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.

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 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.

YOKING OUR MINISTERS

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.

LIST of MINISTERS

D. C. WILSON	Dec. 1887 - Aug. 1888
J. P. GIBSON	Nov. 1889 - Jan 1895
John WILLIAMSON	May 5, 1895 - May 1904
Lytle R. FREE	Oct. 1904 - July 1908
John J. GARDENIER	Sep. 15, 1908 - June 1910
C. A. POLLOCK	Aug. 1911 - Oct. 1915
W. W. GORDON	Aug. 1916 - May 1925
C. G. McKNIGHT	July 1926 - July 1929
B. E. DOBBINS	May 1930 - Sept. 1937
A. J. McCONNELL	May 1938 - May 1941
B. M. DOBBIN	Oct. 1941 - Oct. 1943
Charles M. WILSON	May 1951 - July 1956
E. C. WILLIAMS	July 1960 - Nov. 1964
Gordon STOKKE	Jan. 1965 - May 1968
Karl BEESLEY*	July 15, 1971 - Aug. 1975
Clarejean E. HAURY	Sept, 15, 1976
Mark D. WORLEY **	Sept. 15, 1976 - Sept. 15, 1982

  * 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:

Sandy NESBITT	now Mrs. Glenn RANKIN
Sidney SANDUSKY	June-Sept. 1956 & June-Sept. 1957
Jack WINEMAN	June-Sept. 1958 & June-Aug. 1959
Ron DAVIS	July 14, 1969 - July 11, 1971
Leroy PERKINS	Pulpit Supply 1975-76

 

Photograph by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2009

Rev. Bruce GIESE is the current pastor of Tingley's United Presbyterian Church.

United Presbyterian Church Closes, 2009

SOURCES:
Twice-A-Week News, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa. June 12, 1896.
Article reprinted in Mount Ayr Record-News, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa. June 16, 2005.

Tingley, Iowa Centennial: 1883 - 1983. Pp. 66-68. PSI, Inc. Belmond IA. 1983.
Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, September of 2011

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker

To contribute to Ringgold County's church pages,
contact Sharon R. Becker at srbecker@windstream.net.
Please include the word "Ringgold" in the subject line. Thank you.