Quaker Church To Have Dedication

Sunday, March 18, members of Spring Grove Friends church, known locally as Quaker, will dedicate their new Sunday school class rooms and office. Dr. John Robinson, Kansas Yearly Meeting superintendent, will speak at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. dedication cerimonies. There will be special music at both services. At 12:30 a covered dish dinner will be held in the church annex.

The new addition is 30' by 32' and is divided into four Sunday school classrooms and an office. Built by volunteer labor, it was started last spring and the class rooms were in use by the first of December. In January, 1972, 49 persons accepted the challenge to take "talents" of $5 each and increase it as much as possible by Easter. From the talents, over $2000 was received. There have been other contributions from interested people.

Some have asked how a church with an enrollment of 56 could accomplish so much. The talents were increased by donut frying, baking of cakes, pies, sweet rolls and dinner rolls. Some crocheted ponchos and rugs, others sewed aprons, pot holders and stuffed dolls. Purses and wall hangings were woven by a high school girl while another gave a benefit sales party. Candy, greeting cards and paring knives were sold. Driftwood arrangements and candles were made and a hog was raised.

Spring Grove Friends history goes back to 1856-57. The present church building was built in 1877. An annex, consisting of a kitchen, one class room and a large meeting room was added to the building in 1963. Spring Grove is the second oldest Friends church in the state of Kansas.

Former pastors who have served here are Jacob Perry, C. N. Averill, Grace and Oscar Thompson, Clinton Whybrew, Ellis and Ferne Cook (two terms), Dan Timblin, Howard McNeice, Freida Craven (now Mrs. Challous Hay), and Fay Wheeler. The present pastor, Mrs. June Worden, has served faithfully since July, 1968.

The Sunday school superintendent is Lloyd Cook. The teachers are Dora Baucom, Evelyn Hay, Mrs. Charlie Hay, Sr., Mrs. Lavern Ellis, Mrs. Frank Boehm, Mrs. Ray Cottrell, Mrs. Gerald James and Charlie Hay, Sr. We have one class where the pupils each take a turn at leading. Mrs. Cletus Hampson serves as substitute teacher.

If you were to ask some of our members about the building addition, they would be very quick to tell you "It's one of God's miracles, the answer to many prayers and a labor of love." Someone else may tell you "To God be The Glory." --Mrs. Harold D. Elliott