Clinton-Shiawassee County MI Archives Church Records.....Ovid Congregational Church Copyright Date March 4, 2006 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: David Hunt wehunts2@mutualdata.com April 5, 2006, 10:49 am As written in 1976 The Congregational Church: At a meeting held in the office of the Ovid Register over 105 years ago on January 30, 1871, there were present Dr. C.V. Beebe, David Davis, Wm. G. Fulkerson, R.G. Young, L.C. Mead, Frank Davis, D.H. Moore, F.L.T. Hasse, John Bennett, John Potter, J.G. Mabbitt, H.M. Enos, M.H. Goff, D.A. Howe, J.S. Kribbs, George C. Beebe, Harry Marvin, John Q. Patterson, T.M. Scoville, and J.W. Fitzgerald. These twenty men met for the purpose of forming a temporary organization to conduct Congregational services in the village semi-weekly for the next three months. The men agreed to individually assist in meeting “all expenses that may occur; meetings to be held in Metropolitan Hall until better accommodations can be procured”. Re. William Mulder of Laingsburg was engaged to preach “for expenses and what the society saw fit to give him”. Thus the Ovid Congregational Church was born! Plans began at once for the erection of a house of worship. George Fox, grand- father of Harold Beardslee, was contracted to build the original church and steeple. The church was built on a hill on the north-east corner of High and Park streets. In 1872 the church was dedicated with Rev. J. B. Dawson being called to the pastorate. After building the church the society became financially embarrassed for a time and the property was lost to mortgage and the active history of the organization ceased temporarily. Sturdy effects resulted in the restoration of the property and the resumption of worship and by 1880 the church was under Rev. D. L. Eaton with services being held every Sunday. There was at that time about seventy members in the church and about one hundred scholars in the Sunday School. The first Young Peoples Society of Christian Endeavor was organized in Ovid prior to 1894. (See copied History of Christian Endeavor by Wilma Bates). In 1899 the church was moved from its location “on the hill” to its present location and remodeled. In 1932 the 60th anniversary of the dedication of the church was celebrated with a 10:30 A.M. service and 2:30 P.M. service. On January 4, 1939, a fire occurred in the church while a church supper was being served in the basement and the basement and south parlor were damaged to the extent of several hundred dollars. Then, on May 5th of the same year, the parsonage at 115 E. First Street was destroyed by fire. Dr. Leo V. Barker was pastor at that time. In 1939 the records show a plan for the Congregational and Baptist churches to share one pastor. The written plan follows: Plan of Cooperation Between the Ovide Baptist and Congregational Churches: Preamble: It is believed by many that the Baptist and Congregational Churches of Ovid can, with advantage to both, share the services of one pastor. As a result of several conferences the following plan of sharing and cooperation has been developed: 1. It is understood by both churches that this is not to be construed as any type of organic union, but that both churches will continue to maintain their separate organizations as heretofore. 2. It is suggested that the Congregational Church cooperate by beginning their Preaching Service at 10:00 A.M. followed by church School. The Baptist Church will begin Church School at 10:30 A.M. followed by Preaching Service at 11:30. If found desirable this procedure will be reversed every six months. 3. In the matter of Pastoral work, the Pastor will seek to divide his time as equally as possible between the two church congregations. Both congregations will need to keep in mind that there will be many demands upon his time and energy by the community as a whole. 4. It is suggested that there be a Council of Cooperation to work with the Pastor in dealing with the details that will arise in the working out of this plan. This council would consist of the following officers of each church: 1) Chairman of Board of Trustees, 2) Chairman of Board of Deacons, 3) President or Representative of Aid Society, 4) President or Representative of Missionary Society, 5) Church Clerk, 6) Church Treasurer, 7) Church School Superintendent. 5. The arrangement for the Pastor’s salary is: Both churches will pay $20.00 per week, with the Pastor making a generous offering to each. The Baptist Church will provide the Parsonage and the Congregational Church shall share in such provision by paying the Baptist Church $10.00 per month. Both churches shall share the telephone expense 6. To keep this plan of cooperation flexible so as to meet changing attitudes and situations, changes may be instituted by bring them before the Council of Cooperation and then to the respective churches for approval or rejection. 7. To terminate: This plan may be terminated by either of the churches by giving three months written notice to the Council of Cooperation. If ratified by both churches the plan will go into effect January 1, 1940. The plan was, indeed, ratified and the churches did share the services of Rev. Clare Perriogo for a time until merger with the Grace Methodist Church in 1942. On March 16, 1966, the Congregational Church building was recorded by the National Historic Buildings Survey. The survey results in buildings of unusual interest for architecture and high craftsmanship being surveyed, photographed, sketched, and described. This descriptive material is then filed in the historic American buildings survey archives in the Library of Congress in Washington, D. C. (See copy of Congressional Record.) Additional Comments: History originally written in 1976 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/clinton/churches/ovidcong10gbb.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 6.2 Kb