The
first meeting of the Floyd Church of God was held in the old Gleaner Hall
in March, 1911. Brother Shelley held revival services during which Mr. and
Mrs. Simeon Curtis and Mr. and Mrs. Sam Rouse were saved. Sister Frances
Eastman began to serve as pastor following that first revival.
Weekly services
were later held in the school building and then in the homes of some of
the families. For a brief time services were held in a log house on Pine
River near Eight Mile Road. Sister Eastman purchased this house from Frank
Eastman. It had previously belonged to Sam McNeal.
There was growing
concern and prayer for a building and a suitable location for the church.
Sister Eastman felt strong conviction that a building should be at Floyd
and on the corner. No land could be purchased there but Henry and Mary
Mashue leased a portion of land to the church for 99 years. This was dated
October 20, 1914, and was for 1/6 of an acre. The lease stated that the
building had to be built within two years.
The congregation at
this time included
the following
adults:
Sister Frances
Eastman
Brother and Sister
Simeon Curtis
Brother and Sister
Henry Sims
Brother and Sister
Sam Rouse
Brother and Sister
Newt Beebe
Mary Mashue
Susan Edna Hitsman
Walter Curtis and
Wife
Anna Eastman King
Byrtle Suber
(Smock)
Construction of a
new building, 18’ x 24’, began in October, 1914. Cement, stone and gravel
were donated by Brother Simeon Curtis who lived in what was later known as
the Fauble place. Sister Eastman made arrangements with Brown Lumber
Company for the other materials needed. Brother Curtis was appointed head
carpenter. The congregation had work bees and the women brought lunches.
At each meeting they prayed for the needs.
Money
came from many different people and places. The needs were supplied
through prayer and fasting. Those who donated work on the building
included:
Sister Frances
Eastman
Brother Beebe, Sr.
Brother Beebe, Jr.
Brother Sam Rouse
Brother Simeon
Curtis
Brother Clingenpeel
Brother Pratt
Brother Sims
Brother Eli Eastman
Brother
Clirigenpeel, Jr.
Sister Frances
Eastman served as pastor until 1934 when Brother Blaine Varner came as
pastor. Brother Varner received $5.00 a week for his wages. Sister Eastman
had served without pay. The Varner family lived in the upstairs of the old
Cornelius home. They later moved to the Charles Swift farm, and lived
there until they moved in 1937.
The next minister
was Brother S. J.
Brooks. He was our
pastor from 1937 until he
died May 27, 1940.
Rev. Harold Messer
was just starting out holding revival meetings for the church in May of
1940. On Sunday evening Brother Messer stated that he didn’t have a
message and couldn’t seem to get one. Brother Brooks arose and preached
the message the Lord laid on his heart. The message was “Watch Your Words,
Actions, Thoughts, Character, and Heart." The next morning at five o’clock
Rev. Brooks passed away with a heart attack.
The church talked
it over and gave Brother Messer a unanimous vote to become the new pastor.
This was Brother Messer’s first full time pastorate. He served the church
as pastor until 1942. During this time the foundation and basement of a
new and larger church building was started.
Brother Marvin Coffman was our pastor from
September of 1942 until the spring of 1943. During this time the second
church was being built. It was to be a $4,000.00 church building 30’ x 40’
in size with a 12’ x 18’ entrance. It was furnace heated and included a
full basement for the Sunday School.
Rev.
Messer returned as pastor in April of 1943, and the church building was
dedicated on August 8, 1943. At this time the land that had been leased
for 99 years was given to us by Mr. Mashue. The old building was sold by
Mr. Mashue and was moved away.
Brother Arnold
Cromlish came to the Floyd Church January 19, 1947, from Corning, Ohio.
During this time (1952) one acre of land was purchased from Sister Mary
Mashue. This was on the West side of the church building. Both the average
attendance and the size of the building more than doubled during this
time. Attendance was between 150 and 175. The -first addition (30’ x 40’)
to the building was constructed.
Dedication service
for this new addition was held May 15, 1955. In these same years the
parsonage was enlarged with the addition of three rooms and a breeze way.
In 1956 Brother
Cromlish submitted a request to the Dow Foundation for a contribution to
help with the amount owed on the building. A check for $5,000.00 was
received on Christmas Eve of that year. The Cromlish family left in 1957
to answer a call to service from the Church of God in Merrimac Park,
Minnesota.
Brother and Sister
Charles A. Longton came to the Church in 1957. A 16’ x 24’ garage was
build in the fall of 1959. In 1960 a 20’ x 70’ addition with full basement
was built on the East side of the church building. A 12’ x 70’ narthex was
added across the front of the building. Brother and Sister Longton retired
in 1963 and moved to Decatur, Illinois.
Rev,
and Mrs. W. Jeff Webb arrived in July, 1963, to
provide pastoral leadership for five years. They moved
here from Wilshire, Ohio, with their three children, Joan, Bill and Joyce.
In 1968 Rev, and Mrs. Ray Rector were called to
pastor the Floyd Church. Ray and Maggie have two sons, Reggie and Dale.
They served for two years, moving in 1970 to the Hanson Avenue Church of
God in Hammond, Louisiana.
Rev, and Mrs. H. L.
Greiser were called in the fall of 1970. They served the
church until late 1976. Their daughter Gloria accompanied them and served
in the life and ministry of the church in many ways. A mortgage burning
ceremony was held in March, 1972, when payments on the addition to the
east side of the building were completed. During these years the parking
lots were paved.
Rev,
and Mrs. Robert Weber assumed pastoral responsibilities near the end of
1976. In July, 1979, they moved to South Whitley, Indiana, to serve the
church there. Their youngest son, Brian, was with them here and became an
active part of the Floyd youth fellowship.
In September, 1979,
Rev, and Mrs. James Shanks were called to pastor the congregation and
continue at present to serve in that capacity. Their son, Mikal, and
daughter, Tonya, moved to Floyd with them and remain in the Midland area.
During these years
a new children’s program, the Floyd Bible Mountaineer Club, has been
conducted on Wednesday nights in conjunction with the mid—week service.
More recently the weekly youth meeting has been changed from Sunday to
Wednesday evenings.
In late 1984 a
major remodeling and renovation of the church building was done. This
provided a much improved facility for the ongoing program of the church.
In connection with this building project the congregation experienced its
first Building Fund Campaign with leadership provided by the national
Board of Church Extension. A three year goal of $100,000 was set — total
commitments of
$128,000 were made.
