Miss Ina FREEMAN gave the following account of the first church in Tingley at a Centennial Fellowship meeting on November 14, 1935 at Mount Ayr:

"Heroic origin of the beginning of any church in the earlier days must have been one of struggles. I don't believe we who live today know and realize what they must have been. I am taking my notes from a letter written by Mrs. Jacob FRANE who was present at the time this little band was struggling to establish a church in Tingley."

In the old Center Schoolhouse at the east edge of tingley, in 1877, a few people gathered to organize a Sunday School and Christian Church. There were some 16 or 18 at this first meeting: Mr. and Mrs. Thos. GARVEY, Mr. and Mrs. J. D. MORSE, Mr. and Mrs. Levi KNAPP, Mr. and Mrs. TAYLOR, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. EMMANS, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver DAVIS, Mr. and Mrs. James DAVIS, Mr. and Mrs. James QUIGLEY, and Mr. and Mrs. Frank McGUGIN. These were the charter members. This was the first church organized in the town.

Ezekial HARLAND was called to "Break the Bread of Life" to them. He was an old-time mnister of the gospel and knew his Bible well. He held meetings for several weeks, and 19 united with the church. Mr. and Mrs. Jacob FRANE were in this group.

Four weeks later another meeting was held, and 16 more made good the confession. The country was so starved for the gospel that the little schoolhouse was filled to overflowing by six o'clock every evening.

After the church was organized in 1878, services were led by Rev. "Dad" HARLAND for two years. A. H. GARRISON was the next minister.

There were good voices among those pioneers, and the singing of the old gospel hymns led by Miss Ella NEIGHE was inspiring, although there was no instrument to help.

The women made candles and took them to the schoolhouse for light.

Simpson ELY was one of the earliest evangelists,and he helped to start building the Christian Church which is now a dwelling house where A. A. SIMPSON lives.

The next building was dedicated February 9, 1896, and burned July 2, 1936.

July 3, 1930 - The third disastrous fire since April 6 visited Tingley July 2 at 1:00 a.m. The Tingley Garage (building east of the Christian Church 1983) was discovered in flames by Ira FERGUSON who gave the alarm. Origin of the fire is unknown. With no fire fighting equipment except a bucket brigade, the flames soon spread to the Christian Church built in 1895. The piano, pulpit furniture, chairs, books, and some broken seats were saved.

The Mt. Ayr fire department responded to the call. Several nearby homes were evacuated, but no other fires started. Total damage to the church and businesses was $28,000.

The next church, in which we now worship, was dedicated April 12, 1931.

Rev. Merlin WILKINS came to pastor the church in 1963. His family consisted of his wife Margaret and four children: Mike, Marla, Marcy and Michelle. A popular teacher in the Mt. Ayr Community Schools, Rev. WILKINS was a graduate of Taylor University, received an M.A. from Northwest Missouri State University, attended Asbury theological Seminary, and as of 1982, had completed his residence work for a doctorate at Drake University.

The entire WILKINS family became involved in the church. Margaret, in addition to being the organist, has been active in the Christian Women's Fellowship, leader of the youth group, and generally helpful in all aspects of church and Sunday School. The children were raised in the church, and were always willing to help in any way, especially with the music.

In his twenty years plus as pastor, Rev. WILKINS has ministered to the church with thoughful sermons, comforted, encouraged and instructed the church and community in Biblical precepts, as well as providing academic and spiritual guidance to the students of the Mt. Ayr School.
~ Joyce OVERHOLTZER SCOTT

SOURCE: Tingley, Iowa Centennial: 1883 - 1983. Pp. 62-3. PSI, Inc. Belmond IA. 1983.
Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, September of 2011

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2011