Rev. William Eddy, Boonville, told the story of the first endeavor, 15 years ago, to renovate the church.

“When I came here in 1921, 16 years ago, there was a faded carpet on the floor, antiquated oil lamps and a dingy ceiling.” he said. “I had the happy thought of asking if there were not ten farmers in Omar each of whom had a hardwood tree on his farm to donate to the church. There were and the logs were taken to Clayton to be sawed, dressed and the lumber cured and we had the hardwood flooring. Omar lumber for the Omar church. Ora Snow, farmer upon the Gore road, who visited the Holy Land and said the Church of the Nativity was white as snow inside, offered to furnish the steel ceiling and sides. The Ladies’ aid looked after the redressing of the pews and a Sunday school class, called the I. H. S., installed the lighting fixtures and the place was changed from a meeting house to a sanctuary.”

Mrs. May Collins, who raised the funds for the present work, told how two substantial checks from former Omar people, sent in remembrance of their parents, started her working. She did not ask anyone in Omar for funds, she said, and only three or four outside, but the money flowed in as people heard of the proposed work.

Mrs. May Collins and Mrs. Abbie Waltz, long workers in the old Ladies’ Aid, sang as a duet, “The Church by the Side of the Road.”

Other musical numbers were: Duet, “Whispering Hope,” by Mrs. Fern Garner and Leland Collins, with Mrs. Eleanor Brush as accompanist; vocal solo, “Grateful, O Lord Am I.” by Mrs. Brush with Mr. Collins as accompanist.

The meeting opened with the congregation and choir singing “The Church’s One Foundation.” The prayer was by Rev. Ellis Richard, pastor of the Methodist Protestant church, Lafargeville. Rev. B. J. Davison, Heuvelton, a former pastor here, read the Scriptures and pronounced the benediction. Rev. William D. Aubrey, pastor of the church, presided.

The special sermon was by Rev. William Eddy, Boonville, a former pastor, who took for his text Mark, chapter 14, 6 to 9 verses.

There were large delegations from Lafargeville, Alexandria Bay, Fishers Landing and visitors from other points as far away as Syracuse in attendance. The church was decorated with flowers. At the morning service, Rev. Charles T. Holcombe, Watertown, district superintendent of the Black River district, was the speaker.

Mrs. May Collins made public the names of the donors of the fund to redecorate and refinish the building. They were M. E. Farr, Charles D. Hawn, Clara Henderson, W. H. Carter, all of distant cities; Clifford Schyver (sic) and family, Mrs. Bringham, Mrs. Poth, Mrs. Snow, James Cranker, Henry Baltz, Leta Carter, May Collins, Mrs. Backus, Mr. and Mrs. Merrick Hall, Ralph Hoyt, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Zimmer, H. E. Reed, Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Patterson, Hattie Garlock, Alice Schryver (sic), Alice Walts, Mr. and Mrs. Clark Landon, Mr. Philow, Bretch Brothers, Mabel Felt, Harold Bretch, Howard Garlock, Ethel Crandell, Ruby Baltz and George Gibbons. Most of the gifts were made in memory of parents or other members of families who had been devoted workers in the Omar church.

(A photograph of the Omar Methodist Church was included on this scrapbook page.)