Churches: Larchwood Church Histories; Lyon County, Iowa ****************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES PROJECT NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ ****************************************************** The USGenWeb Archives provide genealogical and historical data to the general public without fee or charge of any kind. It is intended that this material not be used in a commercial manner. All submissions become part of the permanent collection. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Roseanna Zehner November 04, 2002 ______________________________________________________ NOTE: For more information on Lyon County, Iowa Please visit the Lyon County, IAGenWeb page at http://iagenweb.org/lyon/ ______________________________________________________ Transcribed by Darlene Jacoby Source: Larchwood Iowa Centennial Remember the Past, Build for the Future 1872- 1972 with written permission by Milton W. Rockhill, Chairman. Larchwood Church Histories Community Church In the fall of 1923 citizens met with interest in forming a community church. The German Evangelical church has expressed a desire to join in such a movement. Everyone was concerned that the town was too small to support three churches. Articles of Agreement were adpted between this Community Church of Larchwood and the Methodist, Congregational and Evangelical churches. This organization continued for 30 years in harmony. English Lutheran Church In 1938, a group acquired the use of the German Evangelical church building which had been unused for several years and started holding services there. In 1947 the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod was officially organized. Federated Church of Larchwood In the fall of 1912 the trustees of the Congregational and Methodist churches met to discuss the subject of Federating the two churches. The federation was completed and the Federated Church of Larchwood continued for 12 years. Services were held for alternate periods of time between the two church buildings. First Congregational Church In 1874, Rev. Palmer of Sheldon conducted the first church service in the little one room school house just north of the park where services were held for several years. In 1887 the church was admitted to the Sioux Association, completing the organization of the First Congregational Church of Larchwood. The first church was built in 1889 in the north part of town. In 1909 this structure burned to the ground. A new brick building was erected and the new church was dedicated in January of 1910. German Evangelical Church In the fall of 1904 work started on the organization and building of the German Evangelical Church (Tochter Der Evangeliche Landes Kircher). On July 2, 1905 the new church building was dedicated. Services were conducted in German. Grandview Covenant Church Grandview Covenant Church on it's dedication in 1914 when it was known as Grand View Swedish Mission Church of Granite, IA. (now it is Grandview Covenant Church of Larchwood, IA) In 1872 services started by Rev. John F. Wretlof in area dugouts along the Big Sioux River about one and a half miles SW of Granite in Sioux Township. Later services were held in school houses and area homes. On August 3, 1912 the Grand View Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Mission Church of Granite, Iowa was organized in the home of C.T. Swanson under the supervision of Rev. Wretlof. The church building was erected and dedicated on Sunday, May 31, 1914. A new constitution was adopted in January 1958, establishing the church name as the Grandview Covenant Church of Larchwood, IA. There is a church cemetery 1/2 mile west of the church building overlooking the Sioux River Valley. Methodist Church In the fall of 1888, Rev. Green, pastor of the Methodist church in Inwood, came to preach in the school house. The Presiding Elder, Rev. Cole of Sheldon, assisted by Rev. Green organized a Methodist class with 30 members, attached to the Inwood church. Services were held in the schoolhouse on alternate Sunday mornings and Sunday evenings, alternating with the Comgregational congregation until their church was built in 1890. In 1891, the Methodists let the contract for a church building to G.G. Broten for $1,450, located at the corner of Fell and Carter streets (where the residence of Mrs. Irene Anderson now stands). The church was dedicated on January 10, 1892. Services conducted by the Rev. Cole assisted by Rev. Shidler, Rev. Green was also present. Norwegian Lutheran In the late 1870s a Norwegian Lutheran group held services one Sunday morning in the month and every alternate Thursday evening at 7:30 in the Arneson's Wold's and Krogness' residences. Rev. Krogness was the pastor. In 1891 he left Larchwood after having served as pastor for 14 years. These services were then discontinued. St. Mary's Catholic Church The first Mass was offered by Father Phelan of Rock Valley in 1887, in Phelan's Land and Weighing office in Larchwood. The next year an old school building was given to the Catholics by Mr. Skykes and Mass was held there. In 1898 St. Mary's was officially established as a Parish and a new church was built. United Church of Christ In April of 1954 the members decided to affiliate with the Congregational denomination. The current church building was dedicated April 30, 1967. At this time the Congregational denomination had merged with the Evangelical and Reformed and the church is now knows as the United Church of Christ Congregational.