Shingle painting of the Tingley Presbyterian church by Pat Stephens

The Tingley United Presbyterian Church was organized July 12, 1883. Rev. J. C. WHITE, then pastor of the Eugene congregation, was appointed by the Presbytery to effect the organization, and he then served as pastor for almost a year. There were fifteen members in all:

The congregation increased in members quite rapidly. Many members transferred from the Eugene congregation. From 1890 to 1895, Rev. J. P. GIBSON was the minister and the congregation consisted of 160 members. The growth of the congregation continued, and on May 26, 1896, it numbered 251 communicants. The early services were held in the schoolhouse, Christian church, and the Methodist church. On August 2, 1888, the trustees purchased land from D. FREEMAN for a site on which to erect the church building. Construction was started in 1888 and finished in 1889. The bell for the steeple was to be one of good material but had to weigh less than six hundred pounds. MAX and GARD built this church. Reverend D. C. WILSON was the minister at this time.

Many of the members came to services by horse and buggy, wagons, saddle horses, and sleighs. These were hitched in an area east of the new church building.

There have been a number of changes made in the exterior and interior appearance of the churh since its beginning.

On October 12, 1952, a portion of the ceiling fell above the adult Sabbath school class. Fortunately, no one was badly injured. A major redecorating of the interior walls and ceiling was done following his mishap, and the congregation attended church in Shannon City during this time.

Two large stoves used to heat the church were most unsatisfactory and were replaced by an efficient furnace in the 1930's. A portion of the tall steeple in which the bell hung became unsafe and was removed in December of 1952. It changed the appearance of the church considerably. The parsonage which was just west of the church was sold in 1961.

Only psalms were sung in the early days of the church. Hymns were definitely "taboo" - much too worldly. No musical instruments were allowed in the church. A chorister was chosen by the elders on the Session to lead the singing. In early times, the chorister used a tuning fork to give the first note of each tune.

The first organist was Miss Mattie MORELAND, January of 1901. A new electric organ was purchased in 1959. Today, in 1983, one can still hear Donna (Mrs. Roger) MORRISON playing the old pump organ to accompany the youngest Sunday school class.

Revival meetings were an important part of the church life and were held annually. Loud, rousing songs and laudable amens were not unusual.

Current church members tell of their recollections of "Pappy" DOBBINS (B. E. DOBBINS, 1930 - 1937), a minister who earned that nickname from the love and respect of his young parishioners. During the Depression when inexpensive recreation was the rule, most citizens of Tingley enjoyed the softball games, and so did sports-loving "Pappy" DOBBINS. When the games were played on Saturday night, though, Rev. DOBBINS always left before the midnight hour which marked the beginning of the Sabbath day, devoted to holier pursuits.

NOTE: Rev. Blair E. DOBBINS was born in 1861 in Ireland, and came to America in 1881. He died at the age of 90 years in 1951. Rev. DOBBINS married in 1897 Belle TATE, the daughter of Joseph C. and Rose M. TATE, was born in 1875, Xenia, Ohio, and died at the age of 83 years in 1958. They were interred at Tingley Cemetery.

Presbyterian piety required a strict obsrevance of the Sabbath. Folks reminisce about their family rules: no work beyond the bare minimum required to maintain people and livestock; meals were prepared the day before; travel was limited to church going; children did not play loud or boisterous games, but rested and read Sabbath school lessons and heard Bible stories. Many maintain fond memories of parents' devoting time to the children on the Sabbath, a special treat since weekdays were filled with work for all the family members.

Sabbath school attendance in 1907 averaged 140-150 each week. Ten separate classes met in every corner of the church building.

After Sabbath school and worship in the morning and the family time in the afternoon, most folks returned in the evening for youth groups and evening worship. Mid-week prayer meetings were an important part of the family worship in those days.

In 1898 the leaders of the Junior Missionary Society met with the Session to ask for help in maintaining discipline. In December of 1900 the Session approved Sabbath afternoon meetings for boys to be led by J. C. MaHAFFEY. Our Young Peoples' Christian Union (OYPCU) met each Wednesday evening after prayer meeting. The first record of OYPCU dates back to 1904. In September 1912 Albert ALLEN offered to pay the youth five-cents per bushel for husking corn in order to help them raise money for a new piano.

In 1904 there was also a group called the "Little Light Bearers" who were the youngest missionary society. No one in this group was older than seven years! They held their meetings Saturday afternoons. After age seven, children joined the Junior Missionary Society. Many current adults remember the regular Sunday meetings of the Christian Endeaver. Currently [1983], our United Presbyterian youth participate in the Tingley United Youth Group. Our Session supports our adult sponsors, Curt and Terry LININGER, who work together with United Methodists' John and Cindy ALLEN, and Margaret WILKINS from the Christian Church. The United Youth Group has met every other week for study, and the off-weeks for recreation.

