HISTORY OF COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH - 1910 TO 1980
Prepared by John B.
Center, deceased 1991
Published
November 1984
EDIFICATION
This short
history of Community United
Methodist Church is lovingly and gratefully dedicated to the
memory of Morris E. Gustin, a superb salesman for Christ and the
up-building of His Kingdom in our own midst. His zeal and
dedication to his task, notwithstanding his severe physical
handicaps and unrelenting pain that would have defeated a lesser
person, was responsible, more than any other, for the dream,
leadership, and implementation of actions that led to the
community fellowship and facilities that we are privileged to
share.
PREFACE
The Author
to Theophilus; many writers have
undertaken to draw up an account of the events that have happened
among us, following the traditions handed down to us by original
eyewitnesses and servants of the Gospel. And so I in my own turn,
your Excellency, as one who has gone over the whole course of
these events in detail, have decided to write a connected
narrative for you, so as to give you authentic knowledge about
the matters of which you have been informed." Luke 1:1-4. New
English Bible Translation.
The writer of history must select from a host of recorded and oral data what he considers to be the most significant events of the subject he is undertaking to describe. This has been my conscientious objective. If, however, I have failed to document any event that some would consider more important than those I record. I offer my humble and profound apologies. I would very much like to expand and enlarge on the narrative of our Church's beginning on Town Street but all who had a part in this struggling endeavor have long since died, leaving a void that can never be filled.
I am deeply indebted to Mary Gustin, the late Arlie Brand, and to his wife Gorda, for much of the historical detail about the early beginnings of our Church, limited as it is. I am also grateful for the gifts by many members of Community United Methodist Church for their rich additions of photographs, slides, movies and taped recordings of the early days in the building of our present facility. I am deeply indebted to Mrs. Juanita True for assistance in locating manuscripts, documents and records; to Mrs. Mary Adair for typing the first draft; to Mr. Donald Kear and James Edwards for corrections to the draft; to my daughter Dawn for editing the draft; and to Betty Kiger of Roberts Office Services for final typing.
The writer of history must select from a host of recorded and oral data what he considers to be the most significant events of the subject he is undertaking to describe. This has been my conscientious objective. If, however, I have failed to document any event that some would consider more important than those I record. I offer my humble and profound apologies. I would very much like to expand and enlarge on the narrative of our Church's beginning on Town Street but all who had a part in this struggling endeavor have long since died, leaving a void that can never be filled.
I am deeply indebted to Mary Gustin, the late Arlie Brand, and to his wife Gorda, for much of the historical detail about the early beginnings of our Church, limited as it is. I am also grateful for the gifts by many members of Community United Methodist Church for their rich additions of photographs, slides, movies and taped recordings of the early days in the building of our present facility. I am deeply indebted to Mrs. Juanita True for assistance in locating manuscripts, documents and records; to Mrs. Mary Adair for typing the first draft; to Mr. Donald Kear and James Edwards for corrections to the draft; to my daughter Dawn for editing the draft; and to Betty Kiger of Roberts Office Services for final typing.