OUR HISTORY
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On January 18, 1851 a group of residents of Ripley Township, Huron County, in the Firelands Area of Ohio, "with prayer and 4fc consultation," organized The Free Congregational Church of ' Ripley. They expressed their belief that " the cause of Christ p. demanded the formation of such church." The church records of that year list names of the nine members who "were examined on their faith and hope in Christ" and who adopted Articles of Faith and Covenant. Those nine members were Harvey Hubbard, his wife Frances Hubbard, Sarah W. Brown, Joel Hail and his wife Mary Hall, Clarissa Edwards, Justus Brown, Sarah Hall and Henry E. Brown. Articles of incorporation were filed in Columbus, Ohio on March 20, 1851.
May 3, 1851 Joseph Edwards and Clarissa Edwards, his wife, deeded to the church one-acre of land "as a site for a meeting house and burying ground." The Rev. Mr. Joseph Edwards served the church as its first minister. Mrs. Clarissa Edwards was one of the nine original members who organized the church. A house of worship was built upon the land given by the Edwards Family. The building cost $1000. The New England Congregational Union furnished $300 of that sum, the remainder was provided by subscription. On February 11, 1854 the new Meeting House was dedicated. The burying ground continues to be known as Edwards Grove Cemetery. In 1910 the church building was remodeled, enlarged and refurnished. There were new stained-glass windows, and a basement with furnace and lighting plant. A rededication service was held December 18, 1910. On Sunday, June 24, 1951, the One Hundredth Anniversary of The Ripley Congregational Church was celebrated. In 1954 the property on Edwards Road across from the church was purchased for the parsonage. A neighboring residence was purchased in 1954 for use as a parsonage. Payment in full of indebtedness on that property was celebrated in January, 1957. May 14, 1961 the church voted to become part of the United Church of Christ, a merger of Congregational Churches with the Evangelical and Reformed Churches. A building fund, begun in 1957, had grown to $3200 in 1964. Long preparation led to a building fund drive on March 21, 1965, Canvass Sunday. Contributions and pledges together with the existing Fund made a potential total in excess of the $20,000 estimated cost of a building expansion program. Ground breaking ceremonies took place May 9, 1965. The final building cost was $36,000 PLUS many, many, volunteer hours of labor. Worship services were held at a school building on New Street in Greenwich while the church basement was deepened and additional construction work was begun. The congregation returned to the partially completed building on Decembers, 1965. Part of the Hugh and Hattie Lewis bequest to the church in 1971 was the present property on US 224 for a parsonage. The property on Edwards Road was sold to Richard and Judith Runkle in 1972. In 1990 Ripley Church purchased 6.457 acres north of the church building from the Village of Greenwich. This has allowed for the expansion of the parking lot, playground area, and future expansion of the building. Expansion of the building in progress as of 2002. The addition will house offices, classrooms, a library and choir room. The current sanctuary will also undergo modifications to allow for more seating,. |
OUR PASTORS
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The Free Congregational Church of Ripley was organized January 18, 1851. It was incorporated by a Special Act of the Ohio Legislature March 20, 1851.
Joseph Edwards Joseph Edwards, Jr. 1851 George Paine to Rev. Baird 1874 J. P. Preston J. C. Thompson
A. H. Leonard....................... December, 1874 - 1895
C. B. Felton .......................... April, 1895 - 1899 Rev. Spence.......................... April, 1899 - January, 1900 Rev. Boyce........................... .February, 1900 - October, 1901 George Wier......................... .October. 1901 - April, 1903 Ruel Roberts......................... .May, 1903 -June. 1905 Ernest Altvater...................... June, 1905 - July, 1906 A. J. Wolf............................... April, 1907 - December, 1907 Marion Snook........................ December, 1907 - October, 1910 O. E. Harris............................ .November, 1910 - January, 1913 F. D. Jackson.......................... June, 1913 - June, 1914 J. Newton Brown................... August, 1914 - July, 1915 W. C. Detling.......................... October, 1915 - January, 1918 Marion Snook......................... January, 1918 - September, 1924 The following were students from Oberlin Graduate School of Theology: W. Q. Swart.............................September, 1924 - September, 1925 Ralph Claggett........................ September, 1925 -March, 1926 Rolland E. Wolfe.....................April, 1926 - October, 1926 Rea A. Warner.........................October, 1926-May, 1928 Paul L. Carpenter.....................June, 1928 - May, 1929 The following were students from Ashland Theological Seminary: Orville A. Lorenz......................June 1, 1929-May 6, 1934 Kenneth Ashman.................... June 1, 1934 - October, 1937 I. D. Archibald..........................October3, 1937-November 13, 1938 W. Clayton Berkshire.............. December 28, 1938 - August 3, 1941 Wayne Swihart.........................September 1, 1941 -August 29, 1943 D. Richard Wolf.......................October 3, 1943 - February 20, 1949 Robert Bischof.........................February 27, 1949 - May 28, 1950 Harry Mac Arthur..................... June 4, 1950-May 31, 1953 The following were students from Oberlin Graduate School of Theology: John H. Remaly............... ..........November 1, 1953 - February 10, 1957 James W. Taylor....... ................ .February 24, 1957 - May 25, 1958 N. Duncan Sinclair.. .............. .....June 1. 1958 -June 11/1961 May 14, 1961 the church voted to become part of the United Church of Christ. M. Michael Morse......................June 12, 1961 - August 18, 1963 John H. Koch......................... August 18, 1963 - July 15, 1964 James H. Brammer.......... ........ October 11, 1964- July 3, 1966 Ordained at Ripley William M. Kennedy........ ......October 15, 1966 - January 11, 1967 (First full-time minister) January 8, 1967 the membership voted to change the name of the church to The Ripley Congregational United Church of Christ. Frank J. Lowenbergh...... ....... August 1, 1967 - January 5, 1970 (First actual full-time pastor) John D. Perl........... ............. .....April 8, 1970 - December 1, 1972 Eddie A. Bray.. .................. ......May 1, 1973 -January 4, 1976. Started as a student from Ashland and was ordained here Marian R. Plant.and.. ............. ...August 1, 1976 - February 15, 1983 David G. Plant............ . ........ . .husband of Marian; both were students; ordained at Akron -home church Eldon J. Sheffer............ ............ June 1, 1983 - September 15, 1995 Student at Ashland Seminary and ordained at Ripley January 20, 1991 the church voted to withdraw from the United Church of Christ. The name of the church changed to The Ripley Church. ROBERT HUDBERG............... ....... January 21, 1996 - present Stephen Bauer.. ..................... .Intern Youth pastor for summer; June 17 - November, 1998 David E. Life........................ Associate Pastor to youth and spiritual education; April 11, 1999 -May 10, 2000 Paul E. Stanley... ....Assoc. Pastor and Theological student; September 17, 2000 - December 2003 Jason R. Hudberg... ...............Intern Youth Pastor; January 7, 2001 - September, 2001 Larry Brown. Assoc. Pastor and Theological student November 2003 - present Kyle Shepherd Interim Youth Pastor, January 2004 - present |
Information provided by Joette of The Ripley Church