Apparently the earliest record of the work of the women's organizations is 1900. The Ladies' Missionary Society meeting included devotions followed by a study of some foreign country. The offering was used for a worthy cause through the Women's Board of Missions.

A second women's organization was founded in the 1920's. This group was called the Ladies' Social Circle. Women attended one of both of these organizations. Emma McCLURE was the first president of the group and continued in office for 28 years.

In order to aid in the financial work of the church the ladies replenished their treasury with many activities. The big event of the year was the Ice Cream Social held on the spacious lawn of the Dr. H. D. SHEUMAKERS, formerly the home of the John FRASERS. It was a family project, as the men turned the ice cream freezers; the women prepared potato salad, chicken sandwiches, pies and cakes; the young people did the serving. Card tables and chairs were set on the lawn, and lights were strung from tree to tree. It was truly a happy occasion, and quite profitable as well!

In September of 1959, the Ladies' Social Circle and the Women's Missionary Society were combined and became the UPW.

Current [1983] officers of UPW are: President, Janet TIDRICK; Vice-President, Iola PRICHARD; Mission Treasurer, Donna (Mrs. Roger) MORRISON; Social Treasurer, Twilla (Mrs. Keith) LININGER: and Secretary, Terry (Mrs. Curt) LININGER.

The governing body of the local church is called the Session. The Session's duties include the direction of the church programs and the oversight of church members. It was and is the duty of the elected Trustees to maintain the physical needs of the church and parsonage. These two boards were combined in 1980, and the same members elected to the Session are also elected as Trustees. They then combine duties at a single meeting. The present [1983] Elders/Trustees are: Mildred BOYD, Clerk; Keith LININGER, Donella REED, Ira FERGUSON, Enda McCAHON, and Curtis LININGER.

Through these 100 years, the Session members have had to deal with some interesting problems, such as:

In 1892, the Trustees were instructed not to let the church be used for any traveling troups or anything that is a hindrance to the spiritual welfare of the congregation. September 7, 1893, it was voted to spend thirty minutes in prayer for the young people of the congregation. In 1897, the Elders divided the congregation into four districts and canvassed the areas to raise the mission money for that year. In 1912 one person was granted a letter of transfer contingent upon payment of her share of the mission money. In 1899 a certain man wished to transfer his membership into the Tingley United Presbyterian church; however, it was reported that he had been seen on the streets of Tingley intoxicated. The pastor and clerk appointed a committee to investigate the matter fully before action would be taken on the matter of the certificate. The committee reported that they contacted the man's parents and him, all of whom acknowledged the correctness of the report. He expressed his sorrow for his conduct, and his desire to live in the future an upright life. He also agreed to sign a pledge that, God's helping him, he would never take intoxicating drink of any kind as a beverage. The committee then recommended he be accepted as a member. In 1952, the first Union Good Friday service was held at the United Presbyterian Church. It was three hours long! In 1905, J. C. MaHAFFEY appeared and made a complaint against three young misses as to their conducting themselves improperly during services, especially evening services. After considering the matter, a member of the Session agreed to personally interview the parties, hoping that a word of caution would be sufficient that no repetition of the same be made. The meeting adjourned suddenly on November 11, 1914, due to a fire! In 1918, Les McCLURE was appointed to act as treasurer until the annual congregational meeting. Mr. McCLURE continued until December 1962. The budget was $1,500 (home) and $600 (mission).

The Session diligently watched over the flock - too diligently for some! The Session members today still care as deeply for the members of Tingley U.P. Church as did the Sessions of the past, though our ways of acting out that concern have changed.

The Presbyterian system of church government has been called a connectional system for a good reason. Each congregation is connected to the others for mutual support financially and spiritually. Ministers serve as Moderators of neighboring churches without pastors.

Members of the Shannon City U.P. Church came to Tingley for worship during the winters of 1958 and 1959. In 1960, the two congregations united, with the Shannon City congregation moving to Tingley.

Churches have yoked themselves for the purpose of hiring a minister to work for both. Under Rev. E. C. WILLIAMS (1960-1964), Tingley was yoked with the Presbyterian Church at Afton. As of January 1965 under Rev. Gordon STOKKE, Tingley has been yoked with the First United Presbyterian Church of Mount Ayr. this relationship continues to day [1983] and is known as Ringgold United Presbyterian Parish.

Tingley United Presbyterian Church has grown with the town through all its ups and downs. We will continue to honor our ancestors and the work they accomplished for the Lord. We will seek to serve the citizens of Tingley and surrounding area by offering our reformed Presbyterian witness to the Lord.

  * Karl BEESLEY served as a student pastor until his ordination on October 20 1973.

** Mark D. WORLEY came as an assistant to the minister in 1976, and served in that capacity until his ordination on August 20, 1878, at which time he became co-pastor.

