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Who we are
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Presbyterian which means we follow a system of church government that has a hierarchy, biblical mandate and holds in high regard the Sovereignty of God. |
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Sojourners walking through earth
on a journey to God following the Way (John 14:6). Committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ as presented in the Bible. People meeting for Worship of God and leaving for Ministry to people regardless of their station in life. |
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We are an historical church serving this area for over 150 years. Our history paves the way to our future. |
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Our History
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An armed congregation once worshiped God In Mt. Vernon. During the Civil War when Gen. Sterling Price was making his threats to this part of Missouri, Presbyterians met for worship with the male members of the congregation fully armed. Steadfast in the face of advancing armies, the members put on their Sunday best, complete with six-gun, and went to worship.
During the Civil War the church was used as a hospital by the military forces. The church at that time was a Cumberland Presbyterian Church, founded on April 4, 1848, by the Rev. A.A. Young. In 1858, the first brick church building in Lawrence County was dedicated, debt free, on the site of the present First Presbyterian Church at Cherry and Main. It was used until the present building was built in 1892. This new building was to cost $4,000, with brick supplied by the congregation. The new furnace wasn't installed until December 1893. New pews were installed in July 1902.
On February 27, 1888, the Presbyterian Church of Mt. Vernon, Missouri, was formed by the Presbytery of Ozark, in connection with the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA.
The 13 original members came from Ozark Prairie Church, north of Mt. Vernon, the Cumberland Church and Calvary Presbyterian in Springfield.
The new congregation built a building southeast of the Cumberland church, almost in the center of what is now College Street. The building was a two-story wooden structure built at a cost of $7,000. Its purpose was to be a place for both worship and a school. It became a flourishing academy dedicated to the idea that young people might have a greater chance for learning.
When the academy was built, there was not a four-year high school in Mt. Vernon. Students could go to the academy for a year, and then finish up at the high school, or they might go for a year after high school to help prepare for college. Harold Bell Wright, author of The Shepherd of the Hills, was a teacher at the academy. It was eventually closed, sometime between 1915 and 1918, and the building was torn down. Materials from it were used to help build a house in 1918 now located at 410 College.
The congregation worshiped at the academy building until May of 1905 when they and the Cumberland congregation began worshiping together.
On October 28, 1906, a congregational meeting was held at the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for the purpose of union and consolidation of that church with the Presbyterian Church of Mt. Vernon. The vote was taken with 32 cast for adoption and 1 against.
On April 21, 1907, the merger of the two congregations was completed. The Cumberland church building (at what is now Cherry and Main) was then used as the worship site.
A Sunday school annex was added in 1927 at a cost of $4,000. It contained classrooms, a basement dining area and a kitchen.
During the Depression little was done to the church because of the struggle just to keep the doors open. Beginning in the early '40s, a remodeling and painting program was carried out, and a new Hammond organ was installed in August 1945. New pews were installed in the south wing of the sanctuary in February 1954.
In 1957 an educational wing was built that added a parlor, several classrooms and a new kitchen.
In June 1972 the old Manse at 512 S. Vine was sold and a new one purchased at 534 Valley View Drive, to be occupied by the Rev. James Marlett and family.
The Hammond CV Circa Organ which was installed in 1945 was traded in on an ADVENT Organ, Overture I Model 50 years later, in February 1995.
In 1996, the church was awarded a major capital improvement grant by the Presbyterian Church (USA). The money was used to renovate the roof to a pitched design. Other projects added for a pledge drive included replacing sidewalks and painting all the trim.
A bequest from the George Millsap estate was added to the church's steeple memorial fund for replacement of the steeple and spire to its original design. This project was coordinated with the other renovations in 1997.
The church's witness over the years has been faithful in dire times of Civil War and Depression and the good times of merger and prosperity. By God's grace that witness will continue.
(This history includes excerpts from the 1974 Lawrence County History and the Mt. Vernon Alumni Association Newsletter.)
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General Announcements:: |
| Easter Morning |
| We will be having an Easter breakfast at 9:15, followed by an
Easter egg hunt and then the Easter Worship Service at 10:30! Please
come and join us! |
Posted By admin on 2010-04-04 06:49:01.0 | General Announcements
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Reads: 445 |  |
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General Announcements:: |
| Softball Sign-ups |
| Softball season is here! Who plays softball better than a Presbyterian? No one! Sign-ups will be this Sunday, we hope to have you on the team! |
Posted By admin on 2010-03-25 06:45:35.0 | General Announcements
Comment?
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Reads: 432 | |
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General Announcements:: |
| Pictures from the bell tower. |
| Pictures from an exploration of the bell tower have been posted on our Facebook page. Check them out here!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=64733670498&ref=share |
Posted By admin on 2009-11-20 06:41:56.0 | General Announcements
3 comments
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Reads: 742 | |
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Upcoming Events:: |
| Vacation Bible School 2009 |
| Vacation Bible School is July 26-30, 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM at The First Christian Church in Mount Vernon. Carole Garoutte is coordinating our church effort, which includes providing snacks (peanut butter & grape jelly sandwiches) on opening night. If you can help, see her.
For more information, see this event on Facebook (Facebook link at top of this page). |
Posted By admin on 2009-07-19 13:28:28.0 | Upcoming Events
2 comments
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Reads: 1014 | |
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Upcoming Events:: |
| July 2009 Potluck Fellowship Dinner |
| Potluck dinner after church next week, July 19th. Bring a covered dish or desert. |
Posted By admin on 2009-07-13 07:00:59.0 | Upcoming Events
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Reads: 959 | |
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Upcoming Events:: |
| Church Picnic 2009 |
| Coming to a Gary Ewing Park near you! The 2009 Church Picnic! Bring chairs, a side dish and a friend. We will start the morning with a musical service and then we will enjoy burgers, hotdogs and fellowship.
Service starts at 10:30, Sunday, June 28th at the main pavilion. |
Posted By admin on 2009-06-10 07:05:51.0 | Upcoming Events
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Reads: 1021 | |
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Upcoming Events:: |
| Becky Schwandt's first day June 7th |
| Becky will be delivering her first sermon as our pastor next Sunday June 7th. Come and show your support. After the service there will be a potluck dinner (meat and drinks provided). All church members are encouraged to bring a dish. All visitors, just bring your appetites! |
Posted By admin on 2009-05-31 12:15:31.0 | Upcoming Events
1 comment
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Reads: 987 | |
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Humor:: |
| Those Wonderful Church Bulletins! |
| Thank God for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services (Summer, 2007 Release).
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The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
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The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on Water.' The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'
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Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.
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Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
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The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been cancelled due to a conflict.
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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.
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Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
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Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
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The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing: 'Break Forth Into Joy.'
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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
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A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
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Eight new choir robes are 20 currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones..
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Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
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Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
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Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
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Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. Is done.
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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
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The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
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The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan: Last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours |
Posted By admin on 2009-05-20 06:51:19.0 | Humor
1 comment
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"Sin will take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay."
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