Ayr, Iowa: 1875 - 1975 p. 107.
Mount Ayr Record-News Mount Ayr. 1975.
Southern Iowa Tourism, 2008
LESAN, Mrs. B. M. Early History of Ringgold County: 1844 - 1937 Pp. 56-58. Blair Pub. House. Lamoni IA. 1937.
Compilation by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2009; updated June of 2010; updated March of 2012; updated March of 2014