We have had been served by several student pastors and pulpit supply over the years. Some of them are:

Rev. Bruce GIESE was the last pastor of Tingley's United Presbyterian Church.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, January 19, 1989

On Sunday, Jan. 22, the Tingley Presbyterian Church will celebrate 100 years since the dedication of the church building. Tingley Presbyterian Church celebrated the centennial of its organization (July 12, 1883) during the centennial celebration of the town of Tingley in July 1983. Six years later a church building was erected and the present structure was dedicated on Sunday, Feb. 3, 1889.

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.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, July of 2012

Creston News-Advertiser
Creston, Union County, Iowa
Monday, December 7, 2009

Final Christmas Season for Tiny Tingley Church

by Larry PETERSON

Rev. Bruce GIESE & Tingley Presbyterian Church
CNA photo by Larry Peterson

TINGLEY - There have been a lot of historical dates in the history of Tingley United Presbyterian Church.

It was founded in July 1883, with the 125th anniversary celebrated in September 2008. The church is as old as the town of Tingley itself.

Having started in the upstairs of a schoolhouse, a lot was purchased in 1888 for $125 at its present location on Main Street just west of the town hub. Three years later, members voted to secure posts and poles for the hitching rack.

The church overcame a fire in 1946, thanks to the hard work of parishioners making repairs while services were temporarily held in other Tingley churches.

Now, add Dec. 27, 2009 to the list of important dates in the church's history.

The church will close on the final Sunday of 2009, victim of declining attendance like so many rural worship centers.

"We only had about six people coming to church," said Donna MORRISON, lifelong member and the longest-living member serving as organist for the church. "We lost a faithful member last month, Keith LININGER." LININGER'S widow, Twilla (HALL) LININGER, has the longest tenure as a church member since Sept. 2, 1931. She now resides at a Mount Ayr nursing home.

While a young man in his 20's was recently ordained and installed as an elder in October, the church's membership of 26 includes few loyal attendees still living in the area, and most are elderly. The writing was on the wall.

It's a far cry from the church's heyday, with 225 listed members at the turn of the 20th century.

"This was not a financial decision at all," said the Rev. Bruce M. GIESE, pastor of the church since May 2008. "Even people who moved away gave support financially. This church has a long history of mission support, with $2,500 designated along with additional freewill offerings."

It all came down to low attendance, GIESE said. He serves two other churches - Platte Center Presbyterian Church southwest of Creston and the United Church of Diagonal - and the Tingley church's worship service was due to rotate to a new time in January.

"We had a church session meeting and openly talked about it," GIESE said. "There were some Sundays when it was barely more than me and the organist."

Alter - Christmas 2009

Busy Sundays

GIESE has driven 50 miles on most Sundays to make it to all three services. With starting times ranging from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. While the first closing of a church he's been associated with is a sad occasion, he notes there are some advantages for the other two churches.

"I would be running in and out of Diagonal and the Platte Center church," GIESE said. "They typically had fellowship after their service. I haven't gotten to be as pastoral on Sundays as I would like."

The Tingley church has had a loyal following for its weekly ecumenical Bible study on Thursday mornings at Wagon Wheel Cafe. Sometimes attendance there doubled that of the Sunday worship service.

"We would draw other people, and it became quite popular," GIESE said.

50 attend celebration

Rather than have a closing ceremony in the coldest part of winter at the final service Dec. 27, members decided to hold a celebration service of life and ministry on Nov. 29. Attendance topped the 50 mark, the most since the 125th anniversary drew a crowd of nearly 90.

"We decided if this was going to happen, we would rather have a better chance of good weather," GIESE said. "If they knew in time, maybe people back in the area for Thanksgiving could stay around for Sunday. We had a lot of extended family back and two previous pastors."

Those include the Rev. Pete BRANTNER, pastor from 1991 until 2004 when he became a counselor, and the Rev. Karl BEASLEY, now of the Kansas City area. BEASLEY was a student minister in 1973 and GIESE attended his ordination in Tingley. Little did he know that 35 years later he would follow in BEASLEY'S footsteps as the church's pastor.

Having ministered in Des Moines and seen the onset of "mega churches," with huge memberships in auditorium settings, GIESE finds the intimate setting in Tingley a refreshing change.

Active members

"Every place is susceptible to what is happening to us with lower numbers," GIESE said. "The mega churches are fine with good ministering. But, sometimes a portion of the congregation can be spectators like at a sporting event. Here, they all had to be doing something, or it wouldn't have lasted this long. They have taken pride in the church with a real giving spirit."

Still, Dec. 27 figures to be a somber day, leaving Tingley a community of two churches. Some members may go to them, or attend services in Diagonal, Shannon City, Arispe or Mount Ayr.

"We don't know yet," MORRISON said. "My son sees that I get places, and we've talked about it, but we haven't made a decision."

"To all of us, this is a joyous, yet bittersweet event," GIESE said. "Not one person here doesn't deeply love this church. Sometimes you do the right thing when you know it's not fun."

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2010

Decommissioning Service

During the service, Logan son of Tony and Ashley MERCER was baptized